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+ | ====== Marker. ====== | ||
+ | [[main_chr_marker|Main Characters]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | **This story is in PRE Alpha, unfinished, please refrain from copying, will be released under CC or similar license once finished and properly edited.** | ||
+ | |||
+ | <fs small> | ||
+ | |||
+ | //During the 1990s, a team at the University of Texas, Austin, measured the attention spans of volunteers.// | ||
+ | |||
+ | //These measurements were turned into a series of waves using Fourier transformation.// | ||
+ | |||
+ | //The result showed 1/f fluctuations, | ||
+ | |||
+ | //The objective:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Try to write a short story that follows | ||
+ | |||
+ | //Meaning that a story chopped up into segments fitting the standard attention span might become a better " | ||
+ | |||
+ | </fs> | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Story Premise:** | ||
+ | |||
+ | Young female cop takes on rich and stark raving mad industrialist in genetic crime thriller. | ||
+ | ===== Red snow ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Silence encompassed everything, not a wind moved and a thick white carpet covered everything. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rosie Hunt was looking out her window, she smiled thoughts where whirling in her mind, this was not what she had pictured happening after the news she'd just had the week before. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Life must go on her mother used to say when the family was facing tragedy, and it did, despite everything happening in the world. Be it crazy dictators oppressing whole nations in the name of religion, political conviction or be it devious politicians sugarcoating fewer rights for the public good, all off course in the holy name of terrorism, or be it brutal natural disasters slaying hundreds of thousands in one fell swoop. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rosie nodded to herself, yup life did go on. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maybe if she hadn't been so preoccupied she'd have noticed something, but the magic of the outside view had her mesmerized, and as she pondered her future fate, it came to an abrupt end. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rosie Hunt died aged 25. | ||
+ | |||
+ | .... | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine Henderson was tired, her beeper had gone off a full three hours before her alarm was supposed to ring, the coffee bought at The Daily Grindhouse, a gritty, no-nonsense coffee shop that served up strong, bold brews perfect for keeping alert during long shifts was nice, but usually it took a little more to get her started this early in the morning. Particularly these days, limiting herself to 1 cup per day was agony. Sandrine rubbed her queasy stomach, trying to ignore the persistent waves of nausea that had been plaguing her for the last few weeks. The mere thought of her breakfast sandwich made her feel sick. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the Kinetica drove up toward the crime scene a traffic cop waved her over, he looked at Sandrine immediately her nose ring and face piercing, at closer inspection the cop noticed both the ear piercings and the butterfly clad tattoo swirling up her arm. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sorry mam, you probably need to find an alternate route. Pinewood Lane is closed for all traffic, unless you live here ?". The traffic cop paused, the woman behind the wheel did not look like the average citizens of this neighborhood. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine smiled overbearingly and flashed her EuroCop detective badge. She knew full well why she was being pulled over. Her long black swirling hair, her almond eyes and dark tan. In a world still plagued by centuries of racial prejudice she was not exactly what the traffic cop expected a homicide investigator to look like. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The traffic cop embarrassed by his stereotyping stepped up to the side of the vehicle, relaxed the hand that had been held close to the holster and put it on the rooftop, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine looked at the traffic cop " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine smiled, the Solar Roadway as well as solar pavement would not have left much for anything to make any marks on the surface, the built in de-icing system would have taken care of that as well as the rugged nu slip surface. This was the upgraded 21'st century infrastructure - roads and power grid in one, hell even the materials were from locally grown sugarcane plastics and abundant earth minerals, no more dependence on foreign oil or gas, nor dictatorial regimes sitting on rare mineral reserves, welcome to the 21st century. She was a bit puzzled though, she would have expected the automated roads to have tracked quite a few vehicles, why were they looking for tire-tracks? | ||
+ | |||
+ | The traffic cop barely noticed her dreamy gaze as she rubbed her chin and continued. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I hope you're not too iffy about blood, sure some freak who did this that's for sure." he stepped back and waved her in the right direction. Sandrine thanked him and smiled. The car pulled away up to the spot pointed out by the traffic cop. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The vehicle pulled up behind the white coroners wan, she sure didn't envy those guys, at least she had the opportunity to escape the murder scene once she'd done her preliminary investigation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Outside a camera was flashing, the half naked body in the snow wearing only a bathrobe once white was a typical suburban housewife of the west side. She looked very peaceful as she lay there. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There were long tracks of red in the snow where pulses of blood from slit arteries had painted a macabre pattern. Sandrine shuddered, nos as much from the cold as from the visuals of the scene. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The photographers finished up, no tracks but the victims left the back door, she must have tried to run across the yard to her neighbors house before expiring on her back lawn. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside the house her boyfriend sat devastated, she had called, had something to tell him. Tears flooded from his eyes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine carefully noted his very genuine behavior, she was quite sure, her gut told her this was definitely not the assailant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Her partner was doing the rounds with neighbors. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everyone agreed Rosie Hunt was a decent person, in fact very well liked, a bit quiet but no enemies it would seem. It was a tragedy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine noted the Alarm system had not gone off and nothing seemed missing or disturbed in the house other than some furniture toppled over from what seemed like a minor fight in the living room, meaning this was likely not a simple break in, gone wrong. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She glanced at the black chic bathroom table. Now this was interesting, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lovers quarrel, another father than the poor sod sitting in the kitchen perhaps? Was that what Rosie had planned to tell him ? Or had she told him already ? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine knew she had to probe him deeper no matter how much it would seem to hurt, early elimination in any investigation was crucial to solving a case. | ||
