Chapter 1

Ghost

"With proven evidence of man slaughter, I hereby sentence Mrs.

Katherine Thorn to 18 years in prison with a chance of 3 years
parole" and with a bang the judge swiftly ended the court trial.
Cheers of joyous celebration erupted from the other side of the
room as the victim's parents cried for the justice that served their
precious son. The other side of the faction, however, is in contrast
to this atmosphere. Faces full of disbelief and shock as the person
they have been defending has been the killer after all.

The attorney assigned to Katherine Thorn couldn’t help his

mouth from gaping like a fish out of water.

He was one hundred percent sure that he would win this trial. He
has been hired to win over this case, as he never lost a case before,
and with his persuasive words and confidence that his charge is
innocent. He should've won over the court like a walk in the park.
And yet a red headed woman suddenly walk in here with a stride
that means business, completely obliterating their chance of
proving Katherine not guilty in a span of 5 minutes.

From just her husband's private credit card and a burnt fingerless
wool gloves that Katherine whined to be missing, as it was her

1
‘favorite’ gloves that her deceased husband has given her in her
birthday

Katherine stood in rage,

"YOU'RE ALL MAKING A MISTAKE! I DIDN'T

KILL MICHAEL! I LOVE HIM WITH ALL MY
HEART! WHY WOULD I KILL HIM?!

"All the evidence points at you, Mrs. Thorn, and has been proven
correct by a professional, I assure you."

Judge Coolly, who was nearly fooled by the innocent demeanor

of the crazy woman that he nearly prove not guilty at all, motioned
for the cops to take the raging woman away.

Katherine couldn’t believe that this is happening to her. She

wasn't supposed to even be in the possible list of suspects. She
even made sure to plant fake evidences and she still got caught?!

Her eyes swept over the room and found the bane of her
existence, the bane of her freedom.

"YOU!" She hissed angrily, blonde hair wildly moving at her

erratic movements as she forcefully made her way towards the
woman that foiled her plans. Lashing her arms out in order to avoid
those hands that want to stop her from beating the shit out of the
bitch

2
She made a move to slap her as hardly as she can when she
suddenly found her face mashed against the floor, arm gripping the
base of her shoulder and a knee that dug painfully on her back.
The said arm and knee belonged to that bitch while keeping a cool
aloof expression, as if unfazed by everything that is happening,
that she just hadn't ruined HER life!

"Me" fiery red hair pooled down above her, tickling her neck and
irritating her face. Katherine glared hatefully at those cold brown
eyes hidden behind a set of squared glasses, lips stretch into a
mocking smile behind that fire red head of hers. She swore that
only she could see it

She tried talking, only for her voice to be muffled as her cheek and
mouth dig the floor that had been walk upon by those filthy shoes.

"G'off of' me B'tch! I' G'nna kill ou! "

"Ms. Quinn, please remove your person from the convict,"

"Yes, sir," and just like that, the weight was lifted from her body,
She made a move to attack the red headed woman when hands
roughly grabbed from her elbows and, proceeded to drag her away
from the court room, screaming and kicking.

3
Her raging eyes lock into the cold brown eyes one last time, and
with deep seethed loathing she vowed.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!!"

BANG!

Muffled shouting was continued to be heard outside.

Alice Quinn Stared impassively at the door before she made a

move to leave, seeing that her job is done.

A hand grabbed her sleeve, making her turn and look at the teary
eyed form of the victim's parents, their wrinkled face filled with tears
and grateful smiles.

"Th-thank you so much Ms. Quinn, We owe you our gratitude for
bringing our dear Jasper's justice," Vidalia Thorn hiccupped,
stifling her cries. Her husband placed a comforting hand in her
back.

Alice smiled and bowed her head at the two, hands clasped in front
of her in a form of respect and condolence for their deceased son.

"I'm merely doing my work madam, besides…"

She looks up and stares past their shoulders.

4
“I’m not fond of criminals getting away from what they've done “

Mrs. Thorn grasped her hand in a tight yet gentle grip “If you need
anything, anything at all, you can just come to us. We owe you for
what you did for Jasper” The redhead smiled and nods her head.

Alice bid her goodbye and exited at the other side of the room,
giving thanks to the compliments of the people on her way out.

The last thing she heard was the couple thanking their attorney for
his efforts.

5
Chapter 2

Death

In the parking area of the building, Alice made her way into the only
white colored car in the vicinity, heels clicking against the concrete
floor with measured steps.

