Elaine savored the last few mouthfuls of ice cream she was having for dessert.  Across from her at the table, Lucas was trying not to be noticed looking at her while nursing his decaf, "Umm!  Delicious!" she pushed the dish away, licking her lips.

"You sure know how to enjoy a meal."  Lucas commented.

"From where I come from, ice cream is a treat, and this would be a banquet." she replied.  Her eyes narrowed at him, "Lucas, you modest, secretive guy!"

Lucas sat up straight, with a look of, "What did I do?" on his face.

She tisked, "Here you are, a high school Biology teacher, and you're really a newspaper columnist?  I read your column today in The Independent!  You never told me that you wrote for a paper!"

"Oh yeah." he took on a worldly-wise air, "I write a column or two for the paper to make ends meet." He waved his hand, "I'd like to go into journalism full time one day."

"Really?" she leaned forward with interest, "I must say it seems you did a good job researching the facts on the 'future of genetics' article."

"Thanks."

She smiled, then added, "But don't you think your conclusions are a bit, well, disconnected and extreme?"

"Oh!  About the monsters from genetic manipulation?"  Lucas shook his head, "I knew that'd bite me." he muttered, "That was my crazy editor trying to jazz up the column.  I'm just starting off, and the rookies get no respect.  He did that on all of them.  I think it comes from all the monster movies he's seen."

"So there WAS something strange about those articles!" she thought.  "So what ARE your opinions on biological monsters?" she asked him.

"It's the big question about nature versus nuture.  People love to talk about good blood, bad blood, good genes, bad genes.  Master race goodness, inferior race evilness." He glanced around the room looking a bit belligerent, "Bunch of cr- ah, baloney, if you ask me.  I come down hard on the nuture side myself.  If you're not sick in the head, you can be raised into being a good citizen, even if your parents were war criminals.  I'd have to believe that, otherwise I wouldn't be teaching, would I?"

"So what would you do if you actually MET one of these genetic experiments running around in the real world?"

"Well, for one, the guy who created it would have to be a genius to do it with current technology." Lucas remarked.

"Thank you," Elaine thought, "Daddy would be pleased to know that.", "Go on," she urged, hoping she was looking as fascinated as she really was feeling.

"So it would depend on the guy.  If he was evil, then his creations would be programmed to be evil.  If he was good, then there might be hope for the monsters."

"What do you mean by good and evil?"

"Oh, the usual.  Don't kill, don't steal, don't lie.  Following the rules that make our society work."

"In other words, good for people, but not necessarily good for them."

"Oh, I suppose it might be considered good to them if they had to eat humans, but not for us humans.  Then we'd fight them and kill them if we could."

"Which would be bad for them, right?" she remarked.

"Well, yeah."

"So, it would depend on the guy programming them, right?  I mean, if he grew them to be programmed, somebody's got to do it, right?  Why NOT him, the guy who created them?  Why NOT create and program his creations to be good, both for themselves and for the humans they would live among?"

Lucas thought a moment, "I suppose so, but given the bad rap they're getting in the movies and on TV, any monster or genetic experiment would be branded as evil from the start."

She sighed, "You may be right about other people, but I was asking about YOU."

He laughed, "I suppose it would depend on if it started chewing on my leg!"

"How open minded!  I admire that!" she replied, chuckling.

"Besides, I'd like to move beyond that kind of article anyhow.  Get into something more challenging."

"Such as?"

"Investigative reporting.  For instance, there's been a pattern of gang related slayings that seems to indicate a consolidation of underworld power here in Meridiana. Finding out who the new kingpin is would be a good start."

"Sounds dangerous." Elaine frowned.  She was way past beginning to like Lucas, and was ready to get more involved.

"Hey, the more dangerous the assignment, the better the article!" He laughed, "Better than writing articles about advances in genetics that keep getting monsters edited into them!"

She chuckled with him, "For sure!" she said encouragingly, "How would you start, though?" she asked.

