Continued from here part 1
Devil's Den.
Joe and Roxie are sitting on a roof over looking Alegheri park eating chili dogs. Roxie had a worried look. Joe looked over to her as he swallowed a bite, "Something wrong with the dog?"
"How am I supposed to eat when an invisible man is hunting me?"
Joe shrugged, "Not eating means you have less energy, less energy means you won't focus as well and that'll get you killed."
She sighed and took a bite. As she chewed she looked up and spoke with a half full mouth, "How did shpot the guy?"
Joe looked down at her, "Swallow before you speak kid."
He quickly finished her bite and asked again, "How did you spot the guy?"
"Wasn't hard, just payed attention."
She gave a blank stare. He sighed and pointed toward the street, "What do you see down there?"
She looked down, "Some people and cars and stuff."
He nodded and knelt down beside her as he pointed toward a man eating a cheeseburger, "That man down there most likely didn't have breakfast considering how focused he is on that burger. His girl friend there started aggressively pawing at his shoulders a second ago because she probably thought that attractive blonde ten feet to the left was checking out her man.
She was actually looking at the burger but the disgusted look she had indicates she's either a vegan or a health nut."
He then pointed to a pigeon sitting on a lamp post, "That bird is getting antsy and nervous because he just noticed the falcon on the flag pole about half a block away on the right."
She looked at him mildly impressed, "Is that like a power?"
He shook his head, "No, I was trained for that. Observational skills are one of the most important attributes for evasion and survival. This Butcher guy who's following you can make himself invisible but he's still solid. I spotted him because he brushed past a flag and made it move opposed to the wind. Him stepping in a puddle confirmed it."
She gave a nod as he pointed down again, "Now look again, pay attention and tell me what you see."
***
Golden Roads
A man from the CBTF had just finished his shift and arrived home. As he opened the door he noticed the phrase 'Mihi Vindictam' written in blood on the wall. He felt a bit of panic as he remembered the reports about the Indigo Butcher. He ran into the house, "Laura! Baby!?"
He felt relief for a second as he saw her seated as if looking out the window before realizing she didn't respond. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder causing her body to slump. He then felt a grip on his own shoulder and felt a cold steel blade across his throat. He didn't have time to react before the unseen blade sliced through his skin.
Victor looked down on the man's body with a nod.
Griffith, The office of the Indigo City Police Commissioner.
A man in his late 30s with black but graying hair and a five o'clock shadow named Det. Craig Lewis sits waiting for the Commissioner. He'd been on the force for over a decade but had never been in this office before but he didn't think this meeting meant anything good.
After a moment the Commissioner walked in followed by a well groomed man in his late 20s who wore a dark blue business suit and black gloves. The Commissioner introduced them, "This is Detective Craig Lewis, he's been working the Butcher case from the beginning. Detective, this is Agent Tom Kane from..."
He looked to Kane, "I'm not sure what agency he's with but the Mayor has ordered me to assign you to aide him in capturing the Indigo Butcher."
Lewis turned back, "And why are the Feds suddenly interested?"
Kane looked down, "There has been a development. It is currently known that your killer is targeting soldiers and their families. In every instance the families of these soldiers were all posed and accounted for while the soldiers were left where they died. In all cases but one."
Lewis nodded, "The Collins girl?"
Kane nodded, "If she is in fact alive we may have an actual witness."
Lewis nodded, "That's not your only reason."
Kane shrugged, "We've been following this case for quite some time. The M.O. has us concerned. We've noticed that with the family members, he kills with surgical precision and wounds indicate quick almost painless deaths, while the soldiers get their throats slit and are allowed to bleed out. In nearly every case their eyes were open and facing their families. This says that the soldiers are the actual target."
He then tosses a photo on the desk, "Then there's this."
Lewis picks it up and looks at the words 'Mihi Vindictam' as Kane continues, "Its Latin and translates too..."
Lewis cut him off, "Vengeance is mine. So what you're saying is you believe we have a well trained assassin who's gone off the reservation with a vendetta?"
Kane nodded again, "Basically, and I can give you 10 suspects."
He then opened a brief case with several files in them, "You won't find any records, on paper none of these people exist but they are the only people that we know of with the kind of training necessary to get away this clean considering the targets. Even if he's a carrier he'd leave some form of evidence otherwise. We aren't sure what was different but if and when we find out we may have your killer."
The two men made there way out of the building. Lewis noticed Kane took out a pen and began clicking it as they passed the scanners that all government buildings have to detect carriers. After they exited the building Kane slid the pen back in his pocket. He did it in a nonchalant manner as if it was a nervous habit. To the untrained eye it wouldn't matter but Lewis is a very good detective and knows practiced behavior when he sees it.
***
Devil's Den
As the sun set Joe and Roxie walked down an alley. They stopped as they heard the beeping of a scanner. Joe looked ahead to see a task force agent who happened to be taking a leak in the alley, "F**k."
The agent quickly zipped up and yelled,"Freeze."
Roxie looked nervous as Joe's arm stretched out and coiled up like a spring. When the agent got within an arm's length Joe punched him in the chest launching him across the street where he slammed into a wall. His armor took the brunt of the impact but the man was winded as he stood. His partner gave a surprised look before turning down the alley.
Joe and Roxie were no where to be seen.
( To be continued)
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