Dark Angel Fanfic: A Flash (9/17)
Title: A Flash
Author: poestheblackcat
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Alec/Max, Alec/Rachel (memories of), Logan, Berrisford, Sarah (OFC)
Warning/Spoilers: Major spoilers for the episode “The Berrisford Agenda.”
Summary: A flash is all it takes for Alec to notice the young girl with the locket. Enter Alec’s sweet-yet-spunky daughter with Rachel, Sarah. Of course, she gets in trouble-like father like daughter. Takes place in 2028. Not as bad as it sounds.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters not mine, yadda-yadda.
A Flash
Chapter 9
The detective pressed the buzzer next to the gate of the Berrisford mansion. “Detective Matt Sung of the Seattle PD,” he said, holding up his badge up to the camera. The gate clicked open.
The front door was open by the time he got there. “Detective Sung?” the burly security guard holding it open said. Matt nodded and walked in. “This way please.”
He was shown into a tastefully yet simply decorated study. At the desk in the center of the room was an elderly man with a clean-cut face and a careworn expression but shrewd eyes. He stood as Matt and the guard walked in. “Thank you, Michael.” The security guard left the room, closing the door behind him.
Robert Berrisford strode forward, holding out his hand. “Detective Sung? Robert Berrisford. I presume you’re here to investigate the kidnapping of my granddaughter?” He had a friendly voice, but right now, it was as tired as his face.
Matt shook the former CEO’s hand. “Yes. I have some routine questions that may help us find who is responsible for it and where she is being held.”
Berrisford nodded. “I’ll answer any questions that will help with your investigation.” He gestured to the sturdy oak chair placed in front of the desk, sitting down in his own seat. “Would you like anything to drink? Coffee?”
Matt shook his head as he sat. “No, thank you. I’m sorry for calling so late in the evening, but I figured that you wouldn’t mind if it led to finding Sarah.”
“No, I don’t mind. An old man doesn’t need much sleep at night.” He smiled wryly, faltering slightly as his eyes caught the framed photograph on his desk next to his computer.
Matt looked over at the picture as well. It was of a laughing young girl with a halo of long dark curls surrounding a dainty fine-boned face. Sarah Berrisford. “She’s a beautiful child, isn’t she, detective?” Berrisford asked softly.
The bright green eyes with hazel flecks gazed up at him mockingly as Matt studied the girl’s features. She seemed familiar, somehow. He just couldn’t place where he’d seen that particular expression before. “Yes, she is.” She really was. He cleared his throat. “I just need to know if you noticed anything unusual about her before today. Like the way she was acting or something she said. Anything could help.”
Berrisford frowned in thought. “No, I didn’t. I’ve been thinking all day about it and I can honestly say that she was acting perfectly normal, the same as usual. I really can’t think of any enemies who would want to hurt us, either.”
Matt studied his notes. “But what about back in 2018? There was a car bomb?” He looked up at the old man to gauge his reaction.
A flicker of anger and pain and something else ran across Berrisford’s face before his eyes became shuttered again. “That was ten years ago, before I retired. Then, there were many people who might have wished me harm, but now, now I can’t think of anyone who would still hold a grudge from business conducted a decade ago,” he said brusquely.
“Did you ever find out who was responsible?” Matt pressed.
“Yes, but I assure you that who they were has nothing to do with my granddaughter’s kidnapping. That…corporation has dissolved since the attack.” Berrisford’s mouth pressed into a thin line. Apparently, discussion on that topic was closed.
The detective pursed his own lips and tapped his notebook with his pencil. “I see. Well, thank you for your time. I’ve got what I need for now,” he said, rising. “Good night.”
Robert Berrisford stood as well to show his guest out. “Thank you, detective. Have a good night.”
Matt turned at the front door, however, to pull a Columbo. “One more thing. How do you know Alec McDowell?” he inquired, taking in the sudden stiffening of the other man’s frame.
Berrisford blinked once before answering. “We first met several years ago. He’s an acquaintance of mine. Why do you want to know?” he asked, looking straight into Matt’s eyes, his sharp grey ones penetrating the Asian man’s brown.
Not showing his impatience at the evasive answer, Matt continued, “He’s one of the Transgenics helping the department with the investigation. He seemed to know your granddaughter.”
“He met her once,” Berrisford said after a lengthy pause. Hmm. That did sound like the truth, but...
“How did you and Mr. McDowell meet? What were the circumstances?” Matt probed.
The old man rubbed a hand across his jaw in a weary gesture. “Business. Really, why do you want to know? This has nothing to do with my granddaughter’s kidnapping.”
“Just covering all the bases, Mr. Berrisford,” Matt replied. “Thank you again, sir. Have a good evening.”
“And you, detective,” Berrisford answered back, seemingly glad to be rid of him.
Outside the house, Matt sat in his car and mused over what had been said and wondered what had not. He pulled out his phone. “Logan. It’s Matt Sung. Do you have anything yet?”
There was a shuffling sound before Logan’s voice came on the line. “Hey, Matt. No, I don’t have anything from the videos right now. The first two didn’t have any reflective surfaces where I could get a face to ID the guys, and I’m working on the third right now. Did you find anything?”
“Nothing much. Just the usual ‘There was nothing out of the ordinary about my kid’ line. Hey, I just came from Sarah Berrisford’s house. What do you know about Robert Berrisford and Alec?” If anyone knew, it was Max, since she was closer to the male X5, but Logan wasn’t as intimidating as Max Guevara could be at times.
There was a long pause as Logan seemed to be trying to think of how to reply. Static crackled in the silence. “That’s not for me to say. I’m sorry, I really can’t tell you.” He sounded apologetic.
“You mean you can’t, or you won’t?” Matt asked irritably. He’d had a long day today and another one lined up tomorrow and the next day all the way until he cracked this case. Plus, a headache was building up against his eyeballs. He rubbed his face with his free hand.
A sigh came back over the line. “Both, I guess. It’s Alec’s choice to tell you, but knowing him, he won’t. Do me a favor and don’t look into this any further, okay? Like he said, it’s probably not relevant to the case.”
That was the third time he’d heard it today. Hitting the steering wheel absentmindedly while he turned the request over in his mind, Matt acquiesced wearily with a sigh. “All right. I’m gonna trust your judgment on this. But I’ll agree only on the condition that you tell me the moment it does become relevant, okay, Logan?”
“That’s fine.”
After they ended the conversation, Matt really hoped that he wouldn’t regret his decision. Because there was something fishy going on with the Transgenic. Or maybe he should say catty, considering his feline DNA. Or not. Christ, he needed some dinner and a good night’s rest. Dinner he could have, but sleep, on the other hand…well, a cup of coffee or five would have to do.
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Chapter 10