Chapter 3 The tyranny of a child

If you're a feminist,I'm a papa bear and I'm proud of it.– Joshua

JOSHUA

The guard paled turning a sickly white which amused him and at over seventy years old nothing amused Joshua Baker turning to his recalcitrant stared off into the distance

" Agent Bass how are you" he said ignoring her. He liked Agent Bass and if his daughter would find the time to settle down, Joshua would have given his wholehearted approval

" I'm fine thank you sir" he muttered, turning to the guard who seemed like he would throw up any moment he said."

" I'll assume you're new here but at the GBI we only check tags, press them against the sensor and you can tell if the individuals work here,those who don't will have appointments and their information will be sent to you priorly understood"

" Yes sir" he said nodding sharply and then hurrying away like his pants were on fire

" We could have handled it" Eloise whispered

" Ah she speaks " she frowned and he resisted the urge to laugh for all her nuances his daughter was the light of his life

" I heard you got a new case"

" How did you find out about that" she scowled

" Is that a legitimate question, I'm the assistant director here" if possible she scowled even harder

" We're late. Let's go Dave " she ordered pulling on her seatbelt

" Come home for the weekend, " he said. Eloise smiled softly and decisively

" I'll see what I can do" he said nothing resigned to the fact that she would do what she wanted

" Bring Dave" he ordered and she shrugged

" That's up to him, though why you think he'd want to spend his weekend with us I don't know" she grumbled, Dave chuckled

" I'll be there sir"

" Good man" he muttered, waving them off he watched them go to their car then he pulled out his phone and dialed, the phone rang twice and connected immediately

" So did she agree to dinner" a feminine voice asked Joshua smiled

" She didn't fully commit" he replied walking towards his car

" Maybe we should tell her about this first" he shook his head

" Then she'll have a reason not to come at all"

" You do know this will be an ambush"

" I know love, but she's my daughter and I know her best" he replied , opening the car door he got in and closed it

" Have you heard from Elron" he asked aware his tone had become fond

" Yes, he wanted to hold dinner at his home-" Joshua swore

" Don't worry I managed to convince him otherwise"

" Good, it's enough were ambushing her with this relationship, I want to do this where she'll be comfortable"

" He understands that, we'll see you soon" she said and he smiled

" You too I love you. " he said softly, disconnecting the call he sat in his car and heaved a breath. That was one obstacle down many more to go.

***************

Dave

The car was humming as he backed into the lot Dave turned to look at his partner and best friends

" You could be nicer to him" he said referring to her father, Dave had met Eloise Baker at training camp, she had loved the life of a spartan warrior and she hated injustice and hence their first meeting.

" I am nicer to him. Nicer than I am to my mom" she replied and he smiled that was true, Eloise was frosty to her father but a full on ice castle to her mother.

" Come on let go in" he said and she nodded. They climbed out of the car and strode towards the offices, Dave was concerned about the vic they found in the Updrift, having the blood drained out of you seemed impossible and if done didn't seem for the best, he remembered articles about blood rituals from the years before and after the Decay.

" We're going to dinner this week" he said and she groaned

" You said yes, I did not" she huffed hands shoved into her pocket, he nodded to the door men even as Eloise power walked through them

" We're going El so prepare yourself"

" Yes daddy Dave" she mocked and he laughed

" Hello, Elly how are you" Claudia the receptionist said warmly

" I told you I hate that nickname" she grumbled and Claudia smiled

" Of course dear, the forensic sent this for you Elly" she said handing them a file Dave resisted the urge to smile only Claudia would get away with that. But despite her annoyance El didn't snatch the file ,she opened the file and read through it and frowned

" What is it"

"There were no other wounds just the holes in his neck and residues of calcium like substance.

" And the inference" he asked and

" They think the substance comes from teeth" she said and he froze

" Like teeth" El nodded he sighed with annoyance

" This is becoming a mindfuck"

" Well I love mindfucks. Come on we need to research" she said already forging forward, waving absent mindedly He shook his head in amusement

" See you later, Claudia"

" You too Dave " she said laughter in her voice

" Wait for me knuckle head " he called jogging towards her.

" Hurry up" she urged. And he increased his speed, reaching her quickly

" You know you could be nicer to Claudia" he said and she groaned

" Are the the niceness police, if I'm nice to everyone then who can I be mean to" she queried and he smiled only El would consider being rude as a way of life

" You could be mean to the bad guys " he offered and she scowled

" Half of them aren't worth my time. Besides Claudia gets me rude"

" Alright tell yourself that" he pressed his tag against the sensor,the door beeped and he opened it gesturing her in they had a lot to do if they were going to get their killer.