Chapter 11

REN

Ren felt like they were on the verge of something.

Something big.

Things had been in about the same place for so long that they felt it was time for something new to come to light.

There had been so much bad, wasn't it time for something good?

A fourth person involved in Ashley's murder wasn't quite what Ren had in mind, but they felt that maybe it was necessary for more bad news to be revealed so the right people could be caught. Maybe they just needed to go through a little more bad before they could reach the good.

Ferris's words rang in their head. Maybe the Trinity wasn't so much a trinity as it was a quaternity.

Ren swallowed against the shudder that built up in the pit of their stomach. Three monsters was bad enough. They didn't want to think about four monsters.

Some small part of Ren hoped that maybe this fourth person wasn't quite so evil. Hadn't lost every bit of their humanity, if only so maybe there was still some small sliver of human left inside of them.

The three people who had been there on the night Ashley was murdered —the three who had so callously ripped his life away— were no longer human. Any bit of that was lost the first time they killed, whether their first murder victim was Ashley or someone who was currently unknown as a victim of the Trinity.

Ren's heart sank at the thought of Ashley as a victim. They didn't want to think of him as anything but a good, loyal friend who could always brighten their day and make them laugh. They still could, but it was now shadowed by what had happened to him. He would no longer just be Ashley; he would be both Ashley and victim.

It wouldn't erase what had been done, but Ren couldn't help but hope that the fourth person still had some amount of humanity within them.

They were seen at Deanna's Bakery, and the Moonfall Precinct had said only three people were there at the scene of Ashley's murder besides the witness and Ashley himself. There was something beyond just walking past each other, but perhaps the fourth person was only there in the parking lot of Deanna's Bakery— maybe they were never in Silverlight Forest where Ashley was killed.

It would complicate matters further, Ren supposed, but maybe the fourth person wasn't really a part of the Trinity. Maybe the Trinity was still the Trinity and wasn't now the Quaternity. Maybe instead they were still a criminal of sorts but stayed on their own. Maybe they weren't a criminal at all but somehow got caught up in the most horrific of crimes.

All of the what ifs surrounding this mysterious fourth person caught on camera outside Deanna's Bakery swirled around in Ren's head, and they wished they had that one piece they felt they were missing.

Ashley had loved that bakery. It was his go-to when a craving for something sweet hit and he wanted to buy some pie or a pastry or whatever tickled his fancy as he was perusing the display.

But Deanna's Bakery wasn't on his list for the supply run that day. He had no reason to be in that parking lot.

Ashley was only supposed to be at Books Galore across the street, and he had never strayed from the set shopping list, both for budgeting reasons and time constraints— it was always Ashley's goal to get back before dark, even though he frequently wasn't able to.

So what made him cross the street and go from Books Galore to the parking lot of Deanna's Bakery?

Ren had spent hours pondering that. They hadn't seen the video surveillance footage, so perhaps there was something in that.

But still, who knew what had driven Ashley to walk across the street? If he had stayed at Books Galore, would he still be here? Would he still be alive if he had never crossed the street?

What could have made Ashley drop his guard enough to go out of his way and stray from his shopping list?

Ren didn't know.

xxxx

Ren moved their scrambled eggs around on their plate as they sat at the table.

They hadn't slept much last night, and hunger was the furthest thing from their mind— the idea of food made their stomach squirm.

Kristin sat on the couch, nibbling on toast while scrolling on his laptop. Charlie lounged beside him, working her way through an apple. Zip hunched over a bowl of cereal at the kitchen counter, gaze distant as he stared blankly at a point on the wall above the stove. Ferris flipped through a newspaper he had picked up on his way back from the Moonfall Precinct while sipping his coffee.

He and Charlie had done the daily crossword earlier, which had turned into a game of who could complete their half of the words the fastest. Charlie had the across clues, while Ferris took the down clues.

Ren had given a small laugh at Charlie's dark scowl and crossed-arm huff when Ferris beat her— she got stuck on her last clue.

But it was Kristin who brought Ren back from their thoughts and constant spiral of wondering about Ashley and what had happened.