Entering the car, Alice removed her glasses and stared at the rear
view mirror, she took a view of her irritated eyes. Red and dilated,
just like every time she forced herself to see.

Releasing a sigh, she opened her side bag and took a small bottle,
dropping 2 drops in each eyes.

While doing so her phone vibrated and she answered it without

looking at the caller, knowing the only person to ever call her after
finishing every trial is that bozo.

"What is it?" Alice inquired, readying for her next destination that
she’s been waiting to go to for the day.

"Heeeey, Alice! How's the trial? Locked up another scumbag? "

A cheery voice drawled out from the other line, accompanied by
shuffling of what sounds like paperwork and distinct voices of
people scampering and shouting in the area. Sounds that she grew
familiar with for the last 4 years in service.

6
"As usual, they found my suspect guilty" And she did. Katherine
Thorn hid the evidence quite well if she say so herself, But with
the right resources and knowledge, as well as to where to find them,
all of it really falls down to the blonde haired woman like a wildfire in
a forest.

"How did you even know that she's did it? She wasn't even in the
list of suspects; she's the least that we could think of to kill Jasper
Thorn as she was seen half a city away from the initial date that he
died"

This made Alice sigh with hidden mirth "Let's just say that a little
birdie told me" And that little birdie is Alice herself and her ability.
It made her mouth tilt a little. The case had been requested by the
old couple in her agency who wanted to make sure that the process
of their son’s investigation is dealt with justice, and she’s the one
her boss assigned the case to. But with the limited amount of time
and the need to see the mutilated corpse across the city, she
requested the picture of the crime scene from the wary people that
wanted nothing to do to her, and the strain of reconstructing the
time of death in her poor brain and all that jazz.

"Of course, you’d say that. You’ll never tell me how you do it, will
you?" the voice lightly pressed, he’s been wandering over the red
head’s secret for every single time she successfully won a case.
Except that one time she didn’t, but that is a story for another time

7
"Yep" Alice answered, unaware of the other’s thought

"Anyway…we’ll probably have a meeting about tomorrow,”

"Is there anything he said about the meeting?" Alice paused to ask,
fiddling with her sleek glasses to remove the smudge that somehow
manages to mysteriously appear at random.

“I don’t think you’re going to like it,”

Suddenly, the voice changed from easy going to a serious and it

made Alice frown. This usually means that it's something really
severe that it even makes the famous Markus Graham serious and
now that she thinks about it, he’s jittery. The Markus she knew is
lax and jolly, not as tense as she pictured the man is now.

And above all is his voice, back from their earlier conversation,
Markus sounds uneasy, hesitant, and Forced, As if he’s buying
time and doesn’t want to even disclose the information to her

“It’s about the VoiceBox Killer,"

This made Alice pause.

"Isn't this assigned to Richard?"

"..."

The silence disturbed her. It means uncertainty, it means

something bad, it means there’s something wrong.

8
“Markus!” Alice snapped, feeling the distress slowly crawl in her
brain and into her heart that started beating loudly in her ribcage.
There’s something wrong. Something bad happened to Richard.
She hoped she was wrong. She wouldn’t mind being wrong for
once if that would mean Richard isn’t-

"..Yes, but the thing is...he turned up dead with his larynx cut-off. I
think he's the latest victim,”

Alice felt the moment her heart stop beating, how her breath
hitched for hearing what she didn’t want to hear "...I see" She
couldn’t help how hollow her voice sounds like at the moment.

"His body will be moved for autopsy tomorrow, I can make a

visitation pass for you if you want to see him,"

"That will be much appreciated Markus, Thank you" Alice forced

herself to answer, the other line on the phone let out a pained sigh
as he gripped the device tightly in his hand.

"Hey, I'm sorry that you have to know about this, I know you and
Richard have something going o-"

"I'll be there at 7 in the morning, Goodbye Markus"

She stared blankly at her phone as the call ended. For the first
time in a while, Alice couldn’t comprehend what she just heard.

Richard is dead?

9
Dead?

That ray of sunshine? Dead?

A pathetic laugh escaped her lips. She couldn’t believe what just
happened. Richard shouldn’t be dead.

She just spoke to him yesterday.

Why would Richard be dead? How?

‘I’ll wait for you in the park after you win the case alright? You got
this!’

She was supposed to meet Richard today, she was supposed to

be on her way to the park today.

‘I have a surprise for you’

His voice…full of enthusiasm, as if he couldn’t wait to show her

something, to tell her something. His enthusiasm is so contagious
that even she couldn’t help but look forward to it. It’s why she
finished her work so early.

