Ozoe Posted August 14, 2010 Posted August 14, 2010 Table of Contents: HellQ A Police Interview Timeline: 08/14/2010 - A New Year - Tasha gets a tour of Claremont 08/16/2010 - A Sudden Arrival - Meeting new friends and getting lunch
Ozoe Posted August 14, 2010 Author Posted August 14, 2010 Introduction Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence. Tasha Williams, a blind girl, has the unique ability to see both into the past and future. Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume? She is known as Oracle both as a heroic name, and as a nickname. What is your full birth name? Unknown. However, she is registered in the state as Tasha Williams. Where do you live? Freedom City, Southside. Currently residing at the Clarmont Academy. How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)? Born June 22, 1994. Aged 16 Physical Traits What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain. Female. How would you describe your heritage? A blend of Scandinavian and Greek heritage. How tall are you? 5’3†What is your body type? Thin, but fit. Has not really filled out yet. Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities? Tasha has been blind from birth. How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence? While not overly graceful, Tasha has the ability to be exactly where she needs to be. She moves slowly and cautiously unless something is threatening, then she slides into her visions and can move quickly and decisively. Describe your skin, eye, and hair color. Tasha has silver blonde hair, and dark blue eyes that appear to be mostly opaque. She has a pale completion like many Scandinavians. How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair? Since she has a hard time seeing it, she tends to keep it very simple. A ponytail, single braid, or just off shoulder are all styles that she will use. Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others? Tasha has little idea on how she looks other than by feel. She does not consider herself a beauty. Most people who have seen her think she is cute however, on the whole she is mostly average. Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks? None. Do you resemble anyone famous? Looks a bit like Dakota Fanning Do you have a dominant hand? Right. What kind of clothing do you wear? Tasha is not terribly fashion conscious. She usually tries to make sure most of her clothes match each other as colors and styles are beyond her. She tends to wear casual clothes and a mix of skirts and pants. Do you wear makeup? No, while she has tried it in the past, it has always been a disaster. What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way? Her voice is light and pleasant. Some of this is derived from her upbeat attitude. Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people? She always carries her staff and will tap in near constantly to get a feel of what is around her. History Where do you come from? Tasha has bounced around the state from foster home to foster home. Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown? Until recently she has moved nearly every year. While she makes friends quickly, she has few people she has had the time to get really close too. Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country? For the most part, she’s ambivalent about politics considering it far above her. She tries to keep up on what is happening but often is pretty far behind of political events. How do you feel about the place you come from? Tasha has learned long ago to make the best of any situation. She is very good about finding the positives in wherever she has lived. Thus she is happy about most of her stays, regardless of how good they were. Where is your home town? What was/is it like? She does not claim a home town and considers Freedom City to be where she is from. Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you? Being blind has always placed Tasha in a minority. She has done her best to adapt and has learned, sometimes the hard way how to fit in with people and get along. It forced her to be more outgoing and overcome many of the problems of being blind. Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life? Tasha has aptitude, but no training for music. She is looking forward to learning to play an instrument. Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)? Existing in the State's care was reasonably traumatic due to the number and distance of the moves she made. Some of her stays were not all that great. Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. When she was adopted by the Williams family. From there, she had a far more grounded life with people who looked out for her interest as much as they did their own children. What stupid things did you do when you were younger? Early in Tasha's life she tried to leave several of the homes she was in for varrying reasons. Like her experiments with makeup, these too ended disastrously. It did teach her that running from problems is never a way to solve things. Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it? Tasha has been through a new school each year. Her education is spotty and she has missed several important topics. She does enjoy it, especially the interaction with other people. Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not? None. Moving as many times as she did, she quickly realized that holding on to things was a waste of time. It has made her realize that materialism has little relevance to her. When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision? Early on in her life she was able to solve a burglary. Quickly, she realized that her unique vision could be a boon to the authorities. She has since been working on and off with the police to solve various crimes. Additionally, she is working hard to try and increase her abilities so she can function more like a traditional hero. Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why? No. Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you? None. Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why? No. If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets? N/A. Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge? None. Family What are your biological parents' names? Unknown. Tasha was abandoned at birth. Her mother was a teenager who was scared and confused. She left Tasha with a hospital who quickly turned the child over to the state. Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you. Tasha was raised in the foster care system of the state. She has had several sets of parents most for no longer than a year. What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living? They came from all different backgrounds and walks of life. However, many of them enjoyed the money from the state so came from more mundane standings. Where are your parents now? Her biological mother’s whereabouts are unknown. Her adoptive parents live in Freedom City. Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot? Few of her foster parents moved, that being one of the requirements of the care system. For the last four years she has been at one residence with the Williams which has been an enjoyable treat. How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable). She has a wonderful relation with them and would do nearly anything to stay in their graces. How do your parents view you now, or how would they? They are genuinely proud of their adoptive daughter. Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them. Unknown. She has three other brothers and sisters with her adoptive family. Jason, 21: Jason was in college when they adopted Tasha, he gets along very well with her and is one of the first people she calls for advice. Samantha, 17: Samantha is mostly ambivalent of her new sister. She tends to the more popular crowds and does have some resentment that she is no longer daddies only little girl. However, she’s good at heart even with these issues so there have been few problems. Eric, 14: Eric is the family clown and is extremely close to Tasha. They have a kindred spirit and love to play pranks on people. What was your birth order in the family? Unknown. In her adoptive family, she would be the third child. Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do? Jason is in his last year of college, Samantha and Eric still live at home. Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged? There are few days that Tasha is not in contact with one or more of her new family. Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular? Tasha loves all of them dearly, however she does have a cool relation with her sister. Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)? Eric is perhaps the member of the family who she has been the closest too. They have a similar outlook on life and she finds his pranks and stunts hilarious. He’s happy to not be the sole attention as the baby of the family and has learned to love her foretelling ability in his pranks. Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain. If there was one, it would be Tasha just for her status as an adopted child. However, the Williams are very good to make sure that she is not alienated. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life. None that she knows of. However, she has a tenuous direct link to the ancient Oracle’s in Greece. It has affected her greatly as it is the cause of her blindness and her unique sight. Nearly everything in her life can be attributed to this link. Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them. None. If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind? Tasha would love nothing more than to have her own family. This is a very important goal in her life to give someone else the childhood she did not have. What type of person would be your ideal mate? For Tasha, a gentle kind spirit with humor and perseverance would be the most important traits in finding a husband/boyfriend. Relationships Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them. No, not yet. She has not been in any place long enough to make really close friendships. Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend? No. If you were to go missing, who would worry about you? Her adoptive family. Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do? No. Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you. No. If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future? N/A. What is the worst thing someone has done to you? Tasha has had any number of pranks pulled on her over the years. However, the worst would be finding out some of her foster parents were only caring for her to get the stipend from the state. Where do your loyalties lie? In what order? Family. Responsibilities. Self. Who or what do you trust the most? Why? She trusts just about anyone, even if they prove otherwise. However, she trusts her new family with near blind levels of trust. Who or what do you despise? Why? She doesn’t really despise anything. She’s far too upbeat for that. However, she has a hard time with people who don’t teat others well. What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess? Generosity and kindness. Yes. What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities? Jealousy and cruelty. Not really. Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why? No. Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower? Yes, Tasha, while not a full fledged hero, is very happy to work with others. She can exist in either leader or follower roles. Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them? No. Although she would like to be one day. Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that? No. Personality & Beliefs Who are your heroes? Helen Keller, for obvious reasons. Mother Teresa for having the courage, kindness and conviction to help those in need Florence Nightengale for leaving her comfortable station in life and tending to those less fortunate Amelia Earhart for her courage and exploration of the unknown Andrea Atom for her exploration and ability to continually scale boundaries Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances? No. Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it? While she is not quite a full fledged hero, it is something she truly desires to do. While much of the police work she does scares her, she also finds it very satisfying. Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides? When she has a family, she is convinced she will set down whatever mantle she has assumed. What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)? Wearing spandex and fighting crime on a regular basis. What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)? A mother and mentor to her children. What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear? Tasha has a huge fear of being alone. She does manage to cope, but at the moment she relies on other people to help her through life. She also fears not knowing where she is, although that is mitigated by people being around her. Is there anything you would give your life for? She would give her life for any of her family and while she doesn’t have many close friends, she would do so for them as well. How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end? Tasha does not really care much about material goods. She has never had much, and now that her new family is providing for her, realizes that she doesn’t need much. Many of the gadgets and items which kids her age desire have little importance to her. She enjoys relations and people and is happy to share what little she has with them. How do you generally treat others? Very well. She will go out of her way to help people in any way that she can. Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused? Despite some of the problems in her youth, Tasha always makes the assumption that people can be trusted and that they have the best interests of others in mind. While this often if proven false, she is ever an optimist. Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence? Tahsa is an extrovert and is brimming with confidence. She has had to overcome barriers all her life and this has led her to be a very well centered person. How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex? What Tasha considers attractive is likely different than mainstream society. A warm voice and kind soul are far more attractive to her than looks which she could not see. She generally does not change as she doesn’t feel like most people see her in the same light. She also has a hard time noticing when someone is actually checking her out, thus saving tons of potential embarrassment. What are your most annoying habits? Finishing others sentences or telling people when something won’t work before they try it. Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why? No. What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can? Tasha enjoys just about any food that has been well prepared. What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)? Lemonade. What is your favorite treat (dessert)? Frozen Custard with Rasberries. Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat? If Tasha sees another TV dinner she will likely scream. She is not a fan of fast food and doesn’t really care for prepared meals. What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike? Tasha has no favorite color. What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate? Tasha loves music, but since she has no real means beyond radio to play it is limited to whatever stations are playing. She tends to like classical music and folk. If you have a favorite scent, what is it? Lavender Do you have a favorite animal? None in particular, she has not had pets before and hasn’t been around enough of them to form an opinion. Many of them scare her. What is your most treasured possession? Why? Her staff. She made it herself and it was her first undertaking without people’s help. Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts? She is somewhere in the middle. While she does not need comforts, roughing it usually entails being somewhere she doesn’t know. She prefers to be in settings she is familiar with. Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do? Anything which would endanger or bring harm back to her family. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you? Tasha is a bit of an Agnostic. She is unsure where her visions come from but is willing to admit the existence of a higher power. She lives by more of an eastern philosophy. Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special? No, it was mostly self discovered through her abilities and what study she managed to get in. If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization? She does no. Could you kill? Have you killed? No and no. What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action? Beyond not being overly competent in fighting, she does not see violence as a good solution to problems. It’s sometimes a means to a temporary end, but killing is one of those irreversible actions that she will not tolerate. Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they? No. How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours? She would do everything she could to stop them. As to who they were killing it would make no difference. How would you react if something important was stolen from you? While she might miss the object, she would tend to forgive the thief, usually seeing much of their motivations for the theft. That does not mean they should not face justice for what they did, but she would not hold it against them. Things are transitory. How would you react to public humiliation? Very well. Tasha has been the butt end of many jokes in the past and it has left her with a very thick skin. How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you? She would be absolutely devastated and likely feel overwhelming guilt that she didn’t prevent it. What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why? Murder. There is no recovering or changing it. If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours? 1. Have a very good, home cooked meal. 2. Spent time at home playing a game. 3. Go to a concert of some sort. 4. Pull off an elaborate prank with her brother Eric. 5. Kiss someone, probably multiple someones. Career & Training Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it? Tasha has been training herself to use the staff. Using some blind fighting techniques along with whatever information her senses give her, she is getting to be fairly competent. Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person? Mostly it has been a self discovery process, however she is hoping to really learn at the Claremont academy. Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them? She has learned some of the basics of how police do their work to help them. Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to? As a minor, she has not. She hopes to be a teacher or an archeologist at some point. What is your preferred combat style? Defensive staff fighting. Have you ever received any awards or honours? No. What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could? Tasha would love to be better at many things. She wants to learn to play music. She wishes she was more graceful. She wants to learn more about computers and other day to day skills that she has missed out. Being blind, there are many things she can not do. However, she has gotten over the fact that it will not likely ever happen. How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn? She learns what she can, but accepts that there are many things she will not be able to do. Lifestyle & Hobbies What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine? Tasha’s life is dictated by structure and routine. She gets nervous and easily confused when she does not have time to plan things out or figure out where she is. Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up? She loves to read (Braille), listen to music, walk and origami. All have been self taught over the years and have supplanted for times when others were doing something she could not. What do you do for fun? Usually she will try to find people to interact with. If not, she is more than content to work with her hobbies. Do you have a costume? What does it look like? None yet. How do you normally dress when not in costume? Casual clothes. She tends to pastel colors since they tend to go together better when they are not planned in advance. What do you wear to bed most nights? A large cotton tee shirt. Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like? Tasha owns no jewelry. Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables? No. There is nothing she owns that she considers that important. What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance? Walking or the bus system. Miscellaneous Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make? No. If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body? No. What would you like to be remembered for after your death? That she was a kind person who helped others for no other reason than to do it. Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not? No, although she does realize that she has the potential to see things that could be very changing, like a tryst that occurring with a politician or a bribe being given to a cop. Some of these secrets could be dangerous to the public if they got out. What do you perceive as your greatest strength? Her perseverance. What do you perceive as your greatest weakness? Being blind. As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice... Don’t let anything stand in your way or let anyone tell you what you can and can not do. Take chances. Act!