+ | ===== Clues ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine sat anxiously in the doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor entered the room with a warm smile and a reassuring demeanor. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine took a deep breath and replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor nodded sympathetically. "I understand how you feel," he said. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | He pulled up her results on the computer screen and began to explain. "As you can see here, Sandrine, the test has revealed that your child has a genetic disposition for a rare condition. However, it's important to understand that just because there is a genetic disposition, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What can we do to prevent the condition from developing?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, at this point there isn't a lot we can do to prevent it," the doctor replied. "But there is ongoing research into treatments and therapies for rare genetic conditions, and we're making significant progress. In fact, there is a national register of rare genetic conditions that is helping to advance our understanding of these conditions and to connect families with resources and support." | ||
+ | |||
+ | He continued, "There are also some exciting developments in the field of personalized medicine, which could one day allow us to tailor treatments to an individual' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But what about my child? Should I be worried?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor smiled reassuringly. "No, Sandrine, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Your child is healthy and developing normally, and there is a wealth of support and resources available to families who may be dealing with a rare genetic condition. We will monitor your child closely throughout the pregnancy and after, and we will do everything we can to ensure a healthy outcome." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine felt a weight lifted from her shoulders and moments later she was headed to her car. She had not more than fastened her seatbelt when her com screen flickered on. There had been another murder and she was called to the scene. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine was working late at the precinct when the coroner' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Did you run a test to determine the paternity?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We did," the coroner replied. "And we were able to determine that the father was the victim' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine thought for a moment. "Do you happen to know which pregnancy test kit she used?" she asked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The coroner sounded surprised. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As soon as the coroner said the name, Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you for letting me know," Sandrine said, her voice shaking slightly. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine hung up the phone, her mind racing. Two pregnant victims, both with a Verinata test kit. It was starting to look like more than a coincidence. She knew they needed to move quickly to catch the killer before there was another murder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tuesday sucked just as bad Sandrine had just endured another round of torture at the precinct health offices, | ||
+ | |||
+ | I know you hate these annual health checks and particularly the psyche evaluation, but I hope you understand that at this time it is especially important. The station psychologist/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine squirmed on the inside at the smile, she hated these sessions, the fakeness of the police world bothered her. everyone kept as much to themselves as they could, nobody wanted to bare themselves to the system. The make believe courtesy of the psychiatrist used to dealing with unthinkable trauma was in stark contrast to Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine sat at her desk, going over the details of the case. The murder of the two pregnant women was weighing heavily on her mind, and she knew that time was running out to catch the killer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Her partner, Jack, walked over and sat down next to her. "What are you thinking, Sandrine?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack nodded in agreement. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine picked up the phone and dialed the coroner' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The coroner on the other end of the line was skeptical. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The coroner sighed. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine thanked her and hung up the phone. She turned to Jack. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Several days later, the results of the tests came back. Sandrine and Jack gathered around Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | She continued to read through the results, feeling her heart sink with each negative result. But then she got to victim number four. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack's eyes widened in surprise. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded. "We need to start looking for anyone who has access to this information. Someone who knows about the genetic marker and how to use it to target their victims." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine sat at her desk, staring at the crime scene photos in front of her. Another victim, another murder. But this one was different she wasn't pregnant, probably just a fluke that she had been assigned to herself and Jack. There was still nothing to tie the victims together, except for the genetic marker they all shared. And as the search had widened to include the victims' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack nodded in agreement. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As they continued to brainstorm, Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | I know we were not asked to test for it, but I just couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Are you sure you're not a detective Sandrine laughed. "I owe you one" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes Sandrine, yes you do!", the coroner replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She thanked the coroner and hung up the phone. She turned to Jack. "I think we have something," | ||
