THE BITER BIT by CLAUDETTE RATED FRPT

This story was written as a response to the Tracy Island Writers Forum's 2005 Opening Scene Challenge. Credit goes to fellow TIC author Molly Webb, who wrote the text shown at the beginning of the story in italics.

Jeff Tracy had been at work in his office at the Tracy Corp. headquarters since 7:00 a.m. His briefcase lay open on one corner of his desk, balancing the stacked piles of papers and reports that nearly covered the gleaming expanse of black glass. He was lost in concentration on a particularly troublesome spreadsheet when his cell phone rang. Absently he picked it up and answered, his eyes still on the paper before him. "Jeff Tracy."

There was a pause, and then a voice replied. "The Jeff Tracy?"

Jeff frowned, full attention suddenly focused on the phone at his
ear. "Who is this? How did you get this number?"

Again there was a pause before the voice answered. "I found it in
your son's wallet."

"My son's wallet?"

Jeff glanced at his watch and was startled and alarmed to see how long he had been working. His heartbeat picked up as he realised that his planned interruption had never come.

"Who are you and why do you have my son's wallet?" questioned Jeff, his voice suddenly grim and hard.

"Your son is Virgil Tracy? Mid to late-twenties, six-one, brown hair, dressed in jeans, sneakers and a leather jacket?"

Jeff's body went cold at the description of the son he had last seen only a few hours before, the son who was already more than three hours late.

"Since you've obviously seen him I ask again, who are you and why do you have my son's wallet?"

The voice on the other end of the line hesitated for a moment and then came back, softened by regret and sorrow.

"I'm sorry Mister Tracy. I'm Detective Richard Johnson of the San Diego Police Department. There's been an..." the man hesitated and in the pause a wave of dread flooded over Jeff's body, "...an incident this evening. Would you be able to meet me at..."

"What kind of an incident?" Jeff forced out, his mind whirling.

"If I could just ask you to come down to..."

"I said what kind of incident?"

Jeff's voice was hard and unyielding as he locked his emotions behind a wall of control. Already he had closed his laptop, thrown a couple of the reports into his briefcase and was reaching for the jacket that hung on the back of his chair. There was a sigh from the other end of the line and a mental image slipped into Jeff's mind of a tired, careworn man raking his fingers through his hair.

"The body of a young man of that description was found in the city this evening. He had your son's wallet in his pocket."

There was silence for a moment as Detective Johnson waited for any response. From the frozen throat of Jeff Tracy there came none.

"We need you to come down to the police morgue to identify the body."

Again he waited. Again there was silence.

"I'm sorry Mr Tracy."

His only reply was the sound of the line closing.

That journey was one of the longest of Jeff Tracy's life. He had slung on his jacket, grabbed his briefcase and reached the door before his mind had kicked back into action. As he stood in the elevator on his way down to the ground floor his mind was flooded with images of his son standing at the door of his office, his hand resting on the handle.

"I might have known you wouldn't be able to tear yourself away Dad." The smile that graced Virgil's face was amused and accepting. "When you've got a pile of papers in front of you you won't put them down till you've read every last word."

Jeff looked at his son, amusement mirrored in his face.

"That kind of reminds me of someone son."

Virgil raised an eyebrow in question.

"Someone who spent the whole of one birthday taking to pieces the mechanical toy given him by his brother and then putting it back together again so he completely understood how it worked."

Virgil laughed, his face relaxed and happy.

"So are you saying you're just like an eight year old kid dad? 'Cause if so I think Gordon ..."

Jeff growled in mock threat, sending an intimidating glare at his son.

"Don't even think about it Virgil. There's plenty of chores that Grandma needs done in the next little while and if you're not careful..."

Virgil held up his hands in surrender

"Ok, ok I was just saying." He quieted for a moment, his eyes becoming serious "Are you sure you don't want to come Dad? The break will do you good."

"No son" Jeff turned back to the papers littering his desk "You go ahead. I'll have something sent up and carry on with these. By the time you get back this evening I'll be done and we can head home. I don't want to have to stay another day if I can help it"

Virgil nodded, lifted a hand in farewell and walked through the door.

'Was that the last time I'll ever see him?' The question burned itself on Jeff's mind. 'Why did I let him go alone? Why didn't I go with him? Was that project so important that I couldn't spare a few hours for my son?'