Ozoe Posted August 16, 2010 Author Posted August 16, 2010 Sergeant Rick Serrano looked at his desk and sighed. His paperwork seemed to spill over the sides and threatened to overwhelm the small cube that he occupied. Why was it that it took him longer to handle the aftermath of a crime than to actually bust some of the thugs that seemed to grow like weeks through the cracks of the city streets. He pulled up the file: Tasha Williams. Oh yeah, the psychic, he ruefully thought to himself. It was true that she had been there to help them make the bust, but it was kind of galling to have some teeny bopper come in and tell them how to solve a case. Oh well, the commissioner wanted to get a psych eval on the girl to make sure that she wasn’t really some kind of deranged loony. Taking the file, a thick pad of lined paper and an aging cassette tape recorder he shambled through the department to the holding areas where they could conduct interviews. Part of him felt bad since that’s where they usually housed criminals, but it was also really the only place that was secluded enough to actually sit without having every scumbag gawking over the new meat. He walked in and looked at the young girl before him. She wasn’t a whole lot older than his daughter and if you changed her silver blonde hair for brown, they could almost be sisters. “Good afternoon Miss Williams. You don’t mind answering a few questions do you?†he said sitting down in the battered office chair on one side of the table. It creaked as he settled into it. “No sir,†she replied with her hands folded on her lap “I don’t mind at all.†“Just to clear this up, we are rolling together a statement along with a psych eval. Some of what you say is kind of hard to take in if you know what I mean.†She nodded in return, somehow still smiling even in the dimly lit and Spartan interrogation room. “Ok we’ll start really simple; your name is Tasha Williams, there’s no middle name listed… can I get one?†he said licking the tip of his sharpened #2 pencil. “I don’t really have one,†she said. “Well what’s it say on your birth certificate?†he replied wondering if even the simplest questions were going to cause trouble. “I don’t have one of those either. My mother left me at a hospital and I went directly into foster care.†“That’s fine, I’ll just put X on the form, that Ok with you?†“Yes sir.†“Ok Tasha X Williams, you were found at the scene of a rather disturbing crime. Mind telling us what you were doing there?†Tasha nodded again and without hesitation replied, “I was there to solve the crime.†“Really?†Sgt. Serrano said trying to pin her with his gaze. It took him a moment to realize he was in a staring contest with a blind girl and sighed before giving up. “Oh yes sir,†Tasha replied. “You see I have visions. They lead me to places and when I get there it’s kind of a challenge to figure out what exactly I am there for. This one was easy… well to see through the visions that is.†Rick paused his note taking to jot down, ‘delusional’. “Ok Miss Williams, suppose that I accept that answer. What do you think you are going to accomplish that the police can not? You gave an age of 16, that’s a little young to be busting a serial murderer.†“Well I can see things that your officers can’t,†she replied. “You do know that most of them have more years in forensics than you have been alive, right? You sure you don’t want to re-think that?†“No really. I mean I respect them a lot. It’s just that I can see things that have happened before and a lot of times I can see things that will happen. It’s just not always clear. It’s why I was at that place, I had seen it happening. I was just too late to stop it.†“Well what do your parents think of all this? You were on a murder scene at 2:00am in the morning. That can’t go down very well!†“No, they are really really understanding. They are going to send me to a school to help refine these gifts. At first I think it scared them a bit… just like it did a lot of the foster places I stayed at. Some people don’t like to know what is about to happen to them… at all.†“Look how do you expect me to believe…†“…that I have psychic abilities?†she said finishing his sentence. For a moment she paused placing her palms flat on the table in front of her and staring through sightless eyes at its surface. “Jack Barnes.†“What?†Sgt. Serrano replied partially in shock. “That was the last person you interrogated in here. He was in for assault and petty theft. I think you told him that since this was the third time you had seen him here he better tell you where the goods were or you could put him away for good.†Rick Serrano stared open mouthed at the girl in front of him. She was right and he couldn’t think of any way that she could know this. Regardless of that, he still didn’t quite believe. “Fine what is my favorite color?†“Aren’t you supposed to ask me what my favorite color is?†Tasha asked confused. “No, I still am not totally buying this psychic bit. Just answer the questions.†Tasha shrugged and reached out across the table holding her hands open, “can you hand me your pen?†“My pen?†“Yes please, it will make things a lot easier,†she said. He set the pen in her hand and instantly her visions coalesced into the past history of the object. Much of it wasn’t relevant, but she saw the Sergeant over and over going through interviews and other paperwork. “I can’t tell you your favorite color,†she started to say. “That’s about what I thought,†he interrupted. “Do you know how many people I get in here that claim what you are claiming.†“…I can’t because I’m blind. Colors don’t mean anything to me. However, I can tell you that you’ve had this pen for about three months. You took it off the Chief’s desk after a department meeting where you were assigned to do interviews and other administrative tasks. There was a lot of yelling and you kept the pen and stuck it in your right pocket.