Issue 7 prologue - Fair trade

"Agent Waters? Ted Waters?"

Agent Waters looks up from his office desk. Tea is steeping in his well-worn mug. Paperwork is everywhere. His favorite PC, with the familiar hum of the old monitor, stands in contrast to the holographic displays many of his coworkers in the building have adopted. As he looks at the young man - boy, really - holding out a package for his inspection, he feels older than he's felt in awhile.

"This came for you, sir. The postscript is Leonard Vincent Snow, of New Troy. We verified the sender on surveillance camera and the multi-scan confirms the contents are safe to open. Um, I need your thumbprint, sir."

Waters presses his thumb onto the electronic gizmo the courier holds out. It emits a satisfied chirp, and he wraps his wrinkled hands around the packing envelope. As the courier steps away, Waters turns the thing this way and that, inspecting the handwritten address. "Hmm. Not Leo's writing," he says aloud - more for the benefit of the office's note-taking voice recorder than his own. "Let's see what this is about.."

He tears open the package. Out spills the damaged half of a face mask, enclosed carefully in a plastic bag - and a letter. The letter comes first. He reads it aloud, again for the benefit of the automation watching and listening.

"Dear Mr. Waters,

I'm writing you on behalf of Leo Snow, my friend and employer. He recovered the enclosed object from Lady Destine, the mercenary. My research indicates that she was once a member of the I.S.E., an organization directly opposed to yours. At the time Leo obtained this item, she was working alongside Judson Snow.

I expressed an interest in sending the mask fragment to you for forensic analysis - not Leo's strong suit - and he agreed enthusiastically, saying it would also thank you for a lead he obtained from you recently.

Yours respectfully,

Aria Newman"

He looks further down. There's a postscript. He stops speaking - this part isn't for ACTION.

"P. S. I understand you have a long history with Leo. I want you to know - I promise you - that he is in good hands now, and I will do everything I can to take care of him. Thank you so much for all you've done for him, and the rest of us."

Something seems to be in Agent Waters' eye, something that he rubs away quickly. The mask makes a suitable distraction. He picks up the baggie, turning it this way and that. Skin cells, hair follicles, blood, maker's marks or identifying characteristics - any number of things could be in here. He chuckles, and the feeling of age subsides into nothing. There's time to grow old later. Now he's got a scent, and it's time to follow the trail.