Mystery Unveiled

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

(A/N Hey guys I'm back! Sorry for the long hiatus, I didn't really have the plot all figured out in my head, so I did a flashback chapter this Summer. Now I have the story line all thought out and outlined, so more to come later. I'm so excited to continue working on this story and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Also, I finally surpassed 1K reads so that's AMAZING I feel truly blessed. Shout out to my friends Elena, Erin, and Emily for editing this and inspiring me to write more.)

It's 2:55pm and I wake up abruptly in history class to the shrill sound of the school bell ringing right above my ear. I shake off my sleepiness at my seat in the back of the class, gather my things, and head out of the classroom towards my locker. While dodging the various kids scampering out of the building as fast as they can to enjoy their weekend, I take on more of a slower stride not caring how quickly I escape the dreadfulness that is high school, as I have no plans for the weekend. All of the sudden my cell phone chimes out the Kim Possible ringtone, I look down at my phone cautiously, trying not to bump into my fellow peers, and notice that V had messaged me. The text read, 'Exciting news...Crime reported in the city...come ASAP...more details when you arrive.'

Well, that sounds like something V would say in her own discrete kind of way. I quickly respond not wanting to keep her waiting, also I don't want to seem like I'm an unprofessional intern. I was now rushing to my locker, making it out the door of the school, and to my car on my way driving to Draxton. Remembering my previous mistake, I sent Wilkinson a quick text that I won't be home right away; better safe than sorry. The drive went by fast as I only had one thing on my mind: what news would be waiting for me at Cotex. Pulling into the guest lot, I parked, grabbed my phone out of my purple Jansport backpack, locked up, and entered through the revolving doors to the familiar view of Elise greeting me at the reception desk.

"Welcome back Carter! So nice to see you again." Elise perkily replied, with a soft smile gracing her face.

I waved back, walking over to the desk and she told me that V requires me in her office right away, so I briskly made my way up the stairs and found myself turning the doorknob, letting myself into her office.

Upon entering, I noticed that V was on the phone talking to someone seemingly important as she indicated for me to stay quiet and sit down. Moments later she hung up and swiveled her chair excitedly, greeting me practically bouncing with energy as she told me about the case.

"Ok, so we've got a huge case on our hands this time and I can't wait to bring you along and introduce you to the big leagues of crime solving!" She says as she gets up from her desk, grabbing her coat and rushing me out the door.

She doesn't even say where we are going or what happened, but I just go along with it and follow her outside to her car in the employee lot. I immediately stop in my tracks when I see V unlock and get into a massive orange Cotex van. She gestures for me to sit shotgun but I just need a moment to take in this eyesore of a van.

"So..." I say approaching the van,"What's the deal with the color of the van? Isn't it a bit much? Shouldn't a crime scene investigating comany be a little more, you know... low key?"

V looks at me with confusion etched on her face after I make that comment. "What do you mean? You don't like it?"

I just stand there and shrug not sure how to respond.

She takes my silence as a chance to explain herself more. "It just happens that orange is my favorite color so I, being the head of Cotex, decided to make it be the company's logo color scheme. Actually, I love this van so much that I named it the V van. Get it?" She says, letting out a small laugh.

Again, I'm at a loss for words trying to process that she named her van the 'V van', but in all honesty anyone could have guessed that V's color of preference was orange by just looking at her. Everyday that I've seen her she has been incorporating orange into every outfit that she has been wearing. I swear for this Christmas the only gift idea I have for her right now is some type of orange accessory. Might just go on the safe side and purchase a scarf of some kind.

Then V floors the gas and drives us out of the lot and into the heart of the big city. The drive is rather awkward as we both don't make any conversation because V is so focused on driving and on the lingering case. With just the radio music being the only thing keeping me company, my mind wanders to the possibilities of where our destination could be.

Finally, our van starts to slow down and I'm brought back from my thoughts to reality; however, I'm immediately shocked when I realize we are pulling into Trap-Co. I start to shake and V concerningly looks at me.