†“What…†“Oh and that was a mistake, because it leaked and ruined a pair of pants which your wife tried to bleach out.†When his composure returned he finally stubbornly continued, “Well I’m still skeptical… So where do you go from here? I mean you can’t really just show up at crime scenes unannounced and tell us what happened. It’s not much of a life for a teenager.“ “Well no, I’d like to be an archeologist, or just a mother. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t spend the time that it takes to help. Besides, I don’t really want to show up and tell you what happened, if I can even figure out what that is…†“No? I thought you said that’s what you wanted to do?†Her smile widened a bit, “no… I really want to be there before it happens and help the people that really need it.†“Wait, you want to prevent crimes? How exactly are you going to stop someone who already has it in their heart to kill. No offense, but you couldn’t even see to save yourself much less someone else.†Tasha nodded, she’d heard this argument before, “well thank you for being concerned, but really I’ll be fine. I mean I can’t see, but when something important is about to occur, I kind of can. So I just move out of the way of it, and if I have to… well this stick is pretty solid.†“Ok, if you are at the scene, why should we not suspect you when we are looking for suspects. This last one was killed with blunt force.†“Well you do have the forensics to prove that I didn’t do it. Right? I can’t imagine that you’d find too many other people trying to clean the victim’s blood off them in a wash basin in the basement of their grandmother’s house.†For a moment Rick wondered if the story had leaked, but as he looked over the notes, the officer on site had noted that the girl had indeed pointed officers to the location of the killer. She gave enough details and the location of the murder weapon to make the case very simple indeed. “So how do I know you weren’t working with him?†he asked jotting things down as he talked. “Seriously?†Rick looked up, “yes, seriously. While this is just a Psych eval, your position in this whole mess is not really clean.†“He had parts of every one of his last victims in his freezer.†“…and?†“They were all girls my age,†she said with conviction. “Not exactly the basis of a good working relationship.†Sgt Serrano coughed to cover up what might have been a laugh. Well that was what they called a least likely scenario. Still, in his lime of work it paid to be thorough. “Right, I suppose we’ve gotten a bit off track on what I was looking for anyway. So what’s to keep you from really making a mess of things.†The question was vague and very open ended. The kind of fishing questions that police liked to use. However, Tasha had already seen what he really was after. It was a valid question really since there were enough secrets in the city to sink a lot of otherwise decent politicians. “I stick to crimes. If that’s what you are looking for. I don’t have any real desire to find out which candidate has an affair in their past or whatever other skeletons are hiding there. Besides, it doesn’t work like that. I can’t get the lottery numbers, I can’t track stocks… anyone looking to do all but the most obscure research can usually get the same information I can.†“I always see things that have or will happen, but they are too jumbled to make sense most of the time. When something really traumatic is going to happen, I can focus on that and sometimes weed it out of the background. However, I don’t really think that someone’s mistress or small bribe is going to draw me out.†Sergeant Serrano didn’t believe her. She was certain of that. People when confronted with her abilities rarely did. “Ok Tasha, what would you do if you did stumble on some kind of secret that was dangerous to let out? That’s a real possibility with what you are playing with. I know you say you won’t go looking, but you don’t have clearance for just about anything.†Tasha paused, that was something that could indeed happen. Although her powers were never one hundred percent, it was really possible that she could find out something that she shouldn’t. She hadn’t really considered what would happen if she uncovered some kind of state secret. “You mean like the government is implanting chips into people and using them as mind controlled slaves?†she said seriously. Rick blinked at her a couple of times, “no I mean more like the identity of a CIA operative, or the home address of the mayor’s family or something like that.†Oh she said a little embarrassed, “well I can’t really say other than I’m good at keeping secrets. I guess I’d have that problem whether or not I would be working on solving cases or not. This way you get to question me every few weeks, right?†“I can’t wait… really. So you see yourself as a hero? Is that what I am getting out of all this?†“No, not really.†“Well I suppose that’s some relief,†he replied. “I think that means you won’t go looking for trouble like some of these guys do.†“Oh that’s not true either. I just think that I was given gifts and to not use them would be wrong.†“How is that so,†Rick replied. “Would you tell someone who was carrying something heavy that they were about to run into a ladder, or trip on a wire?†Tasha asked. “Of course, that’s just polite.†“Do you think you would be a hero for doing it?†“No, it didn’t take anything special for me to do it.