+ | ack sat at his desk, going over the case files with a furrowed brow. He couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he looked up, he saw Sandrine standing in front of his desk, a concerned look on her face. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack nodded in understanding. "I know, it's tough. But we'll get to the bottom of it, Sandrine. We always do." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine smiled weakly, but her expression quickly turned to one of shock as Jack spoke again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hey, you know, it's funny," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack seemed to sense her discomfort and quickly backtracked. "I mean, of course it doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded, feeling relieved but also a little embarrassed. She and Jack had agreed to just stay partners, but she couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As she turned to leave, Jack couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack and Sandrine sat in front of their computer screens, their eyes fixed on the data being displayed by the AI they had deployed. They had decided to try a new approach to the case, using artificial intelligence to analyze the data from various databases and find correlations that they might have missed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As they fed the data into the system, they watched as the AI began to highlight cases of other murders that shared similarities with their current case. They searched for random and unconnected people with the same genetic marker, even in other countries, and began to find a pattern emerging. | ||
+ | |||
+ | They both sat back in their chairs, staring at the screen in disbelief. there was one global database where all the cases of the specific marker were being collected for research purposes. But what if the data they had received wasn't properly sanitized? What if the privacy protections had not been followed properly, or if someone had root access and was able to back-engineer through the whole system and discover victims that way? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Their thoughts turned to the top researchers involved in finding a cure for the genetic disorder. Could it be one of them who was behind the murders? It seemed like a stretch, but they couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | andrine stumbled through the door of her apartment, exhausted after a long day at work. She was looking forward to taking a hot shower and just relaxing for the rest of the night. | ||
+ | |||
+ | But as she stepped inside, she was immediately attacked from behind. A hand covered her mouth, and she felt a sharp object press against her back in the ensuing scuffle the glass coffee table in the living room was smashed to pieces. Sandrine was thrown onto the table, but she used some of her aikido training to turn the fight on its head. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, she heard a loud crash as the front door was kicked open. Jack had come by to check up on her, must have heard the scuffle, and came barging in weapon drawn. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine take by surprise lost her grip and the assailant turned his attention to her partner and aimed his weapon and fired as Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | For a moment, Sandrine frozeand, the assailant worried about other cops managed to break free and flee from the apartment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine was left standing in the wreckage of her living room, shaken battered and bruised. Her partner, however, lay on the ground, bleeding from a gunshot wound. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She knelt beside him, tears streaming down her face. She had always been conflicted about their relationship, | ||
+ | |||
+ | She stayed with him, holding his hand and whispering words of comfort until the paramedics arrived. | ||
+ | ===== To the Next Level ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine sat in the Chief' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief spoke in a calm, even tone. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief sighed. "You can take a leave of absence if you need to." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hell, I will," Sandrine said, standing up and throwing her hands in the air. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief raised an eyebrow. "I understand your frustration, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded, resigned to her fate. But then the Chief continued. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief smiled. "I think it's an opportunity for you to sniff around and look for connections to your case while playing the good girl to the rest of the department." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded. "I see what you're getting at. I'll do it." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief smiled. "Good. I knew I could count on you. And Sandrine, I want you to know that we'll do everything we can to find the person who did this. But you need to take care of yourself first." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine left the Chief' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection in frustration. She had been trying to squeeze into a beautiful dress for the past half hour, but no matter how hard she tried, it just wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | She tugged at the fabric, trying to stretch it over her curves. But it was no use. The dress was too small, and Sandrine felt uncomfortable playing dress up. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She sighed and slumped down on her bed, feeling defeated, she felt anything but glamorous. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Her phone rang, and it was Jack. She hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of what to say. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hey, how are you holding up?" he asked, his voice strained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack coughed and let out a small laugh. "Yeah, it is. But I wanted to check on you. How are you doing?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a moment of silence before Jack spoke again, his voice serious. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine felt a lump form in her throat. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | They talked for a few more minutes, and then Jack hung up. Sandrine looked at herself in the mirror again, taking a deep breath. Maybe the dress didn't fit, but that didn't mean she couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine arrived at the Policeman' | ||
+ | |||