"Guys," he said, voice high and shaky. Ren looked up, swallowing the bite of eggs they had managed to choke down.

"Yeah?" Charlie turned to face him, chewing on a bite of an apple.

"So I did something that might've been kinda stupid. But I did it for good reason so please don't be mad. You gotta remember that, alright? I did it for a good reason."

Ferris frowned, and Ren mirrored the action.

"What did you do?" Ferris asked, voice carefully neutral.

"I reached out to the Felix Fisk person who reached out and said he was the witness. Zip looked into him, and he really does work in tech support at Leviathan Inc. His sister, Freya, works there too! He didn't lie about that, so he might've not been lying about the rest!"

Ren mulled over Kristin's words.

He had emailed Felix, and Ren had been pondering that already in the back of their head since they had their suspicions. And they couldn't blame him— Felix claimed to know information about Ashley's murder. Who wouldn't want to do everything they could to try to solve their sibling's murder? Ren knew how close Kristin and Ashley had been, how inseparable the twins were and how much they meant to the other. Who could blame Kristin for doing anything that could possibly pan out into information that could help solve his brother's murder?

"Did Felix reply?" Ren tilted their head to the side.

"Yeah, actually. He did." Kristin huffed a chuckle, mouth pulling up at the edge in the closest thing to a smile Ren had seen from him since the day they all found out about Ashley and learned why he hadn't been responding to any of their attempts at reaching him.

"Wait?" Zip gasped, scrambling up off his stool at the kitchen counter and dashing over to Kristin and his laptop. "R-really?"

"Yeah, I got a reply... like, five minutes ago." Kristin tilted his laptop screen so Zip could see better.

"What did it say?" Charlie leaned over Kristin's shoulder. When he shied away, she shifted back with a rushed sorry, my bad.

"Just a second and I'll read it."

Ren moved to stand a few steps back from Kristin, adjusting their stance so they could clearly see his computer screen and the response from Felix.

Hello Kristin Baok,

I am telling the truth.

I don't know how much that means or how much you really believe me, but I am.

I will go to the Moonfall Precinct to turn myself in and say that I am the witness. I would've done it sooner, I promise, but I needed to give myself time to try to process what I saw.

And maybe that's selfish, I don't know.

All I know is you and the rest of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit are going through the hardest thing anyone could go through, and I couldn't do something that surely would help right away, something I know I should've done immediately but didn't.

The only thing I can say in my defense of that is that I couldn't think straight. I didn't want to stop along Myway Highway, but I knew I couldn't keep driving. And then I was witness to the worst act that could be committed, and I didn't know how to wrap my mind around what those three figures did to your friend. Your brother, Kristin Baok.

I will go turn myself in to the Moonfall Precinct and share everything I know. I don't know why those three figures did what I saw them do, but maybe the Moonfall Precinct can analyze what I saw in a way I don't know how.

I'm truly sorry, Kristin Baok. I truly am, and I cannot say that enough.

I wish there was more I could do. I wish I could turn back the clock and go back to that night and figure out some way to get those masked figures to stop and spare Ashley Baok's life.

I was terrified in that moment. I was paralyzed by fear and horror, because the only times I had seen people commit acts as horrible as those three figures did was in horror movies, where it was actors and props and carefully placed bags of blood. Where everything was fake. Never in the real world where someone's life was actually in danger and where someone's life could actually get cut so short.

I wish with all of my heart and soul that I knew of some way this could be made right, because even when those three figures, dressed in such dark clothing, get caught —because I know they will; I cannot entertain the thought they won't, not even for a moment— Ashley Baok will not be brought back to life.

I'm sorry, Kristin Baok. I wish I could've saved your brother.

And if it helps in any small way, I do believe Ashley Baok knew I was there. When he was in the company of devils, like you said in your reply.

I have played that night back in my head again and again. Every second I can remember over and over, and I believe he knew that I was there. I hope it provided some measure of comfort, however small. I know he looked at where I was crouching and I think he may have seen me, but he looked away before I could be sure.

I am sorry. I am so, so sorry.

