1

Royce was on the phone. Pacing about his office with furious consistency. Twelve paces to his left and fifteen paces to his right.

As Daniel looked at Royce, it did occur to him that the room looked to have had an uneven design. It was almost shaped like hexagon. All awkward corners and rigidly straight angles.

Daniel and Erica looked at a mountain of paperwork. This was from Taylor Lambert's public records. These were easily accessible and had been printed out.

Annoyingly, although checked thoroughly. showed no illegal activity.

'Lambert had investments all over the city and the next districts.' Daniel commented as he looked through the paperwork.

'A lot of philanthropy, various donations to a lot of local and district charities.' Erica added, 'He had offshore investments.'

'Most the rich do.' Royce said and he still paced.

'We must also assume that he probably had shell companies and moved money around.' Daniel theorised.

'You'd assume that, but according to all this, He's clean, paid his taxes on time and at correct value; of course, it's not as much as it should be.'

'Due to all the charity work.' Daniel offered and Erica nodded.

'Nothing about Engrave?' Royce asked as he continued to pace.

'Nothing. Maybe she was lying.' Erica speculated as she placed down the papers; she rubbed her eyes.

They had been at this for hours. Taylor Lambert looked clean on paper, but they all felt something was off.

Plus, why would she say that?

'Your DA ever going to pick up the phone?' Daniel questioned.

'I think Jennifer is stupid, but I don't think she has lied. Plus, it is late Bridgewater. He's probably asleep. They are trying to patch him through. Though I don't think it's going to do any good,' Royce answered.

'Then why are you calling?' Erica pointed as she snapped her neck.

'Best to reach out in an official way.'

'Taylor was in with the DA?' Daniel asked.

'Rich and influential.' Royce said this to the pair before he got some response on the other side of the phone. 'Yes, DA Turner. Sorry about the time. I just need you to, yes. I know what time it is. I mean, it could, but I would like to get the wheels in motion now to get deeper access to Taylor Lambert's financial records. Yes, I know they are public, but we have a hunch. Yes, a hunch. Ok. Thank you for your.' Royce stopped as the phone disconnected. 'Well, that was a gigantic waste of time.' He looked at Daniel. 'How much access does your tech team have?'

'We have great reach, but it would have to be behind the books. It stays in this room. Only the three of us know about it. Your state's privacy laws will be broken. It's up to you if you want to do it, Royce.'

Royce sighed and put the phone down, nodding.

'Verbal.'

'Yes, fucking yes. Go for it.' Royce spat in frustration. 'Shit.'

Daniel nodded. He tapped his ear. 'Yeah, need to speak to Levi.' He paused for a moment. 'Yes bro. I need your magic hands.' Daniel mouthed to Erica and Royce "Not actual magic." 'I need a deep dive into a particular individual... Yeah? Good. You got a pen? Ok, Taylor Andrew Lambert of Preston, Pennsylvania. Recently deceased… got it? I need you to keep an eye out for any of these companies: Piaco Ltd, Sanz & Co., EGR Ltd, and Lansdowne Limited. Also, and the most important: Engrave Corporation.' Daniel said. 'How long are we looking for any sort of... half hour? Good. Thanks Levi.' He tapped his ear again to end the call.

'That it?' Erica wondered.

'Levi's a genius. He'll get it done.'

'I've never met him.' Erica confessed.

'You will.' Daniel smiled.

'Ok. We got a half hour. You wanna get something to eat?' Royce chipped in.

'Yeah.' Daniel and Erica both replied.

'Let's go.' Royce announced as he grabbed his jacket and Daniel and Erica also grabbed theirs, then the door knocked. 'Come in.'

It was Officer Roberts. 'Detective, Agents. you need to get up to Johnson's Gas station.'

'What happened?' Royce was confused.

'It looks like it was him, the warehouse guy. He killed four at the station.'

Royce looked at Daniel, then Erica who looked at him, said,Food will have to wait.'