+ | She took in the view. The exterior of the building was grand, with large pillars and intricate architecture that added to the elegance of the event. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As she stopped her car, a valet rushed over to help her. He opened the door for her and extended his hand to help her out, and as she stood up, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine straightened out her dress and made her way towards the entrance. There was a red carpet laid out for the attendees to walk on, and she felt a sense of excitement as she made her way down it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before she could enter the building, however, she had to go through the security check. The security guards were thorough but efficient probably ex cops, and she was quickly cleared to enter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside the lobby, she saw the Chief, who greeted her with a warm smile. "Thank God save me", he grinned. They made small talk for a few minutes, discussing the event and the guests who were arriving. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The lobby was filled with the sound of chatter and laughter as people mingled and caught up with old friends. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine saw some familiar faces from the force and others who were new to her. She felt a little out of place in her dress. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As she made her way through the lobby, she heard snippets of conversation about the latest case. It seemed like everyone was talking about it, speculating on who the perpetrator might be and what their motive could be. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine made a mental note to keep her ears open, hoping that she might catch a clue that could help her in her investigation. She smiled and made her way deeper into the event, ready to enjoy the night and do some undercover detective work at the same time. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then she looked up and saw him standing across the room, staring back at her. She had been searching for the assailant, trying to find any clue that might lead her to him, and now, here he was. | ||
+ | |||
+ | They locked eyes, both knowing exactly who the other was. The assailant made his way over to her, and Sandrine tried to play it cool. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Nice to see you again," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What do you mean?" Sandrine asked, trying to sound tough. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh Just making small talk, isn't that what people do at these events" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much the attack had affected her, so she shrugged it off. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The assailant enjoyed this and continued taunting her. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I heard all the electronic surveilance went down when it happened. If only the wireless cameras weren' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine gritted her teeth, trying to keep her cool. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yeah, too bad," she said through clenched teeth. "If only people had some respect for law and order these days." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The assailant nodded in agreement, mentioning how his brother the "Rock Star" Researcher was working hard to breed out such traits. Sandrine felt sick to her stomach, realizing that the assailant' | ||
+ | |||
+ | She needed to get out of there, and fast before she took him down right here and causing a scene, this creep had connections and money beyond imagination, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once outside, she leaned against the wall, feeling physically ill. She punched the wall regreting it instantly. She couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As she made her way back to the party, she saw the assailant slip away into the crowd. Sandrine was fuming with anger, knowing that he had slipped away once again. She couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The rest of the event was an agony to go through, hearing about the fantastic research being done and how lives were being transformed. Seeing her fellow blues getting medals pinned to their chest while she knew there was an assailant and probable murderer free in the crowd. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Later that evening Sandrine was sitting at Jack's bed, she had made a stopover at the hospital on her way home from the ball. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I saw him, Jack," she said, clenching her fists in frustration. "He was there, right in front of me, and I couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack leaned forward in his hospital bed, concern etched on his face. "What happened?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We talked," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And then he mentioned his brother, said that his brother was working hard to breed out people like him. Can you believe that?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack looked at her, eyebrows raised. "What do you mean, breed out people like him?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine shook her head. "I don't know. It was just a passing comment. But it made me think, what if they really are doing that? What if they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know," Jack said, his voice gentle. "But you can't let it consume you, Sandrine. You have to be careful, take your time. We'll catch him, I promise." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded, taking comfort in Jack's words. "I know. It's just frustrating, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jack smiled weakly, his eyes closing. "I know you will, Sandrine. I know you will." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But I really mean what I said. You need to be careful out there, Sandrine," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know, I know," Sandrine said, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I can't just sit back and do nothing. Not after what happened to you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't want you to take unnecessary risks," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sandrine nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I promise," | ||
+ | |||
+ | They talked for a few more minutes, and then the nurse came in to check on Jack's vitals. Sandrine gave his hand a gentle squeeze and got up to leave. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As she walked out of the hospital room, Sandrine couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Mouse and cat ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | EuroCop begins following assailant | ||
+ | |||
+ | Assailant knows | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | something something | ||
+ | |||
+ | stuff happening investigation homing in on assailant, manages to steal customer records by help of hacker - dares not go through channels as assailant is very powerful individual | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Endfight ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | EuroCop presents her evidence to assailant at some place she has chosen | ||
+ | |||
+ | he flees as he understands game is up | ||
+ | |||
+ | death defying motorcycle chase on a construction yard, brother of researcher is a construction mogul | ||
+ | |||
+ | after assailant is brought down by eurocop making stuff fall inn front of him by flying through air on motorcycle and shooting her gun felling assailant from his bike | ||
+ | |||
+ | EuroCop half dead when cops arrive | ||
+ | |||
+ | seems berieved partner of assailant finally has discovered the secret of the assailant and called in the cops after following him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | However it is EuroCop that manages to bring assailant down before "the cavalry" | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | The End |