†“There you go, you answered it for me,†Tasha said. “Answered what for you?†“Why I don’t see myself as a hero. It’s not something special I am doing. I’m just helping people to not run into walls or doors.†“Anyway, let’s move on. Where do you live?†“Well at the moment I am living at the Claremont Academy but I am really happy to be with my parents when I am not there. The Williams are a truly special family and I can’t think of how lucky I was to finally find them.†Rick paused then said, “I really just wanted your current address†“Oh sorry…†she said before giving him her address and telephone number. “Right, ok so I have to ask you the boilerplate questions. Some psych guy stuck in a basement wants them. What’s your favorite animal?†“My favorite animal? Is that really appropriate since we are talking about someone who was beat to death with a hammer,†she said taken aback by the abrupt topic shift. “Yeah, well like I said, some of this was questioning you about the murder, the rest was a psych profile that I was asked to get. I’m not going to pretend what the head doctors want to see.†“Ok… well let’s see. I think the piranha.†Rick looked up, “really?†Tasha smiled, “No. I was just kidding although I think it would give the psychologist fits.†Sergeant Serrano fought hard not to smile, “I don’t recommend that. You are a suspect, even if we pretty much have ruled you out.†“Ok well let’s see… I think my favorite animal is the Gazelle.†“Gazelle?†“Yes. They are graceful and can run free wherever they want to go,†Tasha said wistfully. “Until a lion eats them,†Rick replied thinking of the Discovery channel special he saw the prior evening. “Well I suppose so.†“Fine enough. Favorite color?†“Um… Mr. Seranno?†“Yes?†“I’m blind. Colors aren’t terribly important to me, I think we covered that when we talked about the pen and your favorite color. I mean if I have to pick one for the form, say something like pink because everyone tells me that’s something girls like.†“Ok I think I can put not applicable on the form. How about a favorite food?†“This is going to tell you if I killed someone?†“I don’t come up with it. Just answer the questions,†Rick said even if he secretly agreed with her. “Ok. Well I really love lasagna… especially if it’s home made. It’s a total comfort food and it’s warm and filling.†“If stranded on a desert island with only three things what would they be?†Tasha shuddered involuntarily and frowned. “Is there a problem?†“Well it’s just that I don’t think I’d like that very much,†Tasha replied. Rick shrugged, “I don’t think it’s a matter of liking or not. I need three objects that you would go to the island with. Why is this some kind of phobia?†Tasha sighed, “yes. I really have an issue with being alone and not knowing where I am. I mean if there are people around I can always ask someone to get my bearings. I mean you can just look at the sun, or a sign, and know where you are. I can’t. I need people like you need light Sergeant Serrano.†“Ok I guess I can understand that, how about your three items though, I still have to fill out the form,†Rick replied looking at the blank space on the pre printed page in front of him. “Well, how about a solar powered radio so I could at least hear people… then I think my staff… and I’d probably think one of those Swiss army tools with all of the attachments†“Respond to the following scenario. You are in a race, however the course begins to climb upwards so steep that you fall down despite your best efforts. Assessing it, you don’t think you’ll ever be able to get up the course. What do you do?†“I don’t think I bother with it.†“Right, no desire to compete. I can figure out that one.†“No, I wouldn’t run the race… I can’t see. It’d be kind of pointless.†“I hate these things,†he finished with a scowl. “How about if you could see.†“I’ll still stop. I can accept my fate and move on to something else.†“That’s better. Ok next one, what do you see when I hold up this image… oh wait, never mind… not this one… or this one… can toss this one… ah, would you rather work as a team or go it alone?†“Oh I’ll choose the team option every time. I love being around people. I think I mentioned being terrified of not having them around… didn’t I? Besides, everyone has weaknesses and if you have people who can work with you and help you then you can cover them.†“Is that it?†“Well it’s easier to find someone to play monopoly with too.†“Monopoly. Sure why not. Ok last question Miss Williams. “You are here and answering these questions because you were found at the scene of a crime. A crime you had intimate knowledge of. Why should we not consider you as a prime suspect.†“Because you believe me. Because I guess you have checked other cities I’ve lived in and realized I had to do the same thing there. Because you know that I couldn’t do the things that happened.†She paused. “That’s all?†“No. Most of all, because I might make it in time to save someone you care about.†He looked up and her film covered eyes were looking right at him. He knew she was blind, but in that moment he felt as if she was sifting through his brain and laying his soul bare. She was right, he did believe her. People just couldn’t pull of an act this good or convincing. They slipped up, all the time. “Ok Miss Williams, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. You are free to go. I’ll have someone come down here and escort you out.†“You’re welcome Sergeant Serrano.â€.
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