CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
JFK Airport, Eastern UT, December 8, 2308 15:14:13 (T-Minus 04:14:45:47)
Hotaru stepped through the gate at JFK's Terminal five. During the flight, she had redone what little makeup she wore, concealing the wound over her cheekbone with foundation and blush. Her hair was now worn down, long black tresses cascading around her shoulders. She wore her sunglasses, scanning the crowd for her Target. Knowing that he could look like anyone made her job that much harder. It was only the retinal scan that had any accuracy now. She had already taken steps for that, and 0247893 was last seen at The College.
She bypassed customs, showing her ID badge to the guard as she walked by, barely stopping. While she technically gained five hours in time zones by flying from Kiev to JFK, the flight was ten hours long, so she was five hours behind the eight ball. Navigating the terminal with haste, she emerged into a cold, snowy day. Grey clouds that shrouded the tops of the skyscrapers gave her the impression of a low ceiling that someone had poked buildings through.
There was a hover waiting for her, and the attendant opened the door for her, helping her into the driver's seat before softly shutting the door. She sped away, using the hover's auto-pilot to take her to The College by the quickest route possible. Hotaru was not the least bit surprised when, fifteen minutes later, she pulled up to a building that was an exact replica of her College in Siam. She parked the hover, and was met halfway to the main access doors by the Superintendent, who fell in step beside her, despite his portly build.
"Welcome, Emissary." He started. "It is an-"
"Spare me the formalities, Superintendent. We both know why I'm here. Please take me to his dwelling."
As they passed through the brass trimmed glass double doors, Hotaru knew people would be looking. She glanced at the administrative wing, nodding and smiling to anyone who dared to look in her direction. The minute long wait for the elevator seemed to stretch forever for the Superintendent, who was used to casual conversation. When the elevator doors popped open on the second floor, he nearly ran to Radius II, handing her off to the Sentry on duty. His duties fulfilled, the Superintendent took off back down the hall toward the elevator.
"What's with him?" The sentry asked Hotaru, indicating the fleeing Superintendent with a thumb.
"I don't know," Hotaru lied. "Perhaps he ate some bad fish?" The sentry was going to be easy to get along with, she thought.
"How can I be of assistance, Emissary?" He said formally, acknowledging her rank.
"I am searching for 0247893. Retinal scans indicate that he was in this hallway yesterday at nineteen hundred hours. Can you tell me who was on duty?
The man's eyebrows were knit in confusion. "I was," he replied. "I know Slade personally. He was not here during my duty shift yesterday. That much I guarantee you."
"Was there anyone in this hallway that would not have normally been granted access - a friend of an Emissary, a date, someone like that?"
"The only person who came yesterday that didn't already reside in these dwellings was Beta Mack York. He's in my ethics class. He was here to see Alexandra, dwelling fifteen. They had a dinner date last night."
"Where is Beta York now?"
The sentry lifted his Tablet, and keyed in York's ID. There was a series of chirps, and a blip appeared. He tilted the Tablet in Hotaru's direction so she could see.
"He's in class. Judging by the map, I'd say history. I can escort you if you wish.”
"That won't be necessary. I'd like to speak with this Alexandra, and then I want access to 0247893's dwelling."
"I can facilitate the latter, but Alexandra left on a Delivery this morning. She mentioned she'd be back on Friday." He turned, walking down the hallway with Hotaru falling in step beside him. Each of the stone-faced sentries paled slightly as she passed, then relaxed when they realized that she wasn't here for them. When they arrived at door seventeen, the sentry punched an eight digit code into the lock, and then pushed the door open.
He entered first, securing the room, and making sure that there were no surprises for the Emissary. Perceiving no threats, he backed out of the dwelling, and stood against the wall, motioning to Hotaru that the room was hers. She quickly made her way into the dwelling, searching each room systematically for a clue of his presence. The living room, kitchen and bathroom were spotless, but Hotaru noticed the bedroom window wasn't quite in its track. There was also a glass with a few beads of water still clinging to the rim on the dresser.
"Sentry, did you, or anyone on your team open this window?"
The sentry came into the bedroom, shaking his head as he looked at the window. "No, ma'am. Like I said, no one has been in here in forty-eight hours."
"I'm afraid you're wrong. Someone has been here. And I'm guessing in the last twelve hours."
She reached for her Tablet, and put it in fingerprint recognition mode. She quickly scanned the room, noting that her Target's prints came back positive on the window and the glass. While not conclusive, there was an indication he had been here recently. The problem being that it was his dwelling. Of course he would be here.
"Do you have cameras in the hallways?" she asked the sentry. He shook his head.
"No. Like I said before, my team was in the hallway all night last night. If Slade had been here, we would have known."
"Did you verify retinal identity on all newcomers?"
He shook his head again. "The only visitor last night was Beta York, and I know him personally. There was no reason to verify his identity."
"Then I'm guessing you've forgotten about 0247893's sub dermal tattoo. The same sub dermal tattoo that allows him to look like anyone he can see."
The sentry was speechless. He had forgotten. Hotaru whirled, taking long strides toward the living room, and then out into the hallway. The sentry followed, but stopped at the doorway, ensuring the dwelling was secured.
"I trust you'll be verifying retinal identity from now on?" she said as she rounded the corner, heading back to the elevator.