[The Last Days As Agent 13] - Echo Park Lake - Uncovering a Frozen Mystery

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As the sun rose on a new day, Peggy, Sousa, Val, Henry, and a team of seasoned SSR agents and LAPD officers converged upon Echo Park Lake, a serene location that was about to become the center of a high-stakes operation.

When Sousa arrived at the lake, he was immediately met by Val's warm and friendly greeting, despite the noticeable scars on Val's face. The unexpected reception left Sousa a bit surprised, but he couldn't help but feel at ease in Val's presence.

Observing the exchange between Val and Sousa, Peggy nodded in approval. She had taken it upon herself to mentor Val, teaching him various skills to help him better communicate, carry himself, and present a more approachable demeanor as she taught him her spy skills. Seeing her efforts manifest in Val's interaction with Sousa was a gratifying experience for Peggy.

Val stood at Echo Park Lake, observing the frozen body of water while the rest of the city endured scorching heat waves. A wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he thought of the peculiar properties of Zero Matter.

As the minutes ticked by, the SSR agents and LAPD officers worked tirelessly to break through the thick layer of ice that coated the lake's surface. Their efforts paid off when they finally uncovered the lifeless body submerged beneath the frozen water. With utmost care, they used a crane to lift the body out of the lake and placed it on solid ground for further examination.

When the lifeless body was lifted out of the lake and placed on the ground, an eerie chill descended upon the immediate surroundings. The vegetation and ground beneath it were immediately encased in a thick layer of ice, and even the crane used to lift it out was affected by the extreme cold.

Val and the others present at the scene were stunned as they laid eyes upon the dead body which was of a girl with glowing, deathly pale skin and numerous black lines etched all around her body. The unnerving sight left them with an unshakable feeling of unease.

To make matters worse, the frigid temperature seemed to spread beyond the immediate area, causing those present to shiver and huddle together to ward off the bone-chilling cold.

Val couldn't help but notice Henry's suspicious behavior as he stared at the body with a gulp. Shaking his head in disapproval, Val thought to himself, 'If you're trying to hide something, at least put in the effort to conceal your behavior.'

Val approached the body with caution, keeping a safe distance as he examined it for a few seconds. Turning to Peggy, he spoke with a sense of urgency, "We need to conduct an autopsy."

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Peggy nodded in agreement and promptly gave orders to the SSR agents to transport the body to the Los Angeles County Coroner Building.

Val retrieved a small notepad from his pocket and quickly scribbled some notes before turning to Peggy, Sousa, and Henry. "Based on my initial assessment, the victim matches the description of a missing scientist who worked at the Isodyne Energy Headquarters," he declared.

Taking charge of the situation, Peggy exchanged a knowing look with Sousa and said, "We need to head to Isodyne Energy to investigate further."

Upon arriving at Isodyne Energy Headquarters, Peggy, Sousa, Val, and Henry presented their badges and began questioning the guards and scientists about the whereabouts of Jane Scott, the missing scientist.

Sousa took the lead in the investigation, methodically piecing together clues and questioning witnesses. Meanwhile, Henry's nerves got the better of him, and he found himself sweating profusely and wishing he was anywhere but there.

Val and Peggy, on the other hand, expertly flashed their badges and skillfully questioned the people at the facility, determined to uncover the truth behind Jane Scott's disappearance.

Val's sharp eyes glanced around, quickly noticing a man frantically waving them over. Alerting Peggy with a gentle poke, he gestured for her to follow him towards the man.

The man led them to a quiet hallway, his hurried pace indicating the urgency of the situation. Val and Peggy exchanged a knowing look, understanding that this may be a critical breakthrough in their investigation.

When they arrived at the secluded hallway, the man turned around, his eyes darting around nervously as he scanned the area for any potential eavesdroppers. Satisfied that they were alone, he introduced himself as Jason Wilkes, a scientist working for Isodyne Energy.

"You must be the ones asking about Jane Scott, right?" he whispered urgently.

Val nodded in confirmation, "Yes, we are."

Wilkes looked around again before leaning in closer. "I will tell you something that nobody else will dare to say. It may even cost me my job, but I can't keep quiet any longer," he said, his tone serious.

He took a deep breath before continuing, "Jane Scott was a hardworking and diligent scientist here at Isodyne Energy. But she had a secret - she was romantically involved with Calvin Chadwick, the founder of this company who is already married to Whitney Frost."

Peggy's mind was racing with the newfound information, her eyes widening in surprise as she processed the potential implications. If the information turned out to be true, then both Calvin and Whitney could be viable murder suspects.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Wilkes," Peggy said with a nod. "Do you happen to know where Calvin and Whitney will be tomorrow?"

Wilkes thought for a moment before answering, "Whenever they visited here, both of them talked about the horse racetracks they had visited prior."

Peggy smiled in appreciation and quickly jotted down the information in her notebook, "Thank you for your help. We will be in touch if we need any more information."

While they were speaking, a guard suddenly walked into the hallway and immediately noticed them. His eyes widened in shock, and he made a beeline for the alarm button, determined to prevent them from obtaining any more sensitive information. But Val was quicker than the guard, and with a swift motion, he landed a solid punch to the man's jaw.

* WHAM *

The guard crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold by the powerful blow. Peggy and Wilkes looked on in shock at the sudden turn of events, but Val simply shook his hand out and stepped over the unconscious guard, as if nothing had happened.

Val turned to Peggy and whispered, "We've got what we came for. Let's get out of here." Peggy nodded and turned to Wilkes, thanking him for his help. With a quick glance over their shoulders, they hurried out of the restricted area, making sure to avoid any further attention.

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