“Detective Bias?”
 
 
Luis Bias started, accidentally kicking his desk and sending a sheet of paper fluttering down. He rubbed his eyes, groaning as his assistant stepped into his office. She was new, only a few months on the job, so didn’t yet have the bags under her eyes that characteristically followed their line of work. “Yes, Irene?”
 
 
“Just wanted to check up on you. You haven’t left your office all day, haven’t eaten, anything. It’s not healthy.” Irene was young, early twenties at oldest, and a stark contrast to the older detective across the room. Irene stepped around the piles of paper strewn across the room, wrinkling her nose at the old Chinese food boxes and coffee cups sitting on various surfaces. “How can you work like this?”
 
 
“Let me guess, you thought that detective work was following a paper trail, maybe shooting a revolver at a criminal, and locking up the bad guy in the end? Well, this is the real world side of things,” Luis said, gesturing around, “Flailing around, seeing if someone fucks up and gives us a lead.”
 
 
“And the reason for your mess?”
 
 
“I would rather focus on the case rather than my living circumstances.” Luis reorganized his desk, putting the papers back in his desk and closing the drawer. “I’m looking everywhere, trying any and all leaks, crime circles, and word of mouth. The police have tried their best with thumb prints and physical descriptions, but even with all of their eyes they are frustratingly only good for cleaning up the mess left behind.”
 
 
Irene sighed, leaning on the wall. “Maybe you need a break. There’s that new park that just opened, I heard that it is beautiful at night.”
 
 
“Wasn’t that an old church? I don’t think walking around on top of old graves for murdered victims will clear my head.”
 
 
“Oh, that’s a negative way to think. Just try it, will you? It stinks in here and some fresh air will help.” Irene smiled at Luis, stepping out of the room, the door catching on another pile of paper and leaving it open.
 
 
Luis sighed, trying to focus on the title emblazoned on his desk. He earned his detective title 7 years ago, thinking that it would be a step up from the usual police patrolling and arrests. But so far, he felt like he wasn’t able to make a difference. He dealt with the lowest of the criminals; the killers, the violators, the entrapers, the ones where if Luis met it would be kill or be killed.
 
 
Luis turned the title card over, standing up with a groan. He wasn’t old, but after getting beaten, shot, and even blown up in one incident, his body felt like it was held together by horse glue. He grabbed his gun, attaching it to the belt he wore and pulling his coat on, stepping out of his office.
 
 
The city was suffocating, but he was used to it. The streets were empty, it was 3am after all, and Luis decided that he could walk in the middle of the street without harm. As he walked, he noticed the park that Irene had mentioned, the large iron gate reminiscent of the previous graveyard and church.
 
 
Well, there was no harm in walking through, it would be a quick way to where he could bunk for the night. Luis stepped past the gate, an eerie creak accompanying the movement. The park had a number of trees planted, each over a previous gravestone. However, the tombstones were removed by the city, destroying their names forever.
 
 
“What a waste of history,” Luis said, stopping at one of the trees. He put his hand on the tree, looking down at the fresh dirt where the tree was planted. “Who knows how old your tombstone was before it was destroyed?”
 
 
“About 1300 years or so, give or take a few cycles.”
 
 
Luis whipped around, his revolver coming up. The ghost flinched, her huge form puffing out in response at the motion. “Sorry! It’s been a while since I’ve come out, the tree helped with that. I’m Leitis MacIain, what is your name?”
 
 
“... Luis. Luis Bias.” He stuck the gun back in his belt, looking curiously at the huge woman. She was absolutely a ghost, but he never heard of them manifesting before; just stories about them haunting houses. “You said it had been a while since you’ve manifested, when was the last time?”
 
 
“I don’t know, not for a long time. The dirt got heavy, especially with the rain, and when the only people who came through were dead people, you tend to get more reserved.” Leitis beamed at Luis. “Will you be my friend?”
 
 
“I don’t think I’m your type, lady.” Luis leaning against the tree. “Besides, I’m a detective. I have to solve murders, not hang out with the dead…” The implications of what he said actually sunk in and he looked at Leitis with new eyes. “Hold on, if you can manifest, does that mean-”
 
 
“No, I haven’t seen any other ghosts, I’m the only one in this graveyard. But maybe there is another way that I can help you!”
 
 
“And what would that be?”
 
 
“Well, I can possess living things, such as this tree, without taking them over. It doesn’t mean you will lose cognitive behavior or anything like that, but I could be along for the ride and watch you work!”
 
 
Luis thought for a moment. “Fuck it, why not? Could make the night interesting.”
 
 
“Great! Now, open wide!”
 
 
“What?” Luis barely got the word out before the ghost leapt forward, pushing her form down his throat. Luis flailed for a moment swallowing hard on the cold and immaterial substance that made her up. With one final gulp, Luis coughed, feeling the exto plasma pump through his body.
 
 
He looked at himself, seeing no difference but feeling younger, stronger, as if he had consumed an elixir of life. “Leitis? Are you there?”
 
 
“Wow, you have a lot of crap in your system. You must feel awful all the time.” Her voice echoed in his head, as if she was speaking in a tunnel funneling directly into his ear canal.
 
 
“Yeah, that’s kind of par for the course.” Luis, bouncing a little on his feet. He giggled, he had never felt like this before and it was exhilarating. He could hear Leitis laugh with him.
 
 
Maybe something of worth will come out of this union.