Voice; A Murder Most Multitudinous

[notsheepish]

[Sensational but so far unverified rumors have been circulating since dawn about the body of an imPort being found in Heropa early this morning, but it's from somewhere much further north that this particular transmission arrives. A transmission that remains mostly silent for several seconds after the audio kicks in, with only the sound of Maurtia Falls' afternoon traffic and the low murmur of distant conversation to be heard, in addition to a brief burst from a nearby police siren at one point.

Then a drained-sounding, slightly shaky voice finally speaks up and, gee... she almost sounds like she's seen a ghost or something.]

...Sarah, Cosima, it's Ruby. If you or any of your sisters hear this, can you please answer me as soon as possible? Something happened and I... I didn't know how else to reach you all. I don't even have all your numbers but I need to talk to you. Or. At least hear you check in, say hi, whatever.

[She takes a long, shuddering breath.]

I found-- Oh, God... Please just respond quickly. It's important.

Comments

[doubleblind]

I'm coming.

[notsheepish]

Look, Cosima, it isn't pretty. If the police even let you close enough to look, you're not going to like what you see. And besides...

[She looks away, unsure if she should even say it. If she's just giving false hope or something.]

Honestly, I'm not convinced this is one of your sisters.

[doubleblind]

If there's even a chance that it is... Or one of my copies gone rogue. I need to see it, Ruby.

[notsheepish]

...fine. But please listen to me.

There is something wrong with the body. Not- Not physically. [Well, okay, that's not completely true, but it's not the point she's getting at and she hesitates a moment.] But it smells wrong.

I know that sounds really strange, but smell is one of my powers, so I tried to pick up the trail of whoever did this and something was off about her scent. It's not how a person is supposed to smell.

[doubleblind]

... What do you mean? Does it smell organic?

[notsheepish]

I mean, yes, it smells like a body... mostly.

[She's not as certain about this part, but something about the smell of death on it even seems a little off somehow.]

But it doesn't smell like a person who's done anything other than sit in a hypoallergenic room for weeks. No food smells, no soap smells, no smoke or sweat or anything like that, as far as I can tell.

[It's obscured by the smells of... well, garbage where she was found, but Ruby's pretty sure about this.]

[doubleblind]

[Cosima moves in out of the video frame, packing up a bag with a notebook, her laptop, and a few file folders.]

I need you to smell one of my copies at some point. I keep track of them, I really, really, don't think one is missing, but... It'd be good info to have.

Have you heard from Sarissa? Alison and Sarah checked in.

[notsheepish]

Um. [Okay, that's a request she's never gotten before.] Sure.

But no, I've only heard from you three so far.

[doubleblind]

Shit. Let me know if you do.

Text me the address, okay? I'm on my way.

[notsheepish]

Of course.

[She'll text directions to where she is waiting right over here.]