But I promise I will turn myself in to the Moonfall Precinct. I know they are looking for me.

This is the least I can do. It won't make anything right, but maybe it will aid in making things less wrong.

I do not know if you will want to talk to me further. I could not save Ashley Baok. But please, do not hesitate to reach out if you do wish to speak further. I will respond as quickly as I can.

Sincerely,

Felix Fisk

Leviathan Inc. Tech Support

Email: [email protected]

Muse: me84

"Well," Charlie started, "he sure does seem awfully genuine."

"Text doesn't... no emotion." Zip chewed on his lip. Ren couldn't help but notice how Zip's arm was brushing up against Kristin's, and how Kristin hadn't shifted away.

"Yeah, but look at the word choice." Charlie pointed at the screen.

"What... what about it?"

"He could've chosen literally any words on the planet to get across the idea of I saw a close friend of yours-slash-brother of you, Kristin Baok, get murdered, and I feel really awful about it. And yet, this Felix Fisk said sorry a whole bunch. He's, like, picking words that just make him sound heartbroken. Makes me want to give him a big hug. With consent, of course."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Wait," Ren said. "Show me the email again?"

Kristin turned around. "Uh, sure. Here." He handed his laptop to them, and Ren took it, scrolling to the top of Felix's reply and reading through it again.

"Do you see something, Ren?" Ferris asked.

"Did the Moonfall Precinct ever release that the Trinity wore masks?"

"I don't believe so, why?"

"Felix said he wished he could turn back the clock and find some way to get those three masked figures to stop and spare Ashley's life."

The room went silent.

"Another drop in the bucket of Felix Fisk really is the witness," Charlie said.

"He also said that even when those three figures, dressed in such dark clothing, get caught, Ashley will not come back to life. I can't recall the clothing of the Trinity."

"That one can be guessed at, though." Kristin's mouth twisted into a frown. "Don't most villains wear dark clothing? It helps them stay hidden."

"I suppose," Charlie murmured. "But wouldn't most people just refer to the Trinity as the Trinity? Or those three figures? You know, not give those extra details? The sentences would stay the same and still hold the same meaning, even if we took out that they were wearing dark clothing or had masks. They're details that aren't necessary for the sentence to be a sentence and make sense."

Kristin tilted his head to the side. "I suppose."

"We should turn this into the Moonfall Precinct," Ferris said.

"Yeah, we should." Charlie hopped off the couch and walked over to the kitchen. She ruffled through the cabinets, then pulled out a single-size bag of chips.

"I can go," Ren offered. Perhaps if they went and talked to Larson, then they could get more answers. Maybe they could finally start piecing together the puzzle in their head that was missing such crucial pieces.

"Sure," Charlie spoke around a mouthful of chips.

"Keep us... keep us updated," Zip added.

"Don't forget anything they say," Kristin murmured.

"Make sure to drive safely," Ferris finished.

"Ok, I'll be back in maybe two hours? Give or take a while."

xxxx

Ren wasn't quite sure what to think as they approached the Moonfall Precinct.

The last time they had been there, they had walked through the doors as their mind raced with possibilities as to why Ashley hadn't been responding to any calls or messages. Death hadn't been considered, and certainly not murder. The worst thing Ren had thought of was that maybe Ashley had gotten caught up in something horrible. But in even the worst of the worst case scenarios they had gone through, Ren believed Ashley was still alive, because why wouldn't they? How could they think their friend was anything other than alive?

But he wasn't. Every message sent, every phone call made, every pleading voice mail left, Ashley was dead.

He never saw any of them.

Ren parked the car and made their way toward the doors of the Moonfall Precinct. They stuffed their hands in their pockets and tried to ignore the way their fingers trembled.

The Moonfall Precinct wasn't actually all that big— it was one of the smallest of the Precincts, second only to Raconteur, which existed purely because it was required that there be at least one Precinct building in each city of Waverwell. The officers and detectives there spent more time playing cards and chatting about their lives than filling out reports since there hadn't been an arrest there in close to a decade and the biggest crime that had occurred in anyone's memory was a stolen chicken.