2

Five police cars and two coroners' vans were on the scene. They sealed the area off with yellow police tape.

Royce, Erica, and Daniel pulled into a spot and parked.

They'd also blocked the interstate.

As they got out of the car, they were met by Officer Mosley who was black, in his mid-forties and had a welcoming smile.

'Detective. agents,' Mosley said.

'What do we know?' Royce prompted as they walked towards the station.

'A bloodbath, detective. A fucking bloodbath.' Mosley replied with a cold, hard look that followed.

They stepped over the glass and through the contents on the floor. They looked at the blood on the wall.

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'All four shot to death; no prints on any of the guns other than what we assume are the vics. These three,' Mosley pointed at three of the covered bodies. 'Shot, point blank in chests, but this one,' he said, walking up to the fourth body, which already looked different as it looked like there was no head. 'Headless. Parts of his head are on the wall. Shot square in the chest.'

'Any ID on the victims?' Erica questioned.

'Yes,' Mosley answered, 'The four are known as The Grisco Gang. Murderers and robbers going around Pennsylvania. They live off the grid. The one with no head is Jack Brisco. He's the leader. Jeff Grisco is the one next to Jack. He's the younger brother, and then we got Brian Dobbs, old friend of Jack. Next to Jeff and Pete Langford, who was the youngest, a family friend.'

'Just Pennsylvania?' Daniel probed.

'They've hit Ohio as well.' Mosley added. 'But mainly focused on our state.'

'No prints, any footage?' Erica continued.

'Yes, one hidden camera that is just above the sprinkler.' Mosley pointed to show that very spot.

'A witness?' Royce queried.

'Yes, Wilfred Johnson.' Mosley looked past the three, who saw Wilfred sit down. He looked in shock and was covered in a blue towel and being spoken to by fellow officers.

'Let's bring him back to the station, then we can look at this footage.' Royce decided as he looked at Wilfred.

3

Wilfred looked around at the police station's interrogation room. It had plain grey walls and a thick green door. Two long lights are above him. In front of him was a silver metal table.

Wilfred looked uneasy. No one he knew liked police stations.

The door opened, and Royce and Erica walked in. Shutting the door, they sat in front of him. Royce placed a hot mug of coffee on the table and motioned Wilfred to take it. He did.

'Mr Johnson, I am Detective Drysdale; this is Agent Chandler. You are not in trouble. We just needed to keep you here for your own safety. Once we are done, a unit will drop you off and stay by your house for the next twenty-four hours. We have notified your family of your safety.'

'I don't need any units. That man didn't kill me,' Wilfred replied.

'You saw his face? You know if there is anything that could lead him to you, to hurt you?' Royce enquired.

'My back faced the other way. I didn't see him. I, eh, expected to die. I expected death. My death, but that man didn't kill me. Wilfred paused. 'He didn't want to kill me.'

'How can you be sure, Mr Johnson?' Erica coaxed, and she sat forward.

'I'm alive. That man is a god amongst men. He could have killed all of us within seconds. It would have been easy for him, but he didn't. He spared me. He didn't need to.' Wilfred pondered.

'Why?'

'I did nothing to him.'

'They didn't either.' Royce considered. 'But he saved your life.'

'That man, the leader—the one who got his head exploded—treated my life like it was nothing. Jack Grisco kept on talking about fate and destiny. I was meant to die tonight. Not knowing that my guardian angel had just so happened to come across my family's gas station. Bought me more time on this earth, with my family.'

'You consider him a hero?' Erica observed.

'I don't consider him a villain. He just killed a few bad men.' Wilfred reasoned. 'The only reason I can't call him a hero, but just a man who bought me more time on earth was the brutality in how he killed them. My eyes were closed, and my back was turned, but I heard it all. He felt righteous about killing them.'

'What did he sound like?' Royce asked.

'Death, detective. He sounded like death. I felt the chill in his voice. It went through my bones. It was cold, precise; he meant what he said.'

'Did you see where he went or where he came from?' Erica queried.