"Are you alright Carter? You're looking a little pale." She asks me.

I just try to pull myself together and nod.

Frankly I'm too nervous to get out of the van. Questions are racing through my mind like what kind of crime happened here? Is my dad okay? What will he think when I show up here with V and Cotex? Ugh... maybe I should just stay in the van.

V notices something is off with me and coaxes me to come along with her and the rest of the Cotex investigative team that was following in identical vans closely behind us. A team of around six other people from Cotex brought out supplies from their vans and started hauling the equipment into my dad's company. I muster up the courage to face my fears and follow suit into the large, towering, glassy building.

I catch up to V who leads the group up to the top floor. All of this is familiar to me as I have grown up spending time in this building, wandering the halls and exploring while my father worked, so I know this building inside and out.

The elevator sounds a bell chime tone indicating our journey upwards, and I can't seem to stand still as I find myself tapping my feet nervously the entire ride up. This elevator trip seems like it is taking eternity, until I hear the bell sound again and the doors open revealing the top floor. The elevator unloads quickly as it was quite cramped with all the Cotex employees stuffed inside. I was stuck in the back, so I was the last one to step out and doing so, I immediately sensed that something was off. The building had a more tense feeling to it and smelled horrid. I followed V and her company as they were able to navigate the hallways directly to the source of the crime.

The room we entered was unrecognizable. Everything was completely scorched, it was devastating. I took a better look around trying to see if anything could be scavenged for evidence or saved, but it was all for loss. I even tried putting on my 'crime glasses' to search for clues leading to any hint of who was behind this, but all I could scope out were toasted file cabinets, charred papers, and halfway melted computer monitors. I make my way back over to V to see if she has found anything, as I am failing this whole crime scene investigator internship role miserably, thinking maybe she can give me a few tips.

Avoiding the blackened carpet and the broken glass that had probably broken off from some sort of important technology my dad was working on, I tapped V on the back which startled her out of what seemed to be a highly concentrated state in which she held up a magnifying glass to the desks.

"Oh jinkies!" she loudly gasped turning around saying "Carter oh gosh it's just you," sounding rather relieved.

I let her have a second to relax before speaking. "Ya sorry about that. Everyone is just so quiet in here and I didn't want to disturb anyone, but I can't seem to find like anything giving me any kind of lead." I say as I let out a sigh in defeat.

V puts her hand on my shoulder and gives me a reassuring look. "Carter, this is your first case. It's perfectly fine being nervous, you should've seen me on my first case here at Cotex, I was a mess." She pauses and smiles, probably lost in her thought from that day.

I snap her out of it by letting out an abrupt cough and she goes back to sharing her story of the so called 'good old days'.

"Anyways, it wasn't the most successful case of mine and I almost quit that day because I thought I couldn't be good enough, but I shook those thoughts off, worked harder, and now look at me I'm running the whole department."

I immediately feel better after hearing this from V, but unfortunately that feeling goes away soon as I hear rushed footsteps hurrying towards us from down that hall. V and I both freeze as we come to the possibility that it could be the perpetrator behind this crime coming back for a second round.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and drew their attention to the door frame as well, expecting the criminal to reappear, but what came through that door was even more threatening.

Rushing in the room of the crime scene was none other than my dad and his fellow high ranking co-workers. My immediate response was to hide behind one of the many damaged filing cabinets, but for some reason my brain wouldn't let my body take one step as I was panicking. What the heck am I going to say? Something along the lines like ya dad, fancy meeting you here? Nope that wouldn't work, it's too casual to be the reasoning behind why I'm part of the investigating team at the scene of his company.

I run out of time thinking of additional excuses when my dad's gaze meets mine from across the room. After taking in the destruction of the scene, he stopped even more in his tracks when he saw V and I standing in the middle of the room amongst the various Cotex employees.

