By the time that the BSAA reinforcements had arrived, the dispatched platoon had quarantined off the entire city block, prohibiting any and all civilians from gaining access to the area. Due to the gravity of the situation and the fact that a potential biohazard outbreak had recently broke out in Raleigh, the case was immediately handed over to the BSAA. Echo team immediately took charge of dilemma by eliminating the infected victims and starting the decontamination process.

    Numerous police officers were stationed outside the recently erected fencing, guarding the exterior area of the barricade as citizens steadily began to gather outside the quarantine zone, wondering what all the ruckus was about. Countless camera crews were setting up behind the growing crowd, reporting the latest news on the viral outbreak for their specific news station. As for Leon, he was preoccupied with investigating Claire's apartment. The blonde was focusing all of his time and attention to conscientiously survey the crime scene, hard at work for the sake of trying to dig up any clues on his friend's disappearance.

    Once Leon was able to clear everything up with Echo team's captain, he and his platoon left the government agent to his own devices. They had offered to help him before they presumed with their cleanup protocol, but Leon kindly turned them down. He simply asked them to let him know if they came across anything linked to Claire's disappearance.

    If any of the higher ups from the DSO found out that one of their top agents collaborated with the BSAA, they would have his head on a silver platter. The Division of Security Operations had multiple rules and regulations, some of them were very simple like common courtesy, some pertain to the privileges that come with being an employee of the government agency, and the rest of the guidelines regard to the do's and don'ts of the organization. And their number one rule was: You're never allowed to cooperate nor ally yourself with the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance unless directed other wise.

Leon always thought that rule was rather idiotic to be honest. Both the BSAA and the DSO were fighting for the same reasons, working towards the same goals, and they had even saved the world a number of times from the fatal aftermath that bioterrorism could engender. The only difference between them was that they operated under different jurisdictions. The DSO worked under the direct authority of the president, whereas the BSAA was under the command of the United Nations.

    Leon spent the first half hour of his investigation securing the crime scene; he had to make sure that nothing nor no one could further tamper with any potential evidence waiting to be found. He may had been a cop only for a day, but that didn't mean that he couldn't use what he learned back at the academy to scrutinize Claire's apartment.

    Once the surrounding perimeter was secured, Leon then pulled out his smart phone, snapping as many pictures as he could of everything in each room. The M1911 abandoned on the living room floor; the bloody message in the master bedroom; the opened letter left over by the front door; all of these clues were merely pieces of a puzzle, pieces that would help him figure out the bigger picture.

    Using the crime scene kit he borrowed from one of the officers', Leon slipped on a pair of latex gloves and spent the next hour dusting for finger prints, taking notes, and collecting and storing evidence he was able to find around the apartment. He was meticulous every step of the way; the process was grueling and time consuming, in the end it would all be worth it. Precision was the key.

    The agent's phone then started to go off in his pocket. Pausing momentarily, Leon dug out his cellular device to answer the incoming call. "Hey Hunnigan, were you able to find anything?"

    "Yes, I've gathered some new info that might help you."

    The cappuccino blonde used his shoulder to hold his device up to his ear, taking out his note pad from his back pocket and clicking the end of his pen in hand. "Fill me in."

    One by one, Leon penned down each of the names, phone numbers, and addresses of all of Claire's friends, coworkers, and potential suspects Hunnigan listed off over the phone. The blonde always knew that the redhead was somewhat of a party animal but damn... the woman had a longer list of amigos than the number of affiliates the president usually met with during the annual summit.

    "Thanks Hunnigan, I owe you one."

    "No problem. I'm also sending you a care package. She should be there any minute now."

   She? "Alright then, Leon out." He hung up and stashed his phone back in his pocket.

    Things so far may had been running smoothly, nonetheless, nothing could be done to ease the trepidation nagging at the back of his mind right now. He needed to find Claire, his best friend was his number one priority.

I'm coming for you Claire... Just hold on.