‘I’ll wait for you in the garden’

Snapping out of her reverie, she immediately started the car engine
and hit the gas. Alice sped out of the parking lot, leaving a trail of
dust on her way out.

10
Chapter 3

Search

She sped through the highway as fast as she can, ignoring the
beeping vehicles and yells of shock for overtaking or nearly
ramming her car into theirs.

She had to go to the park.

Alice disregarded the red light that motioned for cars to stop, one
that she follows faithfully till now, traffic light and speeding ticket
be damned.

Richard could be there waiting for me.

The starry night twinkled with ancient rhythm. Honks of vehicles

can be heard at the busy streets with the occasional yelling of a
street vendor.

Strays littered the ground with fallen trashcans looking for food to
feed their sunken, hungry stomachs.

The redheaded woman drove pass them in haste, heading into the
more peaceful part of the city, a destination that she knew like the
back of her hand.

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The spacious park filled with their memories came into view. She
didn’t bother finding a parking lot and just parked on the side of
the road, her car bumper nearly hitting a tree in her haste. She
didn’t waste any more time and walked out of the car, slamming the
door on her way

She dash through the gate and entered the park, she looked
around, looking for the familiar wild pale-blonde hair that should be
standing out like the moon in the inky night sky.

Eyes sharper than ever, knuckle white hands gripping her phone,
pleading for whatever Gods out there to make Richard answer her
goddamned call.

“Richard, if this is what you call a surprise, I’m not going to talk to
you ever again” Alice warned in a stern voice, hidden nervousness
barely seeping through her teeth. She hit the end of the voice call
for the umpteenth time.

She ran to every nook and corner of the park, startling the men in
the restroom for barging and forcefully opening open every stall.
Dignity stashed away at the back of her mind if it means finding
Richard alive and well.

She couldn’t believe that she was now representing the opposite
of what people saw her before, something different that even she is
not aware of, someone that she will know that one day. She will

12
look back and remember this day and will be cringing and
threatening everyone who saw her weakened state.

Alice didn’t know how much time she spent looking around for the
man, just running and scrutinizing every person that she passed and
sooner or later, people begun pointing and muttering of a deranged
red haired woman that keeps on running around the not-so
peaceful park anymore, wondering if they should call for security,
but she didn’t care at all about what they think.

Hours pass and before Alice knew it, she was the only person in
the park.

She let her shoulder sag, releasing a tired sigh. Her face crumbled
down into a pained yet relaxed state as she dejectedly made her
way to a bench near the fountain, her knees finally buckled from
exhaustion making her roughly sit.

The lights around her gleam from the lack of motion, leaving her in
darkness with the starry night as she remains motionless.

Nothing could be heard except the sound of water flowing from a

nearby fountain and the occasional sounds from cars that drove
past.

'’I will never be happy, will I mother?'’ Her voice was filled with pain
and resignation, her eyes filled with silent tears, mourning for the
death of the only man she will ever love.

13
She couldn't help the self-hatred that flowed into her being. The
promise that she made all those years ago to not let anyone enter
her heart, shattered because of the insistent ball of life. She made
herself care for another person, let him enter into her life, and at
what cost?

Another dead body on her doorstep.

Alice let out a bitter laugh.

She really is cursed, even with her so called gift. The last thing she
cares about is the only thing she’ll forever keep.

She couldn't even bring her parent's real justice. To wring that
man's neck with her own hands and watch as his life get snuffed out
by her own two hands. Have a glass of champagne as she watches
what that man ‘hard’ work be consumed into the flames

The nagging feeling from the back of her mind whispered ‘he’s
probably living a peaceful life in his pristine prison, with the guards
wrapped around his finger with the money he threw around to allow
him to do as he please’. She shook her head and expelled the
traitorous voice.

She couldn’t do anything except wait for the right moment, and she
could see that moment a bit too long from here.

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Eyes brimming, intense and a little unhinged.

A thought escape and she remained still, body remaining in the

same position as she silently mourns, with the stars as the only
witness of her weak moment.

Silently, Alice Left the park. She glanced back and saw all those
happy moments in her life play before her eyes.

Alice Quinn left the park full of memories and negative emotions.
Her painful past, deep inside her heart, stirred but she suppressed
it. Only leaving the Cold sensation of determination to catch and
destroy.

Whoever killed Richard should be ready.