His eyes shift focus between the both of us as his mouth gapes open in revelation. The quietness in the room staggers and I turn to V noticing the look of bewilderment on her face as well. The awkwardness level rises 400% and I want to make a break for it before conversation strikes up. My plan is foiled when my dad speaks, his voice breaking the invisible silence barrier that previously overpowered the room and its occupants.

"Velma? What... what are you doing here?" He puzzled, making direct eye contact with V, not even mentioning the fact that his company had been sabotaged. "And with...Carter? Why are you with these guys, shouldn't you be home or at school or something?" He hesitantly asked.

It's like 4pm in the afternoon, why would I still be at school? Jeez I swear sometimes my father can be so simple minded. I'm still amazed that he hasn't said a single word about the condition of the room, but I'm not that surprised that he'd be more interested to why I'm there.

All of the sudden my dad's right hand man Chad Livingston, he basically runs most of business side of company, speaks up. "Forget about that Fred, have you seen what has happened here!" he snapped as he walked past me and pointed out the chaotic burnt mess.

I was quick to dodge his raged state as he would have plowed right through me to get to something in the back of the room. Everyone's attention was now on him instead of my father as we tried to see what he was so concerned about. My dad, put off from his distraughtness from discovering me, followed Chad and started to panic as well. They both struggle to pull out a large indistinguishable black box, I mean it could've been black due to the fact that it was basically half charcoal now, but my dad and his company all were dismayed upon seeing it.

V's face lights up looking like she knew exactly what that mysterious black box was. It takes me a few seconds, but I reach the conclusion that it was a safe. Wow what a great detective I am, so observant I should win an award.

The fellow Trap-Co employees circle around the safe trying to see if the contents of the inside had survived. Based on their multiple attempts of searching and a few under the breath swears, I'd say it's safe to say that whatever was in that safe is completely turned to ash now.

I decide to finally chime in as I scuffle towards the group surrounding the safe. "So, what exactly was in that safe anyways? Was it that important for somebody to take like a flamethrower to this place?"

My dad, still a bit shook up, replies back as he paces around, "I can't say exactly what it was, but it was important enough to be locked up in that safe. It was the prototype and some of the blueprints for a new technology that Trap-Co has been developing."

V then also decided to comment, "Well Freddie, I am truly sorry about all of this, but I work for Cotex Crime Labs and you have my word that my crew and I will get to who's behind this." She then approaches my dad offering him her hand to shake.

He stands still for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Just as he extends his hand towards V, he remembers that I'm still somehow at the crime scene and turns his attention towards me leaving V behind. I shoot him an apologetic smile to try to dampen the harsh conversation that lies ahead.

"Wait...Carter, no one explained this yet, but why are you here? Does your mother or Wilkinson know where you are young lady? " He pointed out, staggering closer.

I opened my mouth trying to speak, but nothing comes out as I am too nervous. I then pause and take a moment to try to formulate my response. That 'young lady' remark left me unsettled because he uses that to indicate that I am in some sort of trouble.

I let out a sigh before speaking and cross my arms, "Well, you kinda sorta knew about this and my whereabouts. And Wilkinson definitely knows because I texted him this time." I proudly remark.

He doesn't say anything and just cocks his head and arches his brow questioning my statement as he waits for more of an explanation.

Looking around the room, I see everyone's just staring at us which makes me even more anxious; however, the stoic expression on my dad's face forces me to continue.

"So, you know sometime ago when I asked you to sign that form for school? The one that lets me shadow a professional in an industry I'm interested in? Well, I chose Cotex Crime labs and they assigned me with V." I rush, letting out a laugh in attempt to mask my nervousness.

My dad responds, placing his hands on his hips. "Well sweetie, I didn't know you were going to do this. Isn't this a tad dangerous work for a 16 year old to be affiliated with? And second of all why didn't you choose to shadow me? I thought you loved Trap-Co?"

