Blood of Solomon: Awakening pt 3

Lex

Back at the Lab, Lexington Mace is thoroughly enjoying the new samples Officer Moors pointed out from the crime scene. This is where he truly thrived. Not much of an action guy, his interests always pulled him beneath the surface of things. Because of his nature, he didn’t need most of the tools provided in the lab; this was both his blessing and a curse. The upside, he understood the atomic nature of all matter and energy. This allowed him to become the youngest PhD candidate of his generation while mastering Chemistry, Biology and Physics simultaneously. The downside, once his nature manifested, he was forced to keep close reign of his nerves and emotions...

Or risk leveling half the city.

“What have we got here?” Dr. Reyz, the coroner and head of the CSI lab asked, peering over his shoulder. Though he also didn’t need the microscope, Lex moved aside to let him peer through. “Interesting…”

“I know right?” Lex nodded excitedly, before lowering his voice to a whisper. “Guess what? Officer Moors did it again. I think he finally opened his third eye!”

“Lex…” Dr. Reyz, a leading member of the Elemist Faction and Lex’s mentor looked to him. “I know he’s your brother, but that’s his faction’s business. You must wait until your father's funeral before we know it’s safe to approach him. The Oracles are supremely vigilant about initiating members of their order only after they’ve opened their Eye.”

“I know, I know, I know…” Lex jittered impatiently. “You should’ve seen him today. My big brother was amazing! Ha, just wait until he’s in the loop, we can finally get to the bottom of these cold cases and start clearing up the Shade a bit.”

“Lower your voice… we have visitors on the way.” Dr. Reyz cautioned, peering through the evidence slabs. Lex didn’t miss a beat.

“Then think about after the funeral, when I finally get to meet my little brother!” Lex hissed on. “Think about it, if the three of us could get back to that house… together we’d uncover the entire story. I can’t believe I haven’t found him yet!”

“I can…” Dr. Reyz muttered on. “The Witches are both cunning and fierce. None of us will see the third until we’re meant to, and not a moment before. He could be standing right before you and you’d be none the wiser.”

“And when the Trinity is complete-!”

SWOOSH! A blue flame shot from Lex’s lips, cutting his sentence. He clasped his hands to his mouth immediately with wide eyes.

Dr. Reyz stared at him.

“Sorry.” he said, lowering his hands. Just before his mentor could berate him, the lab doors opened.

“Hey Frankensteins!?” Detective Vargas called foully, as she entered the lab, closely followed by Thompkins. “What’s up with that DNA evidence Snoopy found at the crime scene? You get a trace on that yet?”

“You mean to tell me,” Dr. Reyz began as Lex smirked, grateful for the distraction. “A simple Patrol officer with anxiety issues found these samples? Some detectives.”

“Ask her where he found the bowl…” Lex snorted. Vargas Fumed.

“The place was a mess!”

“Calm down…” her partner pacified her, then turned to Dr. Reyz. “You got what we need or what? We ain’t got all day, none of that wise ass nerd nonsense either. Give it to us in plain English.”

“You barely speak plain English...” Lex muttered with a roll of his eyes. “I know, I know...” He added, waving off his mentor. “Finish the lab notes.”

“Don’t forget the extra copy for the Public Defender’s office intern.” Dr. Reyez added.

“And be quick about it!” Thompkins snarled.

“Why don’t you two wait over by the vial cabinet.” Lex heard Dr. Reyz offer. “There are a few seats.”

Lex didn’t bother to respond. He sat before his console and typed at breakneck speed. As much as he enjoyed getting under the detectives’ skin, he knew better than to push himself to the point of another inflammation. Besides, he promised his unsuspecting older brother he’d help him study for his Detective’s Exam. Though what Dr. Reyz pointed out was just poking at his curiosity. He wondered if he’d met his younger brother already. The puzzle was overwhelming. He thought he’d take a crack at it once he finished with Luthor. After all, he nearly discovered the name of his father who is of the Primordial Faction. Yeah, their concealment magic nearly killed him before his mentor stepped in, but the witches couldn’t be any worse… Could they?