Wilfred shook his head. 'No, I didn't see him. He appeared and disappeared. I dropped to my knees after he left. I'm thankful to still be here.'

'He said nothing about who he is or what he is planning to do?' Royce probed.

'It wasn't that kind of conversation. It was very short and really fucking impactful. The man knew what he was doing and how to do it. I can scarcely imagine what the men were thinking. Killed with their own weapons. The man didn't touch them as far as I am aware.' Wilfred admitted. 'He's a god. How are you going to stop a god?'

'He's human, Mr Johnson. Just like you and me. He will be stopped.' Royce corrected.

'I can only hope, for your sakes, you can. Ain't no human I've seen has that much power.'

'No human should have that much power, Erica added. 'We will stop him. I promise you that.'

It must be funny. Must feel funny.' Wilfred laughed to himself.

'What's funny?' Erica asked Wilfred.

'To say something like that with so much confidence and not really believe it.' Wilfred leaned forward. 'I'd thought I'd seen it all in my life, but I haven't seen anything, anything like tonight. I know I keep saying it, but that man is a god; he is not our lord, but he was given something. You two are mortals. You know you are. You may be special to us, but I don't know how you can stop him.' Wilfred paused. 'I hope you have something or someone who you know deep down is powerful enough to stop him. If you don't and you keep chasing him, may the lord have mercy on your souls.'

4

Daniel Bridgewater was alone in Royce's office as he looked at the footage from the hidden camera. Using Royce's personal desktop for this purpose. The angle was low and gave a god's-eye view of the middle and back wall of the station. He forwarded through all the parts that just showed the robbery.

Daniel was not interested in that. He waited for his prey to show up.

A knock on the door.

'Come in.'

An officer named Shannon walked through the door. She was young, blonde and petite, but had broad shoulders.

'Agent Bridgewater. You asked to for a search on the vehicle that was used in the attack in seventh and Maple? Well, we've found it.'

Daniel looked at her as he snapped his focus from the security footage. 'Yeah, where?'

'At an intersection, well under an intersection bridge a few miles off Patterson.'

'Any prints?'

'That's the thing. It was burned to the crisp. There was nothing left.' Shannon responded.

'Shit.' Daniel said. 'Anything else?'

'No, sorry, sir. That's it.'

'Shannon, you need not call me, sir. Just call me King Pooba.'

'What.' Shannon blurted with great surprise, almost yelping.

'That was a poor joke. I'm good at those.'

'I see,' Shannon said, laughing nervously in relief. 'Is there anything I can help with you with? Did you need me to tell Detective Drysdale and Agent Chandler what I just told you?'

'Sure. Plus, I'm good. Thanks for asking.' Daniel nodded.

Shannon smiled and was about to leave when she stopped. 'Can I say something without it being weird?'

Daniel kept his eyes on the security footage. 'I'll be the judge of what's weird. What is it?'

'I love your accent. It's different.'

'Thank you.'

'Plus, you're not as weird or, as a few officers call you, a prick. I don't think you are either of those things.' Shannon confessed with a little more forthrightness.

'Shit.' Daniel groaned.

'What?' Queried Shannon, a little startled. She turned to look at the security footage.

'I'd rather that they think I was a prick. Just makes our interactions so much fun.'

'Or tense.'

Daniel smiled. 'For all of you.'

Shannon smiled as well. 'Well, I will leave you to it.' She was about to leave when

'Shannon.' Daniel spoke. She stopped. 'That was kind. Kindness, that is unprovoked, is in short supply in this world. Thank you.'

'You're welcome.' Shannon offered a smile as she left.

Daniel caught himself smiling back, then brought back the usual look of disgust. Why did you do that? He asked himself. His face went back with that same intense gaze on the screen as the man in black entered frame.

'The power you have.' He marvelled as the man in black lifted the men and their guns off the floor. 'I can't wait to stop you. You're my prey. I can't wait.' Daniel tapped his ear. 'Yeah Levi. What did you find? No shit…'