[u]Table of contents[/u]
Chapter 1 - A Chance Encounter
Chapter 2 - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5188410]Perfidious Dark[/url]
Chapter 3 - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5194484]The Welcome Wagon[/url]
Chapter 4 - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5219916]Sleep the dream of the apples[/url]
Chapter 5 - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5253851]The Archive[/url]
Chapter 6 - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5289835]GCHQ[/url]

[H2]Chapter 1 - A Chance Encounter[/h2]
“Dr Lang, this is a reminder to take your medication.” Demeter, the block’s AI concierge, announced. Freyr, who had been staring absently at a news cycle projected onto the wall opposite the sofa, rubbed her puffy, tear streaked cheeks. “I’ve told you before Demeter, I don't need a reminder.” The lights in her flat increased in brightness slightly, and one of the roller blinds began sliding up to let light through the window. It was cloudy and rainy outside; Freyr wondered what day it was. “I’m sorry Dr Lang. But I'm under instructions from Babylon Social Care Advisory to watch out for you as best I can.” Demeter did manage to sound regretful, but Freyr couldn’t tell if that tone was just something it’d learned.

Sighing deeply, Freyr gradually moved into a sitting position, wiping the tears from her eyes with a sleeve. Her normally pristine living area was littered with takeaway food containers, get well soon gifts from work, discarded clothes and empty bottles of wine. Cold, grey light shone across an exercise bike and a dining table with four chairs. Freyr’s eyes strayed to the entry hall, where a pistol hung in its holster from one of the coat hooks. Ostensibly, she had bought it after the incident, for protection. But deep down Freyr knew that it was a cowardly part of her looking for a way out. Freyr also knew that David would’ve wanted her to carry on, for all three of them. For some reason, this was clearer today than on many days previously.

So Freyr hauled herself from the seat, rushed to the bathroom and took both of the pills waiting for her by the sink before she got any second thoughts. “Thank you, Dr Lang.” Demeter soothed. “Is there anything else i can do for you?” Freyr walked through to the kitchen area and poured a cup of water before answering. “Are there any messages for me?” She’d stopped checking them herself some time ago, instead opting to have Demeter screen them first. He’d figured out which would cause distress, and could either hold onto them or reconfigure them into something more palatable.

“Yes. There is one message from Dr Karos Childermass, fifty one minutes ago. He asked if you were available to meet at your earliest convenience.” Freyr’s stomach dropped and her heart began racing. She let go of her cup and it bounced off the floor, spilling water all over her feet. She staggered to her sofa and collapsed down. After a few moments, the words began flooding out. “W-why didn’t you tell me fifty one minutes ago? What did he say it’s about? Has there been a development in the case?” She heard the whir of the kitchen’s floorboards tilting to drain away the sudden excess water.

“I elected to wait until you had taken your medication; It should be taking effect in a few seconds. Dr Childermass did not say in his message what the visit was about, so i’m afraid i don’t have that information.” Freyr leant her face against her clenched fist and rocked slowly back and forth on the sofa while she thought about what it could mean. The head of her department hadn’t been in contact since just after the incident.

“Call him for me please, Demeter.” Freyr finally spoke.
“I don’t believe that is wise. Your emotional state is still very-”
“Call him!” Freyr shouted. There was a pregnant pause before she heard a soft dial tone ringing in her head. Karos Childermass picked up almost immediately. 
“Freyr, how are you?”
“Karos, what’s happened? Has there been a development with the case?”
“I uhh...I think it’s best if we talk in person. Are you at home?”
“Yes I am. How long will you be?”
“I’m close - twenty minutes?”
“Ok, see you then.”
“See you.” Karos ended the call and Freyr went to pick up the cup she’d dropped, almost completely numb.