The elevator reached the ground floor and Jeff strode through the foyer, ignoring the respectful greetings of the receptionist and doorman, his mind intent on reaching Police Headquarters in as little time as possible. As he hurried down the steps of the imposing Tracy Corporation, his two tall, handsome sons were beside him, their faces bright and their voices strong and vibrant.

"Come on Virg, you can't possibly want to spend the whole day in a recital? The morning or the afternoon yes but not both. Look at the sky, see how clear it is. This is a day to be flying."

Virgil laughed, the sound was clear and free.

"Yeah but I'm not you Scott. Flying's great to get from A to B in a hurry but it's a means to an end. Music just lifts your soul and transports you to another world. There's nothing like it for freeing your mind. Give it a chance will you?"

"I have given it a chance brother. I listen to you often enough. But my pass only lasts for another twenty four hours and I want to make the most of it. That new version of the MX20 is only on display for another week and then it's being shipped off to Europe. I can get us up to Chicago in a few hours and we can look around it and be back in time for that show you wanted to see."

Scott turned to Jeff.

"What do you say Dad? Are you on?"

As Jeff accelerated away from the Tracy Corporation his mask of control almost slipped as he remembered the reply he'd given and the looks of disappointment that had crossed his son's faces before being replaced with resigned acceptance.

"I'm sorry boys. I'll drop you at the airport or at the recital hall as you wish, but I've got to get to this meeting, you know that. I'll be finished by the time you're back and we'll catch that show as we've agreed. Alright?"

Jeff's demeanor hardened, his mouth tightening to a flat line as his hands gripped the wheel. He'd have to call Scott and let him know as soon as he had identified the body and then start getting arrangements made...

"Dammit! Stop it Tracy!" His hand came down hard on the wheel, the sharpness of the blow sending a tingling up his arm as his hand caught the wheel at an awkward angle. "He's not dead! He can't be dead! This is a mistake, a simple, awful mistake. Virgil's got too much to give, too much talent to use to die in the middle of some God-forsaken city. He can't die. Not here. Not now."

Jeff stared out through the windscreen as the car sped through the streets of San Diego. It was full dark now, or as dark as it was going to get in this city and it had begun to rain. The heavy drops splattered on the windscreen, blurring the lights of the oncoming traffic and the reflections from the street lights and shop windows. With the car windows closed the sounds from the street were eliminated, leaving the vibrations from the rain on the body of the car as the only sounds.

Mesmerised as he wove through the traffic Jeff Tracy was back behind his desk, watching the drops from the latest squall splatter on the panoramic windows as the soft sounds of the piano drifted across his mind. Scott was leaning forwards, his arm extended as he lifted a bishop and held it suspended while he double checked his move, his opponent watching with curious eyes. The music changed from the light, evening relaxation tune that had been playing before into Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyrie'. Surprised Jeff turned his head and glanced at his musical son, who was also watching the chess game going on across the room, an impish grin on his face. Catching the movement of his father's head, Virgil glanced across at his parent then nodded towards the players, flashing his father a wink of conspiracy. Turning back Jeff was in time to see Scott replace the bishop on the board, sit back and fold his arms, a grin of triumph on his face. His opponent gazed, open-mouthed at the board and then stared in amazement at Scott, clearly at a loss to explain his unexpected defeat. A wide smile covered Jeff's face and he hastily looked back down at his papers as the strains of 'Lo the Conquering Hero Comes' came from his left.

Jeff Tracy's car came to a sudden halt in front of the Police Mortuary – a low built, dark building, a few doors down the street from the main Police Headquarters. He was out of the car and up the front steps before he had time to think, his need to bring this nightmare to a close overwhelming. As he burst through the doors and barreled up to the front desk a man standing there turned to meet him. Shorter than Jeff by an inch or so the man had a stockier build and a lined, lived in face that seemed too old for someone that Jeff reckoned must be at least ten years younger than him. He had a head of dark hair showing the tell-tale signs of age around the temples and his eyes were sad and sympathetic as he held out a hand in greeting.

"Mister Tracy? Detective Johnson. We spoke earlier."

Jeff returned the handshake, absently noting the firm, sure grip of the man in front of him.