She wouldn’t be merciful this time around.

15
Chapter 4

Crime scene

Paul, one of the evidence response team members that was

scattered across the area, gripped the cotton swab in his hand as
he checked for any possible clues left behind by the killer. His
mask hiding his solemn, yet sad expression that he knew each and
every one currently had.

The body has been transferred to the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

He placed another cotton swab in the container and turned off the
UV ray that was illuminating the car seat that they brought in, and
let out a deep sigh. He stood up and approached one of his
colleagues, avoiding the flash of light of the camera from the
photographic unit.

“Any news so far?” his voice was hoarse. His mouth felt dry for
ignoring his body’s need of for water for the past 3 hours as he
prioritized working. He couldn’t allow such limited time to be spent
pointlessly. There’s a lot of clues left that is yet to be discovered,
and the possibilities of it vanishing for his incompetence left an ugly
taste in his mouth.

16
His colleague turned away from the monitor and nodded at his
direction. He took the offered bottle and gulped it down till it’s
empt.

Taking off the orange glasses, his vision returning into a world of
color.

“Bad news actually, the recording of CCTV camera located at

this direction was…How do I say it? Chipped off from the
recording?”

Paul furrowed his eyebrow “You mean the recording was

destroyed?”

“No, I meant that the recording was trimmed of the time the body
was placed in his car, rendering us from knowing who placed him
there.”

‘Why not just destroyed it completely?’ he wondered, keeping his

thought to himself just in case someone might get offended. But
really, why didn’t the murderer just get rid of the recordings so they
wouldn’t waste time? Something’s missing here.

“From the way his body was placed here by the murderer, and the
amount of blood that surrounds the car seat, and how it dried. I’d
say he was murdered from another place, preferably near the site
for the murderer to easily avoid,”

17
Both, along with those near in the area enough to hear it, turned to
the sound of a monotone voice. Finding just in time a figure turning
off the flashlight that illuminated the car seat. Red hair tied in a
ponytail swayed to the side revealing the face that Paul knew really
well, and oh boy did he gulp from the woman’s presence.

“I think Richard was killed 10 hours prior of the discovery of his

body, the killer had enough time to remove the larynx and move his
body from other place and for the body to cool afterwards,”

“Alice” He intoned, watching with wary eyes but he nodded at the

helpful insight, slightly in awe that the red head had the same
conclusion as the one that analyzed the corpse found in the car,
without seeing the body itself.

Monroe’s body had already phased through the Algor and Rigor
Mortis when he was found, indicating that he was killed between 6
to 7 in the morning.

The red head approached them and leaned on the monitor that
displays the video of the supposed cut that his colleague talked
about.

“The probability of the location of him being killed is in a 1

kilometer radius, with the way the blood dried up around him, he
could’ve been place here at…9 o’clock in the morning”

That…

18
Pieces begun connecting in his mind from what the red head is
insinuating.

“Miss. Pincer, Did you see anything of importance from the

recordings you gathered? Preferably in parking lot’s entrance?”
Alice continued, eyes never leaving the body of the recent victim
that the two knew to be her lover. Pincer subtly flinch, ignoring the
fact that someone just barged in their investigation and talked like
she’s one of the higher ups demanding reports, she shook her head
and answered the redhead’s (At least) politely asked question.

She checked the information about the building and tried looking
for one that could’ve sighted the car. Even at the street that has a
full view of the hotel.

“Err… No ma’am, the building’ didn’t have any CCTV in their

parking entrance, unfortunately”

A subtle click of a tongue was the only response before the red
head leaned back and politely smiled discreetly at her.

“I see, thank you for the information.”

Paul decided to interject and continue what the woman has been
hinting on, she turned her head into his direction and flashed him a
mirthless smile “Our killer is getting sloppy” He nodded, the killer
seems to think that by trimming the CCTV feed it would make it
look like Richard Monroe has been there for hours and create and

19
point their alibis to avoid suspicion, now that he thinks about it, the
way it was placed.

Paul took that chance to question the FBI agent “What are you
doing here Alice? We’re currently in the middle of investigating, not
that I’m complaining but it’s-“ His eyes swept to the clock in the
monitor “-12:50.”

“M-markus called me earlier after the hearing and I wanted to see

for myself” the stutter went unheard and Alice crossed her arms
over her chest, her face remain unchanging with a cooled off
expression.

Paul couldn’t fault the woman for her eagerness to come into the
investigation, but wondered why she came into the site at such hour
when the news of Richard’s body being discovered was 5 hours
ago ‘where were you?’