Just as he placed all of the convincing lies in his report that would hold up in court to declare this yet another cold case and saved his work, the lab door swung open.

“Langston Mallory here for the lab report concerning case OD066683.” Came the voice of the intern who normally retrieved these files.

“Ah… you’re early.” Dr. Reyz muttered. “Didn’t think you guys would be working on this so soon.”

“Yeah, a pair of dickhead detectives jumped the gun on the biggest, blackest guy without an alibi they could find.” The intern muttered.

Lex snorted.

“My lab assistant is nearly finished-”

“Who you calling a dickhead little punk!?” Vargas steamed as Lex fell into a fit of silent laughter at the copy machine.”

“Pages 22 of 77 printed!” He cried over his shoulder.

“Hurry…” his mentor urged through a strained voice. Though Lex could sense he found this just as entertaining as he did.

“I’m sorry.” came Langston’s voice… “How about incompetent? Would that be better?” Lex had to take slow deep breaths before he released a jet stream in the lab.

“Detectives…” Dr. Reyz began, but was cut short.

“For twenty years I’ve put my ass on the line from shit you couldn’t even dream of-!”

“I doubt it…” Langston replied dryly to Thompkins. “Look, if I could summon a fuck to give about your twenty years of mediocre detective work… I’d donate it to the falsely accused suspect laying in county jail until my office clears his name. Until then take that sanctimonious bullshit to whatever altar you pray at and fuc-”

“Daaaaaamn!” Lex laughed as he separated and stapled the nearly identical lab reports. One filled with tons of medical jargon for the detectives; the other, loaded with layman terms for the Public Defender’s office. “Burn!”

“That is not helping Mace!” his mentor hissed. Just then, the lab door opened again as officer Luthor Moors walked in the lab. “Oh no…”

“What the fuck are you doing here?!” Vargas rounded on him as Lex approached the counter.

“Minding my fuckin’ business.” Luthor huffed in his deep voice as he stood between Langston and the Detectives. Dr. Reyz looked as if the lab would explode any moment

“You better not be dicking in our case again, or-”

“Relax, he's here on unofficial business.” Lex said to the red faced Thompkins, thrusting the file upon him. “Take what you need and go.”

“Mace…” his mentor looked to him with a sharp eye full of trepidation.

“Scouts honor.” Lex winked, completely failing to convince his mentor otherwise. “I know what’s at stake.”

“Yeah, I’m just gonna sign this and go…” Langston made a grab for the sign-out sheet but Thompkins grabbed it first.

“Fuck you ya little punk!” he scribbled an angry signature, grabbed his file and bumped Luthor’s shoulder hard as he stormed out, closely followed by Vargas.

Luthor grinned...

Lex let out a long whistle...

“Who pissed in his cheerios?” Langston laughed as he grabbed the clipboard.

“I did.” Luthor smirked an odd expression. He raised a fist and bumped it with Lex. “You ready tutor?”

“Yeah, I’m just gonna clean up my station a bit. “Let’s get a drink first. You down?”

“Normally yeah, but not tonight.” Langston declined, grabbing the file. “There is an innocent man in a cage… and I am my brother’s keeper. Maybe another time.”

“I can dig that…” Luthor nodded

“Yeah,” Lex added… an uncertain buzz in the back of his mind, though for the first time in living memory, his brain failed to connect the formula he didn’t even know stood before him.

“Later.” Langston waved the file. “Thanks Doc.”

Dr. Reyz nodded silently, somewhat trapped in his own haze of confusion. He felt like a complete… Dunce.

Once the intern left, time seemed to have returned to normal, without feeling like it ever slowed.

“Welp… we’re off Doc.” Lexington piped up, thoughts of the intern fleeing swiftly from his curiosity.

“Be careful…” His mentor warned him before releasing him for the day.

Lex nodded as he and Luthor exited the lab without another thought or memory of the Public Defender’s Intern.