Colin's posts

Just as he sat down, the door opened.

"....uh-huh." Ryker said when he saw him.

"So my partner WAS right. He DID See you." he commented.

"And you look and sound like absolute garbage." he then said. "Come on in before you catch your death of cold or worse." he said further, stepping aside.

"Come on." he urged.

"Aly's been extremely worried about you, and seeing the condition you're in, methinks it might have been justified."

"Yep." Zeke replied, before continuing on his way.

---

Syraene was sitting at her desk, going through the files and invo she needed to go through, before she heard a frantic knocking on her door.

"...come in." she said.

No sooner had she said that, one of the people in her employ, a young male named Peter, quickly rushed into her office.

"Miss Syraene! Miss Syraene!" he exclaimed.

"We've got trouble Big-big trouble!"

Zeke picked up the file he'd dropped, and sighed.

"I'm on my way to see the boss." he told her.

"Remember a bit ago? When I... eh... 'died'?" he asked. "Woke up in the autopsy room?" he asked further.

Anya just nodded.

"Well, it's not just me." he said.

"Seems we have at least 4 documented cases of it happening to others." he went on. "Others that can't just wake up after dying..." he said further.

"This is officially worrisome, and troubling."

Zeke nodded in response.

"Indeed." he said.

"Have a good day." he told her, before they parted ways.

Once they did, he discreetly made his way back to the Unit, going through security, and started to make his way to Hal's office.

Hastily.

So much so, he ended up turning a corner and bumping into Anya, causing them both to fall to the floor on their asses.

"OOF!" he exclaimed, before registering what had happened.

"Anya! I'm so sorry!" he apologised, scrambling to his feet and offering his hand to her to help her up.

"....right then." Zeke muttered.

"Well, then I think that about does it for orientation and such." he told her, carrying on with the conversation that they should've been having.

"If you have any questions, call or text me." he went on.

"If you start to feel overwhelmed, it's all right. It's understandable. Just don't stress yourself out over everything. Remember, you're here to be a bridge between agencies." he reminded her.

"Know the scope of your duties, and don't set a trend where you'll always do more. That's a very good way to burn out. Only go above and beyond if you KNOW you can do it, and it won't interfere with your normal duties."

"........" Zeke was silent as he heard that.

"I see." he then said.

"That's... quite disturbing." he commented.

'Is it the same as me?' he asked himself mentally. 'And if so, does this have a singular cause, or multiple ones?' he wondered further, before shaking his head.

"Regardless, I'll be sure to give it to my superior, post-haste." he told her.

"Anyway, back to business, I gave you the cards of all your key contacts regarding us, yes?" he asked, wanting to make sure he'd gotten that done.

Ryker and the gentleman shook hands, and after a little more, Eke saw him going over towards a car. With keys in his hand.

Ryker had finally gotten a car. And it looked spacious and comfortable. Something Eke desperately needed right now.

Ryker then stopped and seemed look around, as though searching for something. When he apparently didn't find it, he shrugged and started to get the vehicle ready to drive off the lot.

"All right...." he then heard.

"I'll send Daddy to pick you up soon..." was all he heard last, before the voice just seemed to cut out. Seemingly permanently.

As he walked through the city, he suddenly stopped when he saw someone in a car dealership... someone that looked like they were finalising something with the salesperson.

Someone that looked like Ryker.

Zeke responded by returning the hug and holding her close.

"...we'll need to ask you some questions about this." Hal told him.

"I know, I know." Zeke responded.

"But I need to make sure Liv is all right." he added, as he continued to hold her and reassure her that he was all right, and everything was okay.

About a couple of months later, Zeke was in the local precinct, speaking with a new liaison there, and showing her the ropes, helping her out.

But he then paused when he overheard a couple of other cops talking... mentioning about how someone was found clawed to death in their bed.

"....huh?" he muttered.

"Someone was found dead in the bed, supposedly clawed up by an animal?" he asked the female.

"I..." Hal stammered.

"I don't... know." he admitted. "It's never been done, or recorded, at least." he added.

"I'm not a shifter, I promise!" Zeke insisted.

"Liv, your fave soda is Cherry Bubble Blaster! I bring it occasionally when I'm back from Europe." he told Liv, before pausing for a moment.

"Wait..." he said.

"Wait, did you say that that Root Beer, Barrel Barry's, had replaced it? Or that it was close...?" he then wondered, thinking about it some.

"....." Hal was silent as well, and did NOT look amused.

At all.

"...is this some kind of cruel prank?" he said, his tone promising severe consequences if it was.

There was silence from the other side of the door, before it opened slightly, and Zeke poked his head in.

"I... I assure you, it's not." he said.

"I'm here. And I am not dead." he assured them.

Zeke looked down, and saw that his bellybutton was exposed.

"....quick trip home." he said.

"Just to get a shirt." he told her.

"I'll return these clothes later." he added.

Meanwhile, Hal was silent, before sighing and looking at Liv.

"Olivia..." he said quietly.

"I... I'm sorry." he apologised.

"But... will you please let us try and help?" he asked, before there was a knock on the door.

"Busy." Hal hissed, venom in his tone.

"...uh... but this is important..." Zeke's voice said from behind the closed door.

"..........." Zeke was silent for a moment.

"Oh." he said. "Oh dear." he said further, his tone more hushed now.

"I... yeah, okay, I should see her." he continued, getting up off the table, and landing on his feet.

It was at that point, Spence returned with some jeans, boxers, and a shirt. He quickly handed them to Zeke, before leaving.

"Lost and found. It'll have to do." Zeke said, before putting the clothes, on... but pausing when he read the shirt.

"...I swear he did this on purpose." he muttered, putting it on.

Mommy's little angel. it read.

Zeke just sighed.

"It never came up." he said. "...also, it DID slip my mind..." he admitted sheepishly.

"But I'm sorry for the distress I caused you-" he went on, before pausing suddenly. "...and... oh dear, if Liv is under the impression that I'm dead, she might want to come see me." he told her.

"See that that is not, in fact, the case." he reasoned.

"But... damn, what DID happen to me...?" he then wondered aloud.

"The last thing I remember is... well... dreaming." he told Angela, as he got into a sitting position.