The next test is going to happen on the 4th. In the mean time this condition is still getting worse.
About the story here. I'm sure I've touched on this in brief about giving a low down in advance of posting the story. What's verging on being addressed to Alan, that the next page presents him putting two and two together. After I show this page, I'm going to provide a clip from Devil's Blood relaying the key moment being spoken of.
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( Because of wanting to censor due to the fact this is a forum. I've blanked out most of one word. ... You'll know when you read it. )
Clipped from chapter 6:
The lightly curled, black haired man wasn't the only curious being present without job reasoning behind it. Strange calico spotted & naugahyde-like white with black spots. Both dogs had taken an interest in Finch which ever since he'd entered the car, and that kept growing in intensity. Not paying the animals any mind the tech answered. "I didn't steal it. Yes, it's mine."
Pawing with claws scratching at the metal mesh of his micro-jail, as the dogs persisted at it, Finch wondered why they found him interesting. When Brain gave a lick to the mesh and bared his teeth hungrily against the steel. The MAD Agent asked to no one in particular, hoping at least one of them would answer. "Why are there two dogs in here?"
Noting what was going on at seeing his pet seeking something from the birdman not visible, Jake said. "G9 and I are inseparable. I have the impression the girl's dog is the same to her."
Computer booted with new file created and awaiting content to be entered into it. Alan turned away from it to glance at the backseat to see the K9 commotion in progress with the captured MAD Agent. Wondering what was going on with the now former aerial based thief, Alan voiced the question of, "are you carrying meat?"
Looking sheepish, Finch answered. "I feel very grateful Blackie isn't in my shirt anymore."
Unfamiliar with the name to it's meaning. Also being aware it was likely the name of an animal due to what little she knew of the man. Penny asked, "Blackie?"
"Pet crow," Finch answered.
Returning his attention back to his computer, Alan requested. "Where are the birds? The ones we need to find. Where are they right now?"
There was no reason to be polite as far as the Specialized Agent was concerned. Despite that fact he withheld the growl he felt the need to voice about the question. He knew why HAPPY was after him. It made sense. But for once god damn it he was innocent! What was it he'd been told by his co-workers? Tell HAPPY nothing. In reply Finch said, "I don't know."
Tapping the keyboard minus the moving being forceful enough to prompt new letters to appear on screen. Alan awaiting a useful response stated and continued with, "if you are honest that might help in court. Where are they?"
Whining was the next thing heard. Not what the engineer wanted to hear or anyone else. The dogs still wanted their prized however not present blackbird. Trying to help the situation since the animals were proving a distraction. Penny then hooked two of her fingers beneath Brain's collar to try and pull him away from what interested him. Voicing softly for him to ignore what he smelled and be good. The pet looked at her with pleading eyes, to then turn to look at the bird shepherd again.
"No," was all Penny could say before Finch burst out at Alan. "F*** you, I have orders to tell you nothing."
"Then why did they just hand you over." Jake asked before a thought struck him then he voiced aloud. "You aren't behind their movements. Heather, I think she knew this."
A gap in what he currently knew about this situation having light shed on to it from an unexpected source. John had to ask, "what are you talking about?"
Letting out in better elaboration, Jake told his explanation. "This I assume descendant of Sigurd from what I gather of what you've told me of him. They gave him to us just to get us out of their hair. I don't think MAD is behind his plague despite what's been said. My friend was the first person outside Staunton to learn of what was going on. That's how the government stepped in so fast. Her nephew got sick from the filthy little things. Her looking into RAGE. That is why Pops was laughing at me about our captive here!"
Not sure if he should be feeling relief about the words he'd just heard uttered by the man sitting to his side. Grinning was all Finch could think to do at this temporary sign of good fortune. He was off the hook for what people wanted to blame him for. However he still couldn't relay what was going on and was still in HAPPY's custody. The two dogs still showing intense interest in him made him lose his grin but only for a moment. Looking at their instinct driven frenzy, natural and for unknown reason programmed into the other. He remembered he too had a desire which needed satisfaction.
Leaning back into the backseat for a moment only to then spring forward to almost the front of his micro-jail. The MAD Agent snapped, "since I'm not to blame could you at least uncage me back here?! I'm already in cuffs, not like I'm going anywhere!?"