"What happened? Where is he?"

Detective Johnson gestured to Jeff to precede him through a set of doors into a long corridor.

"Before you look at the body there are some personal items we retrieved from his clothing which I'd like you to look at."

Jeff stopped and looked at him.

"Why? I thought you wanted me to identify a body? What good will looking at his belongings do?" asked Jeff in bewilderment.

The detective hesitated then took a step back towards Jeff.

"Mr Tracy, the body isn't, uh . . .well it isn't pretty." He stopped, his tired eyes watching Jeff, as if willing him to understand. "We don't know that this is your son. Maybe someone stole his wallet. These other items might tell us this isn't Virgil then there'd be no need . . ." his voice drifted away into silence as he saw the growing shock on Jeff's face.

Jeff was having difficulty believing what he was hearing and he tried a couple of times to get the words out before he succeeded in a voice rough with emotion.

"What happened to him?"

Detective Johnson stepped closer to the older man, taking him gently by the elbow and guiding him to one of the doors nearby.

"Let's just look at the things first shall we?"

The room inside was bare and utilitarian, containing only a table, a few chairs and a water stand. On the table was a pile of clothes, topped by a leather jacket and a small collection of miscellaneous items. Numbly Jeff stepped forward, looking at the pile as if he expected it to explode. He stood in front of the table for a few seconds before he could move his hands towards the objects, Detective Johnson standing silently nearby, close enough to watch but far enough away to give Jeff some space.

The top item was the wallet. A folding wallet of dark brown leather, worn and crumpled around the corners as Jeff remembered from the many times he had seen it in his son's hands. With trembling fingers Jeff undid the clasp and opened it, his eyes falling on the familiar cards, financial and other, that his son kept there. Swallowing down the lump that had materialized in his throat Jeff skimmed through the items, noting Virgil's personal card for the Tracy Corporation as well as the cards of familiar artistic and music sources that his son used. His fingers slipped into the last pocket and found a bundle of banknotes, still as crisp and clean as when they had been handed to his son in the bank that morning. Lifting them out he sifted through them, counting them quickly then caught his breath as his search revealed a stiffer piece of material that was not a card or paper money.

His eyes suddenly misted as he took in the details of the slightly dog eared and aged photograph, the original of which graced a shelf in his study. It had been taken a couple of years earlier during one of Penny's visits to the island, on one of the rare occasions when all of his sons were home at the same time. Himself, Penny and the boys, together with Brains and Tin-Tin, arranged informally together in the lounge. Virgil's face stared up at him from the back row, where he stood between Scott and Alan and Jeff allowed his finger to rest momentarily alongside his son's face before replacing the photograph and money, sealing the wallet and laying it on the table.

Next came a cell-phone – a ubiquitous, mass-produced piece of electronic equipment that could have belonged to anyone – including his son. Turning it on Jeff paged through the saved numbers, a stab of pain lancing through his heart as he read the index; Scott, Dad, John. His hands were shaking now and he shut off the screen and dropped the phone next to the wallet and gripped the edge of the table as a weight of grief fell onto his shoulders. There was a movement beside him as the detective took a step closer.

"Mister Tracy . . . if you recognize these things . ."

Jeff shook his head and gripped the table harder, using the growing ache in his hands as the focus for his strength.

"I'll check them all."

Detective Johnson opened his mouth as if to speak but, after a pause, closed it and stepped back. Gathering his will Jeff picked up the next item – a watch, an identical match to those worn by himself and all his other sons. The various buttons had their uses, the same as any watch but Jeff knew one push of one particular button would connect him to his home and to the sons that waited there. Resisting the temptation Jeff turned the watch in his hand, checking he was not mistaken – that there was no inscription or engraving on the reverse side that would discount this as belonging to his son. He was not surprised. This was indeed a watch belonging to one of his sons – and realistically there could only be one to whom it belonged.

Placing the watch with the other things he turned to the last of the miscellaneous items – a small, hardback pocket book. It was one of a kind Jeff had seen a thousand times in Virgil's hands as his son had sat, or stood, 'doodling' as he called it, while waiting for something to happen. Turning the cover back Jeff was met by the smiling face of the flight attendant who had been sitting behind the reception desk when Jeff and Virgil had flown in the day before. She was a pretty girl with soft, dusky skin, a sparkling smile and dark wells for eyes. Virgil had chatted with her briefly while Jeff had been confirming their projected arrival time and the time of their forthcoming meeting in the San Diego office.

