1

Royce walked to the back of the police station. It was packed with cruisers and a state-funded armoured vehicle that looked more like the tumbler from the Batman films than anything this county had ever seen or needed before.

Royce looked at that vehicle and wondered when or why they would ever need to use it, but this was him just thinking. His main concern was Taylor Lambert and how he was going to have to go home and talk to his wife about it. Talk to his wife about him.

The rain had subsided at this point of the evening, which had turned into night, but Royce asked to be excused from his office and ended up out here. The wind picked up a little to the east and hit him square, almost like the earth itself had told him to snap out of it. A while back, Royce would have had a smoke, as there was something about that nicotine that just centred him, but he made a promise to his wife to quit, and he did. It was one of the many things he promised, and he intended to keep all of them, but he did miss that feeling. He looked at the city in front of him. There was less traffic on the highway. People had started to go home. There would be some peace for a few moments, but there would be none for him in the long run. It was just a feeling with him that this was going to be one of those cases. A case full of twists and turns and one that may not have the most positive conclusion.

Russo came out of the station and stretched. 'Fuck.' A little crack came from his back. He looked over and saw Royce. He acknowledged him. 'Detective.'

Royce nodded and acknowledged Russo, 'Officer.'

'Could I have a minute?' Russo asked.

'Right now, I could give you more.'

Russo walked over and took out a pack of cigarettes. Lloyds, a local brand, advertised as North Penn's finest; the box was in Steelers' colours, black and yellow. 'You want one?'

'More than you know, Russo, but alas, I promised my wife.' Royce regretfully replied.

'There's no harm in bending the truth every once in a while. You don't think she does the same?' Russo asked as he took out a lighter and lit the cigarette with care. He flicked the lighter off and put it back in his pocket in a graceful move that was clearly practiced. 'Shit, I know what keeps the relationship vital.'

'Lies create harm, Royce pointed out to Russo.

'Truth is much worse. If we all had the truth and no lies sometimes, we would be busy as fuck around here.'

'How long have you been with your lady?' Royce asked.

'Long enough to know not when to say shit. I want peace, not chaos.'

'Then you wouldn't be in a relationship with someone you love, Russo. Like truly. Chaos is always around the corner. Sometimes it's her and sometimes it's me, but chaos is always a date that won't be missed.' Royce paused. The sooner it's known and can be dealt with, the better, and you get that little bit closer to peace.'

'You have a glorious outlook on relationships, Royce.'

Because I've been in real ones, and real ones ain't pretty.'

Russo pulled a drag from his cigarette. Then he looked at Royce, who was doing everything in his power not to make eye contact. 'Relationships. Plural. You've been in more than one? I thought you had been with your old lady since middle school.

'We had our breaks, Russo. We had times when we weren't in each other's lives. There's nothing wrong with it, because despite all that, it usually ends with the same resolution. Us two back together.'

'True love. Ain't it something?'

'It's something alright.' Royce said as he looked at that cigarette. 'Fuck.'

'You're missing out.' Russo laughed. Royce laughed, too. For a moment of silence, they were both at peace. 'Why are they here?'

'Who?'

'You know who. They're in there.'

Royce looked at Russo. 'They have names.'

'I don't give two fucks about their names. I care about them coming into town and swinging their dicks around like they own something. It's never been like that. Them owning anything when we used to,'

'Russo I'm going to stop you the fuck there. Before you say something, I'm going to get someone to write you up. What the fuck are you even thinking that? Huh? You are playing a dangerous game. I'm not going to open the door to racism thing you're trying to include me in. I ain't asked to be in it, and because we got the same skin colour, which, when it fucking comes down to anything, doesn't fucking matter in the grand scheme of things,. Then I would say that because I ain't been judged.' Royce said, and he stopped as it looked like that was a real epiphany. 'You fucking protect and serve everyone.'

'What the fuck are you talking about?' Russo was confused.

'There's a whole fucking world out there, is what I'm saying. More than this county, this state, and this entire country. People like them, as you call them, Mr Bridgewater and Ms Chandler, earned their way here and their fucking skin tone has nothing to do with it. Take this word of advice. That man you are trying to antagonise, I don't even know, and I don't even care right now, but we both saw him rise in the air and fall to the ground. He should be dead right now, but what is he doing right now? He's walking, talking, and got an attitude because he's got to deal with people like you for his whole life, so he's ready for you. I doubt you are ready for him, Russo,' Royce finished. 'Have a good night, Officer Russo.'

'Detective.' Russo replied begrudgingly.

Royce left Russo alone as he took another drag and looked at the closed door. 'Fucker.'

2

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The coroner's office was a few doors down from the police station. That was a practical design by the local government. Literally two minutes' walk. There were rooms for the bodies to be looked over. Daniel and Erica were in one of them, which was large enough to hold all twelve. The room looked and felt cold. White tile walls and a green concrete floor. Around them were tables that had instruments that serial killers probably saved up for. An assortment of surgical knives that grew more intimidating as they went along.

Both Daniel and Erica wore white plastic aprons and thin white plastic gloves as they walked along with Victoria. Erica did not look as uncomfortable as Daniel thought. They both listened as Victoria went along with each body. It always smacked of reality for Daniel that once living, breathing people would inevitably be just objects, sometimes victims, but the certainty was that everyone would get to a point where they were lifeless and soulless. This was not his first time in a coroner's room being near the dead, but it was something that he never got used to; maybe it was something he was never meant to get used to. Daniel did think that gave him something—some humanity to cling onto.

'Agent Bridgewater,' Victoria asked, and she looked at him like she was annoyed. Any questions?'

