It's -10 degrees celsius in Toronto, Canada. The wind is gusting and creating a howling sound through the cracks of the doorway to the main office of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Headquarters.
"Wake up James," shouts Derrick.
James who was laying on one of 3 leather sofas in the entire building emerges from a daydream. "Sorry this happened again," James says as he wipes away the crusts from his eye sockets. "It's just that there's not a single day I go through where I don't think of him."
*11 years earlier*
"Son, do you hear that?"
"No, I don't hear anything."
"Exactly," replies James' father.
James and his father Eric are fishing on Lake Temagami in northern Ontario. Eric, James' father organized a fishing trip for him and his son to escape the bustling downtown Toronto Ruckus. Eric has been stressed out the past few weeks as he's been falling behind on paying bills.
Morley Variety, owned by Eric Morley has been a corner store operated by the family since 1960. Him and James live in an apartment above the variety store.
"Dad I think I got one!"
"It might be a Pike. Reel it in slowly. They fight like dead logs."
James successfully reels the Pike into the wooden boat.
"It's huge!"
"Let's get the measuring tape."
The Pike measures 42 inches.
"Let's get a picture of it! Where's the bloody camera James?"
"I think I forgot it in our lodge. Woops."
*6 days later*
James is sitting on his bed reading comic books. A car horn is honking nonstop a block away and police sirens echo through the streets.
"Eat your dinner son! It's getting cold!" says Eric from downstairs.
"I'm reading the latest issue of Spiderman! Give me 5 minutes!" James replies.
The doors to the variety store open abruptly and a man wearing a black leather jacket casually walks to the front counter. He's got sunglasses on as if he's headed to a beach resort down in Mexico.
"Hey buddy isn't it kind of late to be wearing shades?" Eric says to the man in a funny way.
"Give me all your money! Every last dime goes in this bag" says the man in the leather jacket when he pulls out a gray plastic bag.
"Hey I can't do that. I have bills to pay."
"That's unfortunate. Looks like we have to do this the hard way."
The man pulls out a silver handgun and points it at Eric. "Listen I don't want to have to use this but I will, so just give me the damn money."
Eric lunges forward trying to take away the handgun but he's not quick enough as the man pulls the trigger.
James is startled. He drops his comic book and looks out the window as the black silhouette of a man is running away. James rushes downstairs to see his father covered in blood. James dials 911 on the phone behind the counter.
"Hello do you need police or ambulance?" says the woman on the phone.
"I need both! Please hurry. My father's been shot!"
1 minute passes and a squad of Police cars show up along with an ambulance and fire trucks.
James' father is pronounced dead on site. The bullet went through his heart and impacted the wall behind the counter.
"No one touch anything" says the investigator who was wearing plain clothes. "James did you get to see what the man looked like?"
"All I saw was him running away. He was wearing black. Honestly it was too dark to see anything."
"Son, words cannot describe how sorry I am to you that this happened. Do you have any other family members?"
"Yes, my grandparents live in the north end of the city."
"Okay well you can stay with them while we figure things out."
*The present day*
"James we are going to be working a different case than usual today. We have a suspect in custody who has planted several bombs throughout the city and he isn't saying anything. He keeps requesting a lawyer. The safety of civilians is our top priority James."
"Well what do you want me to do with him?" James says to Derrick.
Derrick hands James a syringe filled with a clear liquid.
"I want you to put this liquid in his cup of water. I can't tell you anything more yet. Just do it. The suspect is in room 5. Just grab a cup of water in the kitchen. Meet me in the basement."
James meanders through the hallway towards the kitchen. He grabs a styrofoam cup from the dispenser and fills the cup half full.
"Well I guess it's time to use this syringe" James mutters to himself as he injects the water with the clear liquid.
He walks to room 5 where he hears the suspect saying "I want my water and lawyer!"
James unlocks the door and hands the water to the suspect who is in handcuffs bolted to the table. He makes his way to the basement.
"There's so many computers. Last time I was in here there were just files and cleaning supplies" James tells Derrick.
"Yeah... well with the government's new defense budget we are going to be doing things differently from now on. The stuff you put into his water… just watch what it can do."
Derrick puts on a headset and pushes a button on the computer keyboard.
"Hello this is Derrick. I'm with the police."
"What in the absolute hell?" the suspect must have said as text is being uploaded to the computer.
"I don't get it," says James.
"Whatever I say into the microphone the suspect interprets it as a thought in his own head and whatever he thinks it will show up as text on the computer" Derrick says.
"That's amazing," James exclaims.
"The government calls that clear liquid I.D. Tech. It's a new invention. It's meant for psychological warfare and interrogations" Derrick says in an upbeat manner. "No one and I mean absolutely no one outside this precinct is allowed to know about the I.D. Tech."
Derrick pushes the button on the keyboard again. "So what is your name? You didn't have a wallet on you."
James looks at the computer monitor as the name "Nicholas" pops up in text.