Turning the page Jeff found a thumbnail sketch of a hawk-nosed, sharp chinned man with an exaggerated frown that creased his forehead into a good approximation of a paper fan. There were notes jotted around the sketch in Virgil's somewhat angular handwriting and Jeff recognized the discussion points Virgil had raised in the after meeting discussion the previous day.

Sick to his stomach Jeff dropped the book on the table and turned to the door.

"I've seen enough. Take me to my son."

Without a word the detective opened the door and gestured for Jeff to continue down the corridor to a door at the far end. Taking in a lungful of air and steeling himself for the coming ordeal, Jeff drew himself up to his full height, squared his shoulders and set out on a walk he thought he would never forget. The heavy swing doors at the end opened into a large, cold examination room, lined along two walls with multiple, rectangular fronted drawers. In the middle of the room stood a gurney on which lay a human form covered by a plain, white sheet. Another man, dressed in the white clothes of a scientist, stood silently by the side of the trolley, his eyes quietly watching as Jeff entered.

Jeff stood frozen to the spot just inside the door, his eyes fixed on the silent form before him. From his side came a quiet voice.

"Mister Tracy, did your son have any identifying marks?"

As the words sank in Jeff turned his head to fix his gaze on the man beside him, an unspoken question in his eyes.

"There are . .uh . .extensive head injuries." said the detective apologetically. "It might not be possible to identify your son directly."

Jeff ruthlessly pushed back the wall of grief that was seeking to bury him, shook his head and pushed himself forward.

"I want to see my son . .whatever he looks like."

With a couple of steps he was by the side of the gurney, staring at the man across from him as if daring him to refuse. The man glanced briefly at the detective and, receiving a nod of authority, gently turned back the top of the sheet.

"Dear God"

The words escaped Jeff's lips as his face turned ashen white. Instantly Detective Johnson was by his side, a solicitous arm under the older man's elbow but Jeff shook him off. Jeff's hands gripped the side of the gurney as he leaned slightly over the body and the detective's hands went out to lend support if the older man collapsed but they were not needed. Pale though he was, Jeff continued to gaze down at the bloody, broken face beneath him, his eyes scanning the blood soaked hair and the general shape of the face but after about half a minute he drew back and looked up at the white coated pathologist.

"Show me his left arm and leg."

Obediently the man reached beneath the sheet and drew out the left arm of the dead man, laying it gently on top of the body where Jeff could see it and then moved down the table and folded back the sheet to reveal the left thigh, lower leg and foot of the man. Jeff reached out to take the dead hand then hesitated, looking back at the detective.

"May I?"

"Yes. We've already gathered what evidence we can from the body. It's okay to touch him."

Gently Jeff reached out again, taking up the cold arm that was slightly stiff as he brought it over the body to examine more closely. Bending over the body Jeff turned the arm and examined the top and underside carefully. Laying the arm back in place he moved quickly around the table and bent swiftly over the exposed leg before straightening and heading rapidly for the door.

With a quick nod of dismissal to the attendant, Detective Johnson hurried after him, following through the swing doors which had been shoved apart by the departing billionaire.

"Mister Tracy?"

Jeff continued up the corridor until he reached the door of the room where he had examined his son's effects. As he reached out to turn the door handle a solid grip fixed over his hand, arresting the movement and he looked up to find the compassionate eyes of Richard Johnson regarding him with concern.

"Mister Tracy?"

Jeff drew in a deep breath before answering.

"That is not my son."

The stunned detective drew back as Jeff turned the knob and shouldered the door open. When he finally went into the room Jeff was sorting through the collection of clothes on the table.

"I don't understand" queried the detective as he moved to Jeff's side. "You were certain those were your son's belongings."

"These things are" replied Jeff, gesturing to the collection of miscellaneous items, "as is this" he added, holding up the leather jacket. "These might or might not be" he held up the jeans before letting them drop to the table, "but these" he brandished the sneakers and waved them in the detectives face "are a size too small for Virgil, and as for this" Jeff dropped the sneakers back on the table, taking up in its place a black tee-shirt "Virgil was wearing a white shirt this morning. I'm not sure that he even owns a black tee-shirt – I've never seen him wear one."