But the Moonfall Precinct loomed in front of Ren, seemingly expanding to tower above them like a skyscraper, despite the fact it was barely two stories tall.

Ren reached out with a shaky hand to grasp the door handle.

You can do this, they told themself. You can do this. It will get answers for Ashley.

Once inside, Ren saw a little sign on a stand, saying that with the disease, people allowed inside the Precinct had been limited and that they were asking anyone who did come inside to frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. Ren stuck their hand beneath the dispenser.

Sunlight filtered through large windows, and overhead lights hung from the ceiling. Chairs had been arranged against the edges of the lobby. Pictures of Moonfall —everything from cityscapes, to Silverlight Forest, to squad cars in front of various buildings— hung on the walls.

"Hello," someone said, snapping Ren from methodically rubbing hand sanitizer into their skin to try to calm down and push away the images of Ashley's body. They could remember far too clearly the route to get to that fateful room, and they knew the exact moment the true meaning of the words we found Ashley hit like a brick to the temple. Ren didn't know how they hadn't dropped to their knees under the weight of the realization.

"Oh, uh, hi."

"How may I help you?" the person said. They sat at the front desk and gave a warm smile.

Ren took a few steps toward them. "I was, uh, hoping to speak with Detective Larson Hotch."

"I'm sorry, but with the lockdown, we are only offering appointments booked in advance. But if you go to our website-."

"I really need to talk with him," Ren pressed.

"I truly am sorry."

"It's about Ashley Baok's case. It's very important."

"There's a form for tips on our websi-."

Ren clenched their hands into bloodless fists, holding back a snarl of frustration. They knew the person was only doing their job. It wasn't their fault. And Ren knew they probably weren't really supposed to just walk in "I know that. I've visited your website a million times. I need to talk to Detective Larson Hotch! It's about Ashley Baok's case!"

The person stared at Ren for several long moments. Ren guessed enough of their desperation bled through into their expression, because the person nodded. "Ok, I understand. I cannot make any guarantees, but I will see if Larson is available to speak with you. What is your name?"

"I'm Ren."

Understanding washed across the person's face. "Oh, you knew Ashley Baok, didn't you? You're Ren from the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit, right?"

"Yes, I knew Ashley and I work for the SFPU."

"My deepest condolences for your loss, and I apologize for not recognizing you."

"It's ok," Ren rushed. "Can I please speak with Larson? I have something I think he'd like to see."

Ren slipped a hand into their pocket and grasped their phone. Kristin had forwarded Felix's reply to them, and the email sat in their inbox, flagged and marked in every way they knew how to ensure the email didn't go anywhere. They weren't risking losing a piece that could lead to progress in Ashley's case. Every step forward, no matter how small, was a step closer to knowing exactly what happened to Ashley.

Ren sat down on a chair, unable to do much more than perch on it, body tense as they waited.

xxxx

In the end, Ren didn't have to wait long.

It was less than ten minutes before Larson walked out into the lobby of the Moonfall Precinct.

"Hello, Ren," Larson greeted as he approached them. His greying curly hair stuck up at every angle, and dark bags hung heavily beneath his eyes. Wrinkles creased his shirt, and Ren couldn't help but wonder how much sleep he had been getting and when the last time he went home was.

Ren turned around, rubbing hand sanitizer on their hands after they'd stuck their hand under the dispenser again in a nervous movement. They ducked their head in acknowledgement. "Hello, Detective Larson Hotch."

"Please, just Larson is fine. I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances."

Ren offered an interpretation of a smile. They couldn't meet Larson's gaze.

His mouth twisted into a look of sympathy.

"If you'll follow me, we can go speak in my office."

"Sure."

Larson's office was neat and tidy, anything there with a clear purpose. The files on his desk were organized in neat piles, each squared and even in straight lines and ninety-degree angles. His name tag sat parallel to the front of his desk, reading LARSON HOTCH, LEAD DETECTIVE.

Ren sat down in the chair Larson gestured to, then he settled into his own chair.