I uncross my arms as my body stiffened at that last comment, then I spoke out. "First of all, I'm seventeen dad. Seventeen not sixteen. And how does my age affect any of this? Second of all, I do like Trap-Co, but I am more interested in crime scene investigation like what Cotex does; hence why I'm here with V and not just sitting at a desk doing nothing here with you!" I exclaim.

I stop myself before I go any deeper with this. I've never spoken out this much to my father, so it was a shock to him and mostly everybody in the room.

My dad looks a little taken aback as he tries to process my harsh comment. It looks like he could burst with both anger and disappointment, but he just says one thing back to me:

"Carter I don't want you continuing your involvement with these guys anymore. In fact, get your things, I'll take you home right now." He says with a straight face and then gestures for me to follow him out.

I tilt my head down towards the floor feeling ashamed and begin to follow him out of the room, but then I remember something.

"Wait... I can't go right now!" I shout out.

My dad stops in his tracks and turns around facing me. "And why is that?" He objected.

I turn to V and give her a reassuring smile before I continue. "Because my car and all my school work and other things are at the lab", I remarked.

He sighs and looks down at me and then towards V, still flustered about this whole situation. Chad still in the back of the room, then takes it upon himself to speak up, dampening the tension in the air. "Alright everyone party's over." And then he proceeds to usher all of us out to the less burnt hallway.

It's a tad more cramped out here, but at least now I can breath in something more clean. V elbows her way through both Trap-Co and Cotex employees to my dad and I. She grabs my dad's arm notifying him that she still hadn't finished her discussion with him.

"Look Freddie, I know how strange this whole scenario is and I swear I did not know that Carter was your daughter, but she is doing great and learning a lot so far and I don't think she should stop."

I look hopefully at my dad, begging him to let me with Cotex, but he just rubs his hand on his chin and says, "Velma I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this and I keep coming to the same conclusion. I just don't think Carter should be involved in this anymore. It's nothing against you or your company."

"I can't stand against your wishes for your daughter, but please reconsider. She will be with me at all times, so we'll be able to work on your case together. Come on Freddie it's me", V implored.

Since when do people other than my mother call my dad Freddie? This is all news to me.

My dad took a deep breath, "These are my circumstances and I'm not changing my mind. Cotex can work on the case, but Carter stays out of it, and lastly it's Mr. Jones not Freddie."

Quite frankly, I am surprised at how stern he is being right now, especially towards V. I thought she made a strong argument but he will not budge, so there's no use in my trying to persuade him. In my mind though, I know I am not going to stop working with V. I love working at Cotex, they're really nice there and I'm learning a lot of things that keep peaking my interest into majoring in Crime Scene Investigation in college, plus it's for a grade at school and it's too late now to start somewhere else. Somehow I'll make it work and sneak under my parents' radar to continue solving this mystery with V.

Before I can fully escape and go down the elevator, my dad stops me as he grabs onto my shoulder. I abruptly turn around and meet his concerned gaze. He can sense that I am still upset at his verdict, so he tries his best to talk calmly and rationally to me.

"CJ, I'm truly sorry about all of this, but I need you to know that this is for your best interest. I'm just looking out for you." He said reluctantly.

He tries to pat me on the back, but I give him the cold shoulder and join V and the rest of the Cotex employees in the elevator leaving my father far behind as we make our descent.

Once we exit the building and enter the safety of the parking lot on our way back to the van, I address V:

"I can't believe my dad said that!" I huffed throwing my arms up in the air. "V, I don't care what he says. I love working with you and I'll do anything to stay. I mean my dad didn't even discover I was working with you until it was right under his nose, so I'll just stay away from Trap-Co for the time being and just work alongside you in the lab."

V doesn't say anything and proceeds to get into the driver's seat of the orange van. I then hop in the passenger side, still awaiting her response.

She then locks the car and turns to me. "Ok. Carter I'm on your side of this, but as soon as your dad has even a thought of suspicion of you still working here I am shutting this whole thing down. Understood?" She implored.

My face lights up at her comment and I beam the biggest

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net