"I have a lead or two, and am following them up." He glanced at his watch, "I just happen to have an appointment with one after I'm done here.  May I walk you back to your apartment?"

"Actually, I'd like to come with you and be in on the inside of a breaking story like that.  It'd be rather exciting, don't you think?"

"Hmm." Lucas thought only for a moment, then grinned, "Aww, why not?  Despite his profession, my contact is definitely not your underworld type.  Shouldn't be dangerous in the least."  He winked and wagged his finger at her, "Now don't tell anybody!  Gotta protect my sources, you know!"

The smile he received made him glad he had given in..
---------------------
"So who is this contact of yours?" Elaine asked Lucas as they walked down a street.  Being new to Meridiana, she had no idea where she was, although the noise of traffic in the distance behind her indicated they were off the main boulevard.

"The finest private investigator in Meridiana." Lucas replied, leading her up a flight of stairs to a door with a small nameplate bearing the letters, "M. Yashimoto, PI"  Lucas tried the door and found it unlocked.  It opened into a corridor, "I lacked the contacts he has, so I hired him to ask them and compile a report for me that I could use to jump start my investigation."

Lucas knocked on a door at the end of the corridor.   "Come in!" a voice called from inside.

Lucas opened the door and let Elaine go in first.  However, no sooner had he entered, when the door was slammed shut behind him.  Both whirled around to see a man of oriental descent standing between them and the door, holding a gun on them, "Don't move, Mr. Amato!" he warned.

"Miao!  What's going on??" Lucas demanded.

Yashimoto looked pained, "I am sorry I have to do-"  He paused, catching sight of Elaine.  He heaved a huge sigh and let his gun hand drop, "No.  I can't do it!"

"Hey guy!" Lucas put a hand on his shoulder, "What's going on?  You can tell me!"

"She's gone!  Kidnapped!"

"Who's been kidnapped?"

"My little sister, Ikikko!  They found out I was asking questions about their organization and their leader, so they kidnapped her!" he gave Lucas a note he pulled out of his trench coat.

Elaine stepped up behind Lucas and read over his shoulder.  "We have your sister.  She won't be harmed if you stop nosing around and eliminate your client.  Don't go to the police.  This is your only warning."

"The bastards!" Lucas snarled, wadding up the note, "You should go to the police!  Ryan'll nail them for sure!"

"I agree with you, Mr. Amato, but their leader appears to be highly cautious.  More so than normal, my contacts state.  I was able to find out where they are hiding my sister, but when I went to investigate, I found the security very formidable.  A gun battle would be protracted, and give them time to-" he stopped, overcome with emotion.

"Where is she?"  Elaine asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"I know someone who can rescue her.  Where is she being held?"

He looked at her for a long moment, then put his gun down and scribbled an address on a note pad sitting on a nearby table, "1487 Bolivar Avenue, Warehouse G."  he said, tearing the top sheet off and giving it to her.

She put it in her handbag, "I have to go alone, Lucas." she told him,   "I hope I can catch this person in time.  Which way to Boulevard Nationale?" she asked Yashimoto.

"Up the street." Yashimoto told her, motioning, "About two blocks.  You will be three blocks north of the park."

"Good!  I won't be long." she assured him, "Do you have a business card so that I can find my way back?"

Yashimoto handed her his business card, "Do you think this individual can really rescue Ikikko?"

"The problem is getting their attention.  But I believe they can do it.  They will either succeed or die trying." Elaine assured him, "I'll be back, Lucas!" she called as she left the apartment.

"I certainly hope the person she is referring to can do it." Yashimoto sighed.

"Yeah, me too." Lucas agreed, "By the way, did you get any leads on who the head man is?"

"Indeed I did.  You will be surprised to hear who it is!"
------------
Elaine nodded to herself as the sound of traffic grew louder as she walked away from Yashimoto's apartment, "Good.  I'm heading in the right direction.  This takes skills beyond what I've got." she admitted to herself, "That's when a sane and sensible Special like myself turns a job like this over to a real Pro."
 

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Chapter 8
Chapter 10