"He might have changed for some reason since you saw him."

"He might" agreed Jeff "But that boy in there is not my son."

"You're certain?"

"Positive." Feeling the detective looking at him Jeff continued. "Virgil was involved in a . . . an accident some months ago. He sustained a severe cut to his left arm and his left leg was broken. The scars of both injuries are still plainly visible. There are no scars on that body."

"Then if that man is not Virgil" stated the detective with a puzzled expression "who is he? And why did he have some of your son's things in his possession?"

"That's for you to find out detective" replied Jeff gruffly "I'm more concerned with finding my son."

"When did you last see him?"

"Mid-morning. He was going to an exhibition in the art gallery in town. He planned to return to my office later in the day by which time I'd have finished what I was working on and we would leave for home together." Jeff looked at his watch "He was due nearly four hours ago and I've not heard from him."

"Any chance he's gone home without you?" queried the detective.

"No" replied Jeff tersely "Home is nearly three thousand miles west of here. My jet is at the aerodrome. He'd hardly go without me."

"Do you want to register him as missing?"

Jeff sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The emotional roller-coaster of the last hour had left him tired and spent.

"Yes" he sighed "Yes, I'd better. I presume I can take his things with me?"

"Yeah. We've already taken all we can off them. Come with me and you can sign them out, then I'll take you to Headquarters and we can get looking for your son."

Ten minutes later Jeff Tracy was walking up the stairs of the Police Headquarters building, heading for the second floor to make out a missing persons report for Virgil.

"If you'll just wait here Mister Tracy" said Detective Johnson, moving to one of the side rooms of the main corridor "I'll just get what I need then I'll take you to an office where things will be more private."

The detective walked through the swing-doors and a jumble of sound flooded out into the corridor. Through the frosted glass of the door Jeff could make out the shape of someone leaning against a high counter a short distance into the room. A voice floated through the gap, carrying above the background chatter and Jeff instantly stiffened.

"I tell you I don't know who he was. I don't even know if it was him. Look, I'm feeling kind of sick right now and . ." the sentence was cut off as the door swung closed behind the detective. In a bound Jeff was through the door, almost running towards the figure that had its back to him.

"Virgil!"

The figure at the desk turned abruptly, startled at hearing his name in that place.

"Dad! What are you doing here?"

His reply was a bear hug as his father wrapped his arms around him and held him tight.

"Thank God! You're alive."

Jeff pushed himself away from Virgil, still holding him by his arms, and looked him over with relieved eyes.

"Are you alright? What happened to you?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, just feeling a bit sick. But how did you know I was here?"

"Sick!" Jeff looked his son over in alarm, taking in the slight green tinge to his complexion which, in itself, was paler than normal and noticing for the first time that Virgil's clothes were wet and that his hair was plastered to his head. "You're soaked through. What happened to you?"

Virgil was just about to reply when a man he did not know approached them.

"Mister Tracy – what's going on? Is this Virgil?"

Jeff turned to Detective Johnson to find him appraising Virgil with a keen eye.

"Detective – yes, this is my son Virgil. I've just found him here. I don't know what happened"

Richard Johnson looked across at the officer behind the desk, a question in his eyes.

"Another one?"

"Yeah – looks like it. I was about to call the M.E."

"Do it. We'll be in room three."

During this exchange Jeff and Virgil had been looking from one to the other of the police officers, their faces betraying their mystification. Now Jeff interrupted.

"What's going on here? What are you talking about? Another what?"

Virgil pressed his thumb tightly against the swab over the puncture as the Medical Examiner covered the tip of the needle with a safety tip and detached the small vial of blood from the device. Bending his arm to hold the swab in place Vigil picked up the glass of water from the table and raised it to his lips, frowning as he saw his arm shaking.

"Don't worry Mister Tracy," The Medical Examiner was calm and reassuring "the muscle weakness will be gone in a few hours, together with the nausea. One good night's sleep and you'll be as right as rain don't you worry. Just stay clear of the alcohol, caffeine and food until then."

Virgil grimaced and gave a tight nod.

