"You want me to... what, exactly?"

Dr. William Paragon steepled his fingers and leaned back in his high-backed leather chair. "I want you to stay here until I see fit to deploy you."

Icarus Sidewinder was not happy to hear that. "Bullshit!" he yelled, jumping out of his seat. "You expect me to just sit here and wait for everyone else to do their thing?"

"Icarus," Paragon said, tilting his head slightly, "not every situation calls for your particular manner of expertise... that being the 'shoot-first-ask-questions-later' style of information gathering."

Vanguard Europe's resident pilot slouched into his seat, his arms crossed and a slight pout on his face. "So now what?" he asked. "Durden, Spock, and Perry are at the crime scene... She-Bitch, Captain America, and rookie of the year are off doing who knows what... and I'm here. With you. And the secretary from Hell."

Paragon smiled. "Yes, I think that sums it up rather nicely." Icarus continued to sulk, a scowl gradually creeping across his features. Paragon sighed heavily and swallowed a small lump in his throat. "Look, Icarus. If you're that hard up for something to do, I'll give you a sort of... mini-mission to occupy your time until we need your particular skills."

"Thank you!" the pilot yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "Anything to get me out of here!"

Paragon pulled a small disc-like object from his pocket and handed it to Icarus. "Take this," he said.

"What is this?" Sidewinder asked, picking up the disc and turning it over in his hand.

"It's a portable link-up with Jym," Paragon answered.

{{Hello,}} the AI said to Icarus who, in his surprise and confusion, dropped the disc to the ground.

{{Ow!}} Jym cried as he hit the floor. {{Watch what you're doing!}}

"Did it really feel that?" Icarus asked, pointing to the ground.

{{No,}} came Jym's voice from the floor, {{but I imagine you'll think twice about dropping a pricey piece of alien artificial intelligence again...}}

"Don't press your luck!" Icarus rebutted. He looked back to Paragon. "And what am I supposed to do with that, Paragon?" he asked.

{{'Him'... not 'that'...}}

"Not now, Jym..." Paragon answered, rubbing his forehead in that way he did when he was beginning to get frustrated.

{{Very well,}} Jym responded, {{but it is easier for me not to interject when I am not on the floor.}}

"Icarus, pick him up," Paragon said, motioning to Jym's place on the floor.

"Why should I--"

"Because if you don't, I may not deploy you at all," Paragon said, raising his voice just enough to get Icarus' attention. Icarus quickly stooped down low, grabbed the AI disc, and sat in his seat... almost as if it were one fluid motion.

"Thank you," Paragon said. "Now, the two of you are to go to the archives located in the west wing of the building. Look through the global data records - private and public - specifically those files dealing with serial killings. I want to know what you can find as to the nature of this killing."

"Research," Sidewinder blinked. "Years of piloting and combat experience... and you've got me doing research with an inanimate hunk of metal?"

"You want to help?" Paragon said, gesturing vaguely. "You can either research or interview Mr. Reilly on the possible 'hows' and 'whys' of Ms. Sigfried's death."

Icarus paused slightly. "I'll stick with the computer..." he said quickly.

{{A wise choice,}} Jym piped up.

"Shut up," Icarus retorted.

{{Make me.}}

"You make me."

{{You first.}}

"No, you."

{{No. You.}}

William shook his head heavily and ran his hands through his snowy locks. "What have I done?" he muttered to himself.