<span style="font-weight: bold">Olive’s guest room </span><br/><br/>Athena observed Olive make use of the various remedies she had there. She wasn’t too sure what they were precisely. Perhaps homeopathic antidotes?<br/><br/>For wounds like the ones that Declan sustained though, she honestly wondered what good it would do. After all, her basic understanding was that homeopathy was just medicine but diluted to the nth degree.<br/><br/>Nonetheless, she had to give in that Declan appeared to be picking up some colour back into his face. Despite being unconscious at this present moment.<br/><br/>Athena had complied when Olive asked her to do small things like tip Declan back. She honestly thought the substance in the jaw was honey. It smelt anything but.<br/><br/>As the final medicaments were administered, Olive took her leave from the room. Expressing to Athena that she may want some time alone solely with Declan.<br/><br/>Athena watched as the half Panda stepped out of the room gracefully, before closing the door softly.<br/><br/>The female fennec turned her attention towards Declan again.<br/><br/>She could really see it now. The colour was coming back to him. His expression also didn’t look as if it had emotions of anguish and ache stuck in the undertow.<br/><br/>Athena reached out for one of Declan’s limp arms and clasped his hand with both of her own. She looked down on him with a stern frown, before easing up her expression to that of sorrow.<br/><br/>“Declan…” Athena sighed “I’m so so sorry. We should’ve gone home…”<br/><br/>As stupid as Athena’s statements were sounding to her, she felt the need to say something. Not being entirely sure why she felt the need. After all, he couldn’t hear her right now- right?<br/><br/>She was going to say more. Opening her mouth. Before her pride overtook her and she shut it. She frowned again as she cast her eyes out of the window.<br/><br/>The sky was getting lighter again. A flock of seagulls floating above the harbour whilst others swooped down to snipe fish from the water surfaces with their beaks. Toll bells could be heard from the import and export ships. Coming and going.<br/><br/>That was when Athena suddenly remembered the missing body on the peer. What could possibly have happened to it?<br/><br/>_____________________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Aaron’s house </span><br/><br/>Maya waved back.<br/><br/>“Hey!” she smiled<br/><br/>She was delighted to hear Aaron’s feedback on the project assemblage.<br/><br/>So he had got it altogether after all! Perhaps she had underestimated him. It was just that he seemed so much like a ‘last minute’ student. She knows she’s had to give him a kick up the backside in the past to revise for tests, quizzes, exams and presentations.<br/><br/>He was such a smart, streetwise and intelligent kid. Sometimes she wondered why he seemed to be a bit distant at times.  Like she’d try and call him at night or sometimes during the day but he hardly ever answered his phone.<br/><br/>She just learnt to accept it in all due time. Still, something was distracting him. Almost weighing him down.<br/><br/>She had a drink of her own hot chocolate, before swirling it around with a spoon.<br/><br/>“Good job on finishing the project Aaron, I gotta admit… there was a lot to do left. Guess you always somehow pull through in the end huh?” she asked.<br/><br/>“Yeah…” Aaraon scratched the back of his head sheepishly.<br/><br/>“Don’t worry about the name of that last scientist or whatever… we’ll just wing it…” she smiled, before her face became a bit serious “apparently we’re getting a substitute teacher for today. Some guy called Dr... Something. I’m kind of bummed out. What if he doesn’t assess us properly? I need those scores to get into college…”<br/><br/>__________________________________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Record store lounge room</span><br/><br/>Kip gave James a look that would make an ice storm look warm. He didn’t like James’ attitude at all.<br/><br/>“Well… aren’t we being a smart as….”<br/><br/>“Enough rookie!” Dale stood up to give Kip a stern look. If he didn’t intervene now, the conversation would escalate which would either create an undesirable verbal or violent situation. Besides, Dale didn’t have time for smack talk between a suspect and his rookie.<br/>Kip remained seated, and held out his hands.<br/><br/>“Woah… woah… it’s cool man! You do the talking, ok?!”<br/>Officer Sanchez simply gave him a stern look.<br/><br/>“Listen…” Dale turned around to face James, before taking a seat again “we haven’t actually got your name yet son…”<br/><br/>“It’s James,” the man answered curtly.<br/><br/>“Right… James…” Dale deliberated.<br/><br/>“Anyway, ‘James’, we need to ask you some questions regarding the Record Manager. Mr. Tom Sullivan. We can’t actually confirm whether he is dead or murdered… or whatever is running through your head at the moment.”<br/>Dale cleared his throat, before reaching into his pocket and lightly smacking the record manager’s ID badge against the glass coffee table. Not to be aggressive but as if to put the facts on a cold slate.<br/><br/>“This was found on the pier of the Docklands. That, along with a blood trail that ran ALL along the pier itself and there was a pool of blood at the end of the docklands.” Sanchez explained “We got news of this because one of the local residents complained that they’re yacht had gone ‘missing’.” Dale made inverted commas.<br/>Dale gave James a long and stern look. Watching to see if he might know anything and if he did, whether he’d attempt to hide it.<br/><br/>“When was the last time you saw Mr. Tom Sullivan?”