S.I.C.K.L.E. : Sergay Azimov

Posted on Wed Mar 2nd, 2022 @ 6:14am by Watch Leader Frederick Hollywood

Mission: The Factions
Location: Murmansk, Russia
Timeline: Present

Miko was running down the hallway. She had that manic smile she wore whenever she was up to something. Lately though she seemed to be focusing that mania into something. Although even with his Zanjin Eye he could see no ill intent from his little sorceress he took no chances and prepared himself for an attack. When she got close she leapt into the air like a big cat trying to pounce. Instead of trying to attack her leader Miko just grabbed on like a little kid yelling at him excitedly. “Daddy you won't believe what I have found!”

His face would have turned red from embarrassment if that hadn’t been drilled out of him years before. “I really do wish you wouldn’t call me that.” Her breath smelled strange of vodka and stale cigarettes.

Miko wrapped her arms further around her mentor and pushed her face as close to his. “We are alone right? Besides, what would I call you?”

Lorde’s eyes narrowed. “I am never alone in that way Miko. Why don’t you call me Lorde like everyone else?”

Miko scrunched up her face then shook her head. “No, no, like you said everyone calls you that and it needs to be more personal. How about Otousama?” Her eyes brightened a little.

“You know I hear that in English right. I mean it just sounds so formal.” Suddenly Frederick felt a little uncomfortable. He knew she had originally come into his office with information. Now she was just trying to drag things out. The thing that bothered him was he was letting her.

Miko laughed seeing her “Daddy” get so flustered. She put her face right by his ear and whispered. “How about Oyaji and I know you hear it in English but not many other people will.”

Lorde put his little psychopath down. “That will be fine for now. What did you find for me?” He walked quickly to his desk and sat down. Needing some kind of barrier between them.

Miko just trailed behind him. She could help but think of how well that had gone. Oh she was still going to call him whatever she wanted but now she had his permission to at least say it in Japanese. “Oh I found one of your old childhood friends. He lives in Russia and is dying to meet you.” When Lorde suddenly looked at her and she could feel a violent intent she added, “Oh no no he is fine. I assure you your friend is living the good life.”

-----

It was the summer in Murmansk. The city looked quite festive. Lots of cars on the streets and people looking for a good place to watch the fireworks explode overhead in a flurry of colors. Being a special anniversary for the city and port, It was very unlikely someone would notice two time travelers in a place and time like this.

Lorde and Miko were dressed in somewhat high end business attire. The bar Miko led them to was filled with the smells of cheap vodka and stale smokes like her breath did just yesterday. The walls had quite a few posters of famous movies from the 80’s and 90’s. “Take My Breath Away” was playing on an old style jukebox. She walked him all the way to the back and to a little salt and pepper curly haired man who had the look on his face of someone who had seen too much evil in the world.

Lorde knew almost instantly who the man was just from where Miko had taken them and there was no mistaking that hair, even cut military style like it was. He was by no means going to be the first to say he knew the man. “Hello my name is Frederick Hollywood.” He smiled widely as he sat in the big black leather booth across from his old chess partner.

The old detective looked over this possible suspect with quite a bit of scrutiny. He couldn’t help but think back to the years of trying to track this guy. He had been like a ghost. Only showing up every now and then and hardly ever on the same radar. “Sergay Azimov I was with the Moscow CID for many years and now the G.U. So do you have any idea why I asked your lieutenant to bring you here?”

Lorde looked at Miko then back at his old high school friend, She didn’t say he asked her. “No idea, but no one has busted through the door yet to either kill me or take me in, I am guessing you aren’t trying to arrest me.”

If it had been a few years ago this “Lorde” would have been wrong. The thing was he might be the only person on Earth who could stop an age old tragedy from starting again. He slid a large manila envelope across the table. “They have almost completed a new super prison code named S.I.C.K.L.E. Built with added funding from many sources including the UN.” Lorde looked through the photos and documents the man had collected as he spoke. “This facility is designed to house mutants and other super powered criminals. The thing is I have already heard that my government will use sweeping reforms to ensure even people living completely ordinary lives will end up there if they are special. Worse yet, I found information leading me to believe that they will use this place to eliminate other unwanteds.”

So Miko wasn’t just messing with him for once. At least not entirely. He had been waiting for news of someone, especially a country with lower standards about human rights to jump on this sort of bandwagon. It also came as no shock that Russia was also taking the money to clean house. Also he had to admit to himself that while they had been talking to Sergay, Miko had been acting very professionally. “I am guessing you want me to do something about this?” So his old friend at least knew who he was as a criminal.

Miko ordered them another round of drinks, a ginger ale for Sergay, because he hardly ever touched alcohol unless it was the Sabbath. A white Russian for Lorde because it was his favorite. Saki for herself just to see if they had any and if it would be any good. They had sake but it really wasn’t something to remember. In hindsight she thought a Shirley Temple might have gotten a rise out of Lorde.

Sergay looked down. He had heard things about this guy and wasn’t about to be killed over an unknown past. “In the spirit of honesty I feel I should let you know I hunted you for years.” After taking a sip of ginger ale and clearing his throat he looked up. As he spoke he couldn’t help but remember reading how they did find some of the people who pissed this guy off. “You killed one of my classmates in America. It was the 90’s. Not knowing why I made it a hobby for many years to try and find you, but then my wife made me stop.”

Lorde had a funny feeling about what Sergay was about to say. This universe had a way of messing with him and it might be a punchline to something Miko had in mind. He looked over at her, but got nothing. In fact she seemed quite content with herself.

“You see she was my highschool sweetheart and one day she walked into my office at home and saw my casework. She told me that the man you killed had done things to her. That he had always treated people like dirt, especially girls. I still kept tabs, but how could I bring to justice the man who had avenged my wife.” Sergay looked down half expecting to be killed or worse.

“Well I had information that he might do worse. I knew someone like your wife once and she didn’t deserve what happened to her.” He patted his old friend on the shoulder. Don’t you worry Officer Sergay, I will deal with your bigger problem I assure you.” Lorde reached into his coat pocket and handed the intel officer a card. “Sometime you should stop by my place and we can play chess and you can bring your wife. I would love to catch up. Now why don’t you order us some food all the folks from out of town want to eat so we fit in a little better.”

They ate and drank and drank a bit more. As Lorde and Miko walked out of the bar he pulled her to an alley and pushed her against the wall. “I want you to know first off that you did a good job, but don’t ever try and find anyone from my past again. Now this little man is a target. Anyone that can find me can get to someone like him even easier. If he dies I will box you.”

As he walked off he knew what he was really thinking was so far from what he said. He would have loved to take that little psycho home and sleep with her. Seeing his old friend look at him like a monster just really bugged him that much. Of course Miko never really understood that Frederick’s heart had been taken and carved out by another crazy girl. His wife.