- AK -

A chime was heard, and Frank Cooper dried his hands on the towel around his neck, and walked to the door, opening it. Before him stood a tall man in a silver-grey uniform, almost military in style and look.

“Are you Frank Cooper, sir?” the stranger asked with a monotonic Britannian accent.

Frank’s two kids suddenly burst out laughing from the living room about something between them, and Frank shout back, a bit worried about the stranger:

“Kids, please keep quiet and go to your rooms!”

“Yes Dad!” the kids giggled, and ran up the stairs, still laughing with one another.

“Sorry about...” Frank began to apologize to the stranger.

“Are you Frank Cooper, sir?” the man cut and asked in the exact same way.

“Yes, yes I am,” Frank replied, slightly taken aback.

“Here is my usual I.D, Mr. Cooper. I am Daniel Fitzgerald from the Columbus Police,” the man said, handing out his I.D. badge.

Frank took it and looked at the badge, and seeing all was in order, gave it back to Daniel.

“How can I help you, officer?”

“May I enter, Mr. Cooper?” Daniel asked.

“Umm, sure, yeah, come in. Sorry for the mess, I was just doing some chores,” Frank apologized, opening his door wider and moving aside to let Daniel enter.

“I am investigating about the public disturbance resulted from a shot fired by an unknown at the plaza, three days ago, the 23th of August, at 9h38 a.m. What can you tell me about it, Mr. Cooper?”

“Oh, well...” Frank was startled at this question. “Not much, I’m afraid. I was attacked by a couple of guys after my protestation, and I heard a shot from somewhere in the crowd, and then the guys paused. I didn’t see who shot, as I was… well, sorta curled up...” Frank trailed the last words and avoiding Daniel’s unflinching stare, as if ashamed by that weakness.

“I see. The people that took the people away, and helped you up, do you know who they are, Mr. Cooper?”

“No, I’m afraid not. I was already rather surprised they helped me at all...”

“Their names, Mr. Cooper?”

Frank thought hard.

“Umm… Bob, and… Ma… Ma-something.”

“It was Tom and Madzistrale, Mr. Cooper,” Daniel said matter-of-factly.

“Right, yes, these two!” Frank exclaimed, pointing his fingers. “I remember now; that gal had a really weird name!”

“She was the one that fired in the plaza, Mr. Cooper” Daniel said as equally matter of-fact.

Frank’s eyes widened, and he started panicking.

“I assure you, officer, she absolutely hurt no one. She probably fired a blank, because no one was hurt. She just made some noise to scare my assailants away, that’s all. She was really sweet and kind...”

Daniel listened to him calmly, but soon began to be distracted by the various items laying several places on the kitchen’s counter and floor. He picked up a small orange plastic duck, and became puzzled by the squeaky sounds it did as he was handling it.

“Officer?” Frank interrupted, puzzled.

“My apologies, Mr. Cooper. What does it do?” Daniel asked, handing the duck.

“Umm… it’s a toy for my kids’ bath time. I put it in the sink to encourage them to do the dishes...” Frank answered, still puzzled.

“I see...” Daniel’s keen eyes brought his attention to a small vial. “Is this the pharmaceutical drug that you mentioned, Mr. Cooper?”

“Yes.. yes, that’s what the lady gave me for my bruises. It definitively helped. Officer, what is going on?” Frank asked, concerned.

“I am not familiar with its chemical compounds,” Daniel observed, looking intensely at a drop of the vial’s content.

“Officer? Does this have to do with my protestation? If yes, the lady and the young man have nothing to do with it. They just helped me with my injuries.”

“May I bring this drop of the vial’s content with me back at my lab, Mr. Cooper?” Daniel requested.

“Umm... Sure, yeah,” Frank accepted, considerably more confused than before.

“Thank you, Mr. Cooper. To resume your words, you have never met Madzistrale and Tom before your encounter during your protestation, and you didn’t meet them afterwards?”

“That’s right. As for her gun...”

“And you have absolutely no idea who they are from what you gathered during your talk?” Daniel continued.

“No...”

“Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Cooper. Have a wonderful day.”

Upon these words, Daniel walked straight to the door and left the house, carefully holding on his upright finger a drop of the medicinal vial. Frank looked after him in confusion, then shook his head.

“That was weird,” he finally said, breathing deeply in relief that nothing more came out of the encounter with the strange officer. Hearing his kids play, he smiled faintly and resumed his chores, hoping to put behind the whole strangeness of the situation.