"So," he started, "I have kinda... two big things I wanted to talk with you about, as far as Ashley Baok's investigation is going. We are of course continuing to work on it and are seeking out the identities of the Trinity's members. We're following up on every lead, and we will not stop until we have Ashley's killers in custody and charged with every offense possible."

"Ok, thank you," Ren said. "But first, Felix Fisk wrote to us again. He replied to Kristin. I brought the email with me."

Something flashed across Larson's face. "Do you have that email?"

Ren nodded. "Yes, just give me a moment." They pulled out their phone and unlocked it, pulling up the forwarded email from Felix. "Here it is. I can send it to you if you'd like."

"Please, that would be wonderful."

"What's your email address?"

"[email protected]. Lowercase detective."

Ren typed the address in and hit send. "Ok, thanks. I just sent it."

Larson's computer dinged a few moments later. He was silent as he read through the email, eyebrows furrowed.

"Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention. This actually fits into one of the things I was going to tell you: Sedge Valentine is currently with Felix Fisk."

"I'm sorry?"

"Felix Fisk is here." Larson tapped a finger on the table. "He walked in here a few hours ago and said he had information about Ashley Baok's murder. He turned himself in, like he said in this email."

"He's the witness?" Ren asked, needing to clear it up once and for all.

Larson chewed on his lip, and Ren didn't know why it couldn't be yes or no.

"It's still a bit too early to say for certain— Sedge still needs to go through some more things with Felix. But I do believe so. I do believe Felix Fisk is the witness. At a minimum, he knows things he wouldn't know if he were just the average citizen. He has told us things that only someone there that night would know."

Ren's nose burned, and they pressed a hand to their mouth.

Finally.

Ashley was finally beginning to get justice. The facts of his murder were finally coming to light, and this was another step closer to figuring out what had happened on the night Ashley lost his life and who the monsters were that formed the wicked trio of the Trinity.

When Larson held out a box of tissues, Ren took one, dabbing at their eyes as they let the knowledge sink in that the witness had likely been found.

They wouldn't have wished seeing something as horrific as a murder on anybody, but they couldn't help but feel glad that it wasn't only devils there that night with Ashley. That there had been another human there who had seen what had happened, at least in part. That maybe Ashley hadn't been quite so alone in his last few moments.

Ren had wished again and again that they could've been there with Ashley to comfort him, tell him that he was loved, that he wasn't alone. They wished he could've had a familiar face there. But if nothing else, a human face who didn't mean him harm was better than three soulless, remorseless faces staring down at him, eyes red and twin horns glowing in the dead of the night.

"Was Alaska Wendell March's murder also committed by the Trinity?" Ren didn't want to beat around the bush— they had calmed down enough to continue, and they knew it would be one of the first questions they'd get asked when they returned back to the camp.

Larson hesitated. He ran a hand over his jaw, and Ren wasn't sure why he was taking so long to respond.

"We believe so," he eventually said. "I can't get into the details, but there were many similarities between both murders."

"Do you know what the connection was between Ashley and Alaska?"

"I'm assuming you've done some digging of your own?"

Ren nodded. "Yeah, we have."

"May I ask what you've found?"

"We found nothing, unfortunately."

Larson hummed, disappointed. "We haven't been able to find anything either. As I'm guessing you heard on the news, we brought in Alaska's ex-boyfriend, but he has an airtight alibi."

"That doesn't completely rule him out though, right?"

"No, he could still be involved, but in a more indirect way. It's something we're still looking into."

Ren hummed.

There were two known murders committed by the Trinity. Who knew what others were sitting as unsolved cases or closed cases, but wrongfully so?

Two people taken from their friends and family far too soon, in the most unnatural way possible.

Ren's heart clenched and twisted in their chest, and they breathed through the pain for the millionth time since they had found out that they would never see Ashley alive ever again.

"We've been reviewing the footage of Ashley Baok in front of Deanna's Bakery," Larson said, breaking the silence and snapping Ren back to reality.

They nodded. "What have you found?"

"We haven't identified the person seen with Ashley, but we believe they may be a missing person."

"And you believe they're somehow connected to the Trinity?"