Daniel snapped out and looked at the twelve men in front of them. 'You're telling us that each of the dead was killed in different ways?'

'Well, not individually; eight of them had their necks broken, as you can see there with this one,' Victoria said, pointing to one whose neck had ripples of skin and muscle turned and squashed. It was quite clear, as his head was looking up at them, but what was beneath was not his chest but his back. 'Two here have their eyes ripped out and their tongues. There is blunt force trauma in their chests.'

'Could they have been slammed together?' Daniel enquired. 'Do these two have the same type of injuries?'

Victoria looked at her chart and then at both bodies. Both had severe bruising at the kidney and upper chest areas. It looks like it. Good eye.'

Daniel nodded.

'What about the last two?' Erica questioned Victoria.

'Well, Mr. Chambers and Mr. Lambert had all of the above, but they were also shot to death. One of the officers picked up the weapon, and this was the same gun that killed them both. Found on the right-hand side of the floor.'

'Any prints?' Erica replied with another question.

'Yeah, the vics. Mr Lambert's.'

'He made them; do it?' Erica asked herself, then looked at Daniel when she posed that question.

'I don't think so. Our guy made the gun do it or used whatever he's got to pump them full of bullets.' Daniel engaged with the details in front of him as he looked at the various bullet wounds across both bodies. 'On CSI's side, there were various bullet fragments all over the floor.'

'He made himself known to them, and they fired.' Erica said.

'And he used their bullets against them.' Daniel mused as he moved around the bodies.

'The scary thing is, some he took his time with, and the others were very quick.' Victoria said as she moved around the bodies as well. 'Vic number four, Lionel Vincent, his neck was broken, but it looks like it was done slowly; there is very little whip on the bruising, and he looks like he is in a vice being spun slowly and powerfully.'

'The fuck, Erica blurted out without any thought to being professional. That was a human response.

'Our guy tortured him in front of them. That's what I believe. He wanted to show his power. Let them know this was coming. Put the fear of God in them before they would meet God directly.' Daniel commented, looking close at the wounds of one with his eyes and his tongue missing. They just looked hollow.

'I don't get it though.' Erica countered.

'Get what?' Daniel replied, but his eyes kept on the dead.

'If the intention was put to the fear of God, surely, he would leave one alive, so spread the word. But he killed them all.' Erica clarified.

'That would make sense if there was an intention to become an urban legend. I don't think that this is what it is. Is that what you are thinking, Rookie? That this is only the beginning?' Daniel asked, and his eyes moved from the dead to Erica.

'I think so. I think that he was there waiting for, I guess, Royce to start the next thing. I just can't help thinking that he was there for a reason, and this has set off some chain of events we are going to be privy to soon enough. Come on, do you really think this is one and done? This feels like the beginning of something. I know you feel it too, Erica said as she stood next to Daniel as they both looked at the twelve dead.

'You've got an instinct for this. I really hope you're wrong, but I believe you are right. I think this guy has started something, and we must find him and end it.' Daniel said to Erica, and then he looked at Victoria. 'You can expect more of these in the coming days.'

'Don't I know it.' Victoria agreed. 'You got any more questions, or can I start to put these guys away for the night?'

Daniel and Erica looked at each other, and Daniel looked at Victoria. 'We're done for now. Thank you.' Daniel left the room and didn't wait for a reply.

'Thanks Doc.' Erica said it awkwardly and left the room in haste.

'Thanks, yourselves.' Victoria said with a tired sigh. She looked at the bodies and said, 'Time to put you men in the freezer.'

3

Erica caught up to Daniel down the long hallway. 'You're not great with people.'

'You just realised that?'

'No, I figured. I'm just impressed with the consistency. No matter what the situation, you'll make it awkward.'

Daniel stopped. 'Are you enjoying this? Chastising me because all I'm doing about is thinking about this case.'

'Because of what you were doing before you got here to take this on?' Erica asked.

Daniel looked annoyed at that and walked on. Erica followed. 'What did he tell you?'

'Who?'

'Bolton.'

"Bolton hasn't told me anything. I just figured it out. You have the feel of a man who's just in a rush. He needs to be out of here as quickly as possible because he's got something more pressing to deal with. Am I warm or lava hot?'

Daniel stopped again. 'What you are, Rookie, is annoying. That is what that is. I don't need you to tell me anything about myself, okay? My focus is this, and right now, only this. Keep bringing up my shit or theorising what you think you know about my shit, and then I'm portalling you myself. Do you understand?'

Erica looked at him. The look she had was a weird mix of remorse and resolve. That felt like a modern woman to Daniel. 'I don't mean to pry.'

'Yet you are.'

'I'm only doing it because I need you to be here in this game, not this long game you're currently playing. It's shitty that you're off it, and I won't bring it up again, and I'm also sorry if I pissed you off, but I'm not wrong.'

Are you a Scorpio?' Daniel asked.

'Aquarius.'

Daniel laughed to himself and shook his head. 'Makes fucking sense.' Daniel looked. 'Just don't pry. I don't like it, and you'll get no joy from it.'

Erica nodded and moved on from that conversation. 'What next?'

'We get some rest. We don't get jet lag, but portal lag is a thing.'

'Really?'

'Yep, and you'll feel it soon. Plus, I want to ask Royce some questions tomorrow.'

'There is no time like the present. Why not ask him now?' Erica asked.

'Because a part of me thinks that he must talk to his wife about this Lambert shit. No point compounding him before that.' Daniel explained.

'Ok. No problem. Let's go. I think I feel that lag coming on.' Erica yawned throughout those last five words, and she looked a little unsteady on her feet.

They walked on.