Chapter 4 - chapter 4

Half an hour had passed since the four had got back from their mission.

Kori and Richard had got dressed, and were now stood in Victor's small office, as he analysed the evidence.

They stood back, as he muttered to himself, rapidly typing.

“It is so hot in here.” Kori muttered to Richard, wiping her brow.

“I know, he needs air conditioning.” Richard replied, opening the top few buttons of his black shirt.

Kori nodded, moving her hair out of her face. It was still wet from the rain, and was flat on her head, though had begun drying near the tips.

“This is boring too, why can't we just wait outside.” Richard added, wiping his brow.

“Agreed, one of us will have to ask him, and I nominate you.” Kori said, smiling.

“Me? Why me?”

“You have known him longer.” Kori finished.

Richard groaned, before walking up to Victor, standing behind him. “Vic' can me and Kori wait outside?”

Victor turned around, “Why? Dontcha wanna know the results?”

Richard ran a hand through messy hair, “Your office is boiling, me and Kori are practically dying from heat exhaustion.”

Victor shrugged, “Okay, fine, go wait outside, or whatever, I'll call ya when I'm done.”

Richard thanked his friend, before leading Kori outside of the office. They stood in the hallway.

“Thank X'hal I am out of there.” Kori said, fanning herself with a hand.

“Yeah, I know how you feel.” Richard replied, before raising an eyebrow, “Whats Zall?”

“X'hal, is an ancient goddess from where I come from” Kori said, simply.

“Where do you come from, I know that there's no goddess called X'hal in Britain.”

“It was taught to me when I was very young… only my people know of her.”

“Your people?” Richard said sceptically, “Where you in some sort of cult?”

“No, you misunderstand me.” Kori said, thoughtfully, “It does not matter, forget I said anything.”

Richard was about to say something, but was interrupted by Victor's office door hitting him in his back. He stumbled, and a melodic laughter filled his ears.

He turned to see Kori, with her hand over her mouth, laughing. Victor looked at her weirdly, before noticing that he'd hit Richard with his door.

He chuckled, walking over to Richard, “Sorry Rich.” He said, patting his friend on the shoulder.

Richard massaged his back, before smirking, “No problem, I've just gotta get you back next time.”

Kori continued laughing as Victor led her and Richard into his office. Richard groaned, still massaging his back.

“Right,” Victor started, sitting in his chair, “Ya both know that the criminal is Red X, right?” Kori and Richard nodded, before Victor continued, “Well, apparently he works in STAR labs, this” -he picked up the holographic projector- “Is something made from STAR labs, and, stupidly, has the name `Xavier Jones' on the bottom. So, this Red X guy either is Xavier Jones, or he stole it from a Xavier Jones.”

“Surely he would not leave behind something that has his name on.” Kori said, having stopped laughing when Victor started speaking.

“I know, that's what I was thinking.” Victor replied, “But, up to now, it's the only explanation I can give.”

Richard looked up thoughtfully, “We'll just have to pay this Xavier a visit…hoping it isn't a trap.”

Kori nodded, “Agreed, are we to go as police or as ordinary citizens?”

Richard shrugged, “I dunno, either way's fine.”

“Go as cops” Victor said, “He'll know not to mess around with y'all.” He put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out the holographic projector. “Take this, ask him some questions.”

A few minutes later, Kori and Richard were ready to go, Victor gave them the address of Xavier Jones, and they jumped into Richard's convertible.

It took them roughly fifteen minutes to reach a bungalow with a red door.

Kori looked at it oddly, “Quaint.” She said simply, looking at the flowers in the front garden.

Richard knocked on the front door, and eventually it opened, a man roughly Richard's height was stood at the door, his deep green eyes looked from Kori to Richard.

“May I help you?” He asked, his voice seemed friendly.

Richard held up his police badge, “Xavier Jones?” Richard asked, the man nodded “We're here to ask you some questions, can we come in?”

Xavier looked at him warily. “You may come in if you leave your guns outside.” Richard was about to say something, but the man continued, unusually calm, “I do not appreciate weapons in my house.”

Kori looked at him suspiciously, leaving her gun on a shelf in his porch, keeping the knife strapped into the inside of her boot hidden. Richard put his own gun beside Kori's, before they were led inside by Xavier.

They sat in his living room, before Kori spoke, “We found this … uh, holographic projector at the scene of a crime, it has your name on it.”

“We were wondering if you know anything about a `Red X'” Richard put in.

Xavier looked quiet scared at the name, though Richard could see it was forced.

“I was mugged by someone called Red X, he stole this from me.” Xavier said, suspicious calmness in his voice.

“How would Red X know how to programme it to be a hologram of him.” Richard asked suspiciously, “Surely it would take quiet a while to programme such a small device.”

“Criminals these days tend to be full of surprises.” Xavier said, running a hand through shoulder length brown hair, pulled up into a pony.

“But,” Kori put in, “How would he know how to activate it? There seemed to be no switch on it, and he was nowhere near it when it was activated.”

Xavier shrugged, “I'm sorry, but I don't know what goes on in the mind of a criminal. Now if you have no further questions, I'll ask you to leave.”

Kori and Richard looked at each other before standing up.

“Until you come clear, I will remain suspicious of you.” Richard said quietly to Xavier as they passed him.

“I'm sure you will.” Xavier said.

Kori picked up her gun, and headed to the car, leaving Richard with Xavier.

“Thanks, I guess, for the information.” Richard said.

“No problem, only I'd be careful having a female partner.” Xavier said, slyly, “especially one like her.” He stole a longing glance towards Kori.

Richard growled, “Why would I worry?”

“Criminals tend to have… sick minds, a woman on the job might only, how shall I say it, wet their appetite?” Xavier said smirking to Richard.

“No one is getting to Kori.” Richard said, angrily.

Xavier put his hands up in mock defence, “I wasn't saying that I would, only they might, I've heard this Red X is very cunning.”

Richard picked his gun up, and put it in his holster, “Like I said before, I will remain suspicious of you, and right now you're on the top of the list.”

Xavier smirked, “Which list might this be? Who is first to get with …Kori was it?”

Richard looked to Kori, who was busy fixing her gun into its holster, before turning round to Xavier, and punching him square in the jaw, knocking him back, “Do not talk that way about my partner”

Xavier smirked, despite his slowly bruising jaw, before closing the front door. He watched through his window as Richard returned to the car, seething.

He watched as they drove off, talking to one another. Xavier smirked, walking over to a bookcase, he pulled a book and the book case opened (a/n: I know, very original :P) revealing a suit hung up in a dark closet. It was a black one piece suit, and a white skull mask beside it, a red X across one eye.

He smirked, turning to look at the front door, “Dear, Richard. I guess you should've listened.” He put his mask on and his voice became deeper and raspier, “Having a woman on the job, wets my appetite.”

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