"Next."
Most people would not be able to look at the images scrolling across Icarus Sidewinder's computer screen at the moment. Truth be told, they were not images intended for the weak of heart.
...but it was part of the living. One that Icarus didn't necessecarily enjoy.
{{Manson, Charles. (see also: Manson family) At large during the late 1960s, Manson and his cult followers - called 'the Family' - were responsible for the murder of Sharon Tate and several other individuals. The members of the Family included several flower children, including...}}
"Next."
Icarus rubbed his eyes. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.
{{Dahmer, Jeffery. Beginning in 1978, Dahmer embarked on a killing spree that spanned two decades and included the murders of 16 individual men. He admitted to mutilation, dismemberment, and cannibalization of his victims. Dahmer was killed in 1994 by a fellow prison inmate after a drive-by 'shivving'.}}
"Jym..." Icarus sighed. "This is neither the time nor the place..."
{{Sorry,}} Jym's tinny voice rang out. {{Apparently Earth humor is too sophisticated for the likes of this simplistic artificial intelligence...}}
Icarus shook his head in disgust. "Next."
{{Lecter, Hannibal. Doctor. Aliases include "Hannibal the Cannibal". Like Dahmer, Lecter was also known for the cannibalization of his victims. In 1991, he aided FBI investigator Clarice Starling in her investigation of the 'Buffalo Bill' murders. Lecter escaped shortly after--}}
"Jym, that was a movie!" Icarus shouted, interrupting the mechanized rant. "That didn't really happen! Hannibal Lecter isn't a real serial killer!"
{{Says you.}}
"Says everybody!" Icarus said, finally exasperated. "Just ask them! In fact, I don't even know why we're having this conversation!"
{{Because Dr. Paragon told you to research serial killers for some sort of correlation between...}}
"I know what William told me to do!" Icarus barked, fury rising into his eyes. "But he didn't tell me I couldn't take you out of the equation!"
Icarus rose to his feet with a flash, snatching up the disck linkup to Jym and prepared to hurl it against the wall with uncanny accuracy.
{{Uh... you may not want to do that, Mr. Sidewinder,}} Jym said.
"Oh, yes. I do."
A noise emanated from the disc that sounded a lot like a sigh. {{Very well,}} the AI said. {{Then I shall not need to tell you about the all points emergency bulletin that Adem sent out exactly 38.6 seconds ago...}}
Icarus' throw was stopped short. Bringing the disc before his face, he squinted at the faceless hunk of technology. "What?"
{{The team is under attack on the first floor of the apartment building where Emma Sigfried was found murdered,}} Jym answered to a now befuddled Icarus. {{It's amazing what you can learn when you actually turn on your official Vanguard Europe person-to-person wrist communicator.}}
Looking down at his wrist, Icarus flipped the switch on his 'watch' that activated the group commlink. Sure enough, Adem's voice rang through as clear as day.
"...repeat, we have a situation at the Berlin location. All points, please converge on these coordinates..."
"HOT DAMN!" Icarus yelled, absent-mindedly shoving Jym into his pants pocket. The AI said something rather uncomplimentary, but Icarus wasn't paying attention to the muffled voice speaking to him from his pants.
Quickly, he rushed to the corner of the room and grabbed his duffel bag and jet case, flinging the bag over his shoulder as he ran out of the library. Raising his wrist comm to his lips, he said in a vibrant voice: "This is Sidewinder. I'm en route."
And, with an added bit of his trademark cocky flair, he quipped. "Gimme five minutes..."