"Thanks Doc. Sorry to have given you the trouble."

The man waived the apology aside.

"Don't worry about it. All part of the job." Snapping his instrument box closed he reached out his right hand "Good-bye Mister Tracy. Look after yourself."

Virgil returned the handshake and Jeff stepped forward from the other side of his son's chair, a hand outstretched.

"Thanks Doc."

The M.E. clasped Jeff's hand briefly and then headed towards the door, where Detective Johnson was leaning against the frame.

"I'll have the definite results for you first thing in the morning Dick but don't expect anything different from the rest."

The detective opened the door for the older man, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed through.

"Thanks Frank. It's possible this may be the last one but let me know what you find."

The M.E paused in his stride, his eyebrow rising in question, before nodding slightly and moving on. Closing the door Richard Johnson turned back to where both Jeff and Virgil were watching him, Virgil rolling down the sleeve of the clean, dry shirt gleaned from the laundry.

"The last one?" Jeff questioned. "How many have there been?"

Pulling out a chair Richard Johnson once more took his seat at the table where he had been taking Virgil's statement before the arrival of the medical man.

"Virgil was the tenth that we know of. There may have been more which have simply not been reported, the victims just ascribing the blackout to the alcohol consumed followed by a casual robbery while they were incapacitated. In Virgil's case, as in many of the others, alcohol wasn't a factor and the food complicated things by slowing the drugs' action long enough for him to get outside before vomiting. Luckily for you Mister Tracy your attacker had enough humanity to leave you in a position where you wouldn't choke after he'd robbed you."

Virgil shuddered, reaching again for the glass of water with a shaking hand. Jeff shot him a worried glance before turning back to the detective with angry eyes.

"I don't see much humanity in drugging an unsuspecting stranger, waiting for him to collapse and then robbing him while playing the 'Good Samaritan' role." he stated, his voice cold and flat.

"Neither do I really" agreed the detective, "but since it looks like he's not going to be drugging anyone ever again I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt rather than thinking him inhuman enough to leave his victim to choke. Virgil wasn't the only one to have been completely knocked out by his drugs that we know of but so far as we are aware he seems to have been the only one to have had a sufficiently adverse reaction to the drug to cause him to be sick. As he was in the recovery position when he was found it looks like the culprit didn't have a total disregard for his victims."

Jeff snorted in disagreement but said no more, turning his gaze back on Virgil who had a look of confusion on his face.

"Virgil? Are you alright?"

"Sure dad, I'm fine but I don't understand. . . ." he turned to the detective "you sound like you've caught him?"

"We found a body earlier this evening that matched the description you gave us of the man who helped you out of the bar into the street before you collapsed. He was wearing your jacket and carrying your possessions. We think he was mugged but fought back and was murdered as a result. His attackers were frightened off before they'd had time to pick over the body."

Virgil's face cleared as he turned to his father.

"So that's how you knew I was here? Detective Johnson found my things on this guy and called you to pick them up?"

"Something like that son." said Jeff "Now, if there's nothing else we'll be heading back to the hotel for the night so you can get some sleep."

Detective Johnson passed the recording device to Vigil for him to confirm the details then the three men stood and headed for the door. Jeff shook the detective's hand firmly, thanking him for all his help but as Virgil moved to repeat the gesture another question appeared in the young man's eyes.

"Don't you want me to identify the body?"

"No!"

Jeff's response slipped out before he could stop it and Virgil turned puzzled eyes on him.

"Dad?"

"That's alright Mister Tracy. It's already been dealt with."

Interjected the detective, trying to cover the slip but Virgil was not listening, staring hard at his father who refused to meet his gaze. Slowly comprehension dawned.

"You've already seen him."

The statement garnered no response as Jeff struggled to maintain his composure as the site of the bloody mess returned to his thoughts. Virgil's face filled with dismay as he recalled Jeff's greeting in the squad room.

"You thought he was me and you came to identify my body."

Jeff nodded and turned back to his son.

"But he wasn't. And you're alive and after a good night's sleep you'll be as good as new. So" he slung his arm across Virgil's shoulders and turned him back to the door "What do you say we go find a bed for you?"

Detective Johnson watched, a smile on his face, as father and son disappeared down the corridor towards the door.