"No, I do not." Larson leaned back in his chair, mulling over his words. "I think it's very likely this fourth person knows of the Trinity, but I do not believe this fourth person has any personal connection to the Trinity, nor do I believe they're closely associated with the Trinity. The Trinity is still a group of three, not a group of four."

"And you're sure this fourth person is..." Ren paused, exhaling slowly to calm the quiver in their throat and to stop their voice from cracking and rising a few octaves. "You're sure this fourth person is involved?"

Larson gave a sympathetic smile. He nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, but yes, I am. I cannot get into the details of the video, but I am certain the interaction between Ashley and this person led to his murder."

"So if that interaction never occurred, Ashley would still be here?"

"I cannot speculate on that, because I do not know. I'm sorry, Ren. I truly am. I wish I could give you all of the answers you are looking for. I wish I could tell you what happened and who is responsible. But I promise you that I will not rest until the case is solved, all questions have been answered, and those responsible have been arrested, charged, and convicted. I won't rest, and neither will anyone else on the task force investigating Ashley Baok's murder."

Ren held Larson's gaze, vision slightly blurry, but they blinked away the tears.

"Thank you," they whispered, voice tight and hoarse.

"Can I see the video?" Ren asked after wiping away a tear that had rolled down their cheek.

"Do you have pictures of Ashley on your phone?" It was a rhetorical question from Larson, of course— Ren had many pictures of Ashley. Videos, too. They had countless pictures of the then-SFPU.

"Yes, I do."

"Remember Ashley that way, please. You don't need to see this video. The way you want to remember Ashley is in those photos, not in this video. If you truly, truly want to see the video, I can show you the beginning of it, but please believe me that the Ashley you want to remember is in your photos."

Ren mulled over what Larson had said.

They wanted to see the video. They wanted to see the last footage caught of Ashley, of their friend.

But they also knew it wouldn't change anything. Ashley would still be dead. His killers would still be walking free and unnamed. There wouldn't be some lightbulb moment where everything would make sense.

Ren might never get that moment where everything settled, and they could fully grasp the why in the reason behind Ashley's murder. They had no idea now, and even when the case was closed, they didn't know that they'd be able to say they understood when faced with the reason why the Trinity had murdered Ashley. They didn't even know if there was a reason that would make sense to anyone but the Trinity.

xxxx

Sedge Valentine walked into Larson's office after the lead detective had called him in, and Larson turned his computer screen so he could see it.

Sedge cursed.

Then Larson cursed.

Then Sedge cursed again.

Then Larson cursed again.

Ren frowned.

Larson jabbed a finger at his computer screen, gaze darkening considerably.

Sedge nodded, mouth thinning until it was just a strip of paled skin.

"It's not good," he said.

"It's not good," Larson agreed.

"What isn't good?" Ren asked, unable to hold back their curiosity.

"Waverwell News somehow got their paws on the news that we've found the witness. They even managed to get the name! Felix Fisk!" Larson threw his hands up in the air with a groan. "I hope this was some really unfortunate accident, but if this was intentionally leaked by someone here, they're done; I will make sure of it. I'll charge them too."

"With what?" Sedge asked.

"I'm not in the headspace for a complete list, but certainly interfering in an ongoing investigation. Putting a witness at risk, too. Don't they know it's the Trinity?"

Ren's blood ran cold; they hadn't thought of that.

From what Larson had said, nothing in Felix's interview gave any indication that he was anything but the witness— if the Trinity got ahold of Felix's name and identity, who knew what they would do. Felix had seen what they had done to Ashley. Had seen it first hand. Had seen it in person, not in crime scene photos and observations made after the fact.

Felix had been the last human to see Ashley alive, Ren thought, and their stomach twisted. They hoped Ashley knew that he wasn't alone in those last moments, and that maybe it had provided him some small measure of comfort that he had company. That he didn't have to let go surrounded entirely by monsters and the hollow silence of the night.

If the Trinity knew that Felix Fisk had seen what they did to Ashley, who knew what they would do to ensure Felix couldn't testify against them and share everything they did in excruciating and condemning detail.

Ren knew it wouldn't be anything good.