Finding the request unbelievable in nature, Alan started to roll his eyes a little before answering. "Why should we take down the cage? You're still a wanted felon."
Moving forward to try and get a better view again at the engineer's lap, the birdman asked. "Is your computer still out?"
Blinking at what he found an odd question, Alan replied. "Yes, you want to know this why?"
Grateful his handcuffs were long chained, the Specialized MAD Agent rummaged through one of his pockets for what he knew should be there. After finding it, turning his grin into a smile, he said. "Would you guys just let your dogs discover Blackie isn't on me any more, please? No cage means no barrier to hold them back."
Thoroughly not sure how to respond to the man now. Looking over to his friend slash co-worker for advice. John while paying close attention to driving, it not missing his attention a silent question was being asked to him with the tech's gaze in his direction. He nodded yes to the front seat company. Coming close to shaking his head no about the approval, hoping the inspector's judgement could fully be trusted on the matter. Locating the right button that prompted the most minor retraction of the vehicle's reordered interior, on the three rowed keypad after the stick shift. Alan pressed it to force the car to retract the cage back into it's concealments in the ceiling, floor, and the only stand out but non-conspicuous looking seams of the seat cushions.
Never one to let a opportunity pass him by, pressing the wrap his fingers had more firmly over the flash drive he'd located in his pants pocket. Removing the hand gripping it from his pocket, he virtually lept forward into the front compartment of the modded Supra. Ignoring the dogs and fellow humans in distressed panic over this action. Finch swiftly forced the flash drive into a USB port of Alan's laptop.
Frantically and trying his best to control the car after an accidental press on the acceleration pedal, combined with a mistake sharp turn of the steering wheel. John swerved the Gadgetmobile about the interstate. The what luck he had on his side was trained reflexes on handling the vehicle. Something he'd made well sure to do after a short time into his ownership of it. Another car accident was a matter he hoped never to have again due to what he could only fathom as unjustified fear. The other luck on his side was a mostly uncrowded road ahead of him. No one was driving out of Miles City, and those found on the road had come on to it from where West Old Highway 10 crossed over to it. A road that hadn't been hit by bomb explosions earlier in the day.
Trying to push Finch back towards the backseat of the car unsuccessfully, Alan shouted. "What!? What the hell are you doing!?"
"Solving a problem which has been daunting me for months!" The MAD Agent said, not wanting to clear up to the tech what he was doing. That action being quickly working with the HAPPY Agent's laptop to copy and paste the most interesting file folders of it's drive "C" into his plugged in flash drive.
As controlled as he could think to make his actions. The inspector swerved the modded Supra off the interstate and into the wild grasses & weeds of the off road. Nothing hit but dirt and loose particles of chipped away asphalt. The occupants of the Toyota knew this but the car's computer did not. The computer knew from GPS readings the vehicle it served had just with not much control, veered all over the target road it was traveling on. That suddenly making a jackknife turn on to unpaved surfacing it had come to a halt with only a minor slow down of the vehicle's acceleration used in the process. Conclusion. Accident. Airbags should be deployed.
The billowing air filled cushions hit everyone. Safety was after all important and that fact was bared in mind when the car was being altered into the high-tech machine it was. The idea that even from out the front seats, their backs, they could deploy airbags. That looked good on paper. Alan now regretted that engineering decision he'd agreed to with his team over the car. If the thing didn't feel somewhat cramped before, it certainly was now. Grateful he could breathe, he wondered with one of the strangest thoughts he'd ever had in his adult life of if this is what it felt like to be in the center of a heated s'more. Marshmallows padding him from what felt every direction. An annoying piece of added flavoring working it's no his way away from lap and from over his body after doing some form of action with his laptop.
Airbags releasing their contents once the car's computer had perceived it had safely kept the passengers of it safe from impact. Everyone being now able to make a better noted evaluation of the car's environment external but more importantly internal. The younger cyborg present and commander of the steering wheel, glared at the happy captive MAD Agent, as did everyone else. Growling, John asked. "Why are you smiling?"
Adding an air of smugness to himself, Finch exclaimed. "Success I believe."
Trying to rescind his look of anger because of it was not meant to be directed at his focus to speech, John requested. "Alan, put the cage back up."
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? Take care, ttys.
