AU: Play It Again, Sam (Noam)

[Aiden Harris]

It was always raining in this damned city. Whether it was the steady downpour that constantly hammered the streets, or the fine mist that made it feel as if the clouds had cried so long they had nothing left. Everyday, it seemed like the heavens themselves were trying to wash this forsaken town from the face of the earth. Even the metas who controlled the weather seemed to be unable to stop the eternal storm. Or perhaps, they were the reason the sun never shined.

Aiden Harris took a long drag on his rolled cigarette as he gazed out the office window. A thousand thoughts fell through his mind like the ever present raindrops. Each scattered and impossible to hold. They silently dripped, only to end as they splashed against the edges of his psyche. Cold, alone, and easily forgotten. Just like the rain and the people it washed over.

The private eye took a sip from his glass of scotch, now watered down by the melted remains of the ice. This city never changed. The dregs of humanity, both meta and human, made their sordid lives here. Even with a police force full of metas, crime was rampant. And those who tried to clean it up eventually became just as dirty as the trash they locked away. It was part of why he'd left the force two years earlier. Now, here he stood. Looking out the window in his office and slowly trying to drink the rain away.

The sound of a bell jolted him out of his stupor. He took another drag off his dwindling cigarette before he spoke. "It's late. We're closed." he yelled over his shoulder, not bothering to look at who'd entered the office. At this time of night, only one type of person came to see him. And that type always brought trouble with them. "Go home, and stay out of the rain."

[Noam Goldstein]

Noam adjusted his fedora slightly as he walked into the office of his ex-colleague. He had greater plans for tonight... not just solving the murder, but for something else. Something that he'd been planning for a while, something especially meant for the cop turned Private Eye Aiden Harris. Noam had always been jealous of the man's abilities... revenge was necessary. He was sure that the man wouldn't suspect a thing - all he had to do was act like nothing was going to come out of it. Act normally. That sort of thing was easy for Noam, for he was a stellar actor.

"I know that," Noam announced, removing his fedora, revealing both messy and curly hair. "But it's an emergency, Harris. Noam Goldstein, Pilot Ridge Police Department, though I doubt you needed the introduction." A smirk appeared on his face briefly. "Long time, no see."

He wondered if the Private Eye would suspect what he was up to. "You'd better follow me. It's serious this time. A murder most foul." He looked completely serious about this, a grave expression appearing on his face. "Two shots killed the poor devil. It's fresh meat. We haven't a clue about who done it. That's why we're calling on you." Everyone knew that Aiden had been the best - and Noam wished he could have had that title. He was jealous of it. Extremely jealous, to be precise. For someone who always wanted to win, it was hard to have someone better than you solve all of your cases for you.