“Monroe’s Body was moved in the facility an Hour ago, to be

autopsied by Sean’s team.”

His eyes drifted at the red head, hesitating to what he will be

saying next “Quinn… I think he was killed by the-“

“Voicebox killer, I know, Markus already speculated it,” The

woman cut off, Paul could hear the anger that escape her tight,
controlled voice and didn’t call her out for it.

20
“But we need the other clues for Monroe’s to be labeled as
another of their victim,” He almost hesitantly added, Alice’s brown
eyes suddenly seems clouded. Paul wanted to smack himself for
speaking

Her vision cleared and smiled at them, so utterly empty that Paul
finds himself unconsciously shuddering “I know” she checked her
watch and let out a sigh “I’ll be going at the BAU, I’ll check the
proceeding about their analysis” They both nodded and bid a
polite goodbye

The moment the red head entered the bleached car (Since when is
there a car there?) Paul let out a sigh as the phantom feeling of
tightness that seems to clog in his body leave along with the red
head, he ruffled his hair in frustration and went back to work

21
Chapter 5

Regret

Monika stared, and stared at the pale corpse laying at the metallic
table. Her vision blurred by the tears that continues to flow in her
eyes.

Regret

Sadness

Pain

She never known that this will affect her badly

Monika sniffed and swipe her already wet face with her sleeve, the
tears smearing bits of make-up that she dabbed in her face earlier
this morning, soaking her lab coat and prickling the skin underneath.

She couldn’t bring herself to approach him. Feet rooted at the

floor like someone nailed it to the ground. Every move that she
tried to make seems painful, excruciating.

22
Someone gently tapped her shoulder and Monika flinched at the
sudden contact, body swirling around and met face to face with the
female visage of her best friend. She was then enveloped with her
warm body. She realized that she was being hug, she greedily
returned it, body shaking as new found tears returned with full
force, throat choking up to the point that it hurts.

Her best friend, the whole crew knew of her romantic interest to
Richard Monroe. How the man was always there for her, even in
the academy, her classmate, her friend who supported her
unconditionally. Dead

Monika always had low self-esteem. Her meek personality had

others frowning at her dream, thinking that she couldn’t be part of
the FBI like her brother who was always fierce and look up to at
the agency. Monika wanted to be like him.

She wanted to give up at that time, already thinking of dropping

out of the academy with her resume tightly held in her hands, ready
to give up her dream one door away.

But then a wild blonde haired man bumped in front of her,

accidentally letting go of the paper and for the blonde to pick it up.
And from that moment, everything changed.

Richard Monroe changed her life, supported and cheered for her
until she graduated, Monika never stopped being grateful to him.

23
And then he turns up dead. Eyes closed. dead.

And yet… Monika could almost feel like he’s sleeping, tucked away
in bed with a white sheet that protected him from the cold.

In his eternal sleep…

Layla hugged her tighter, ruffling her hair in comfort. Monika

closed her eyes and relished at the emotion that her best friend
portrayed her.

Monika listened as words were formed, the apologies, the

condolence and the conviction to solve this problem. She nodded
and strengthened her resolve, she made her decision. And with a
deep, shaky sigh. Monika looked up and stared at Layla with
resolve.

“I’ll be the one to check him”

Layla stared at her in shock, before turning into a worried gaze that
Monika felt the urge to wipe it out of her face.

“Are you sure? I feel like it will make you uncomfor-“

“I can do it!” Monika snapped before looking guiltily at her “Let me

do it…please, it’s the only thing I can do for his sake,” she muttered.
eyes looking at the floor to avoid her friend’s searching gaze.
Monika then heard a sigh “Sure, I’ll tell the others about it, but I’ll

24
assign someone to be there to assist you alright?” Layla sternly
instructed.

Monika agreed, and watched as Layla sauntered away and joined

the rest of the crew, gripping her hand in her pocket tightly.

She released a shaky sigh and grabbed a pair of synthetic gloves,

putting them on with trembling hands. Her eyes then glance at the
pale face one last time before grabbing a cloth and placing it gently
on top of his face.

High resolve or not, she couldn’t bear to look at his dead, pale
face.

Monika released a teary smile, hiding them behind her mask before
uttering.

“I’m sorry.”

The man assigned to assist her came with soft footsteps. He

nodded at her before grabbing a pair of gloves for himself, face
already hidden by his mask. One of the few who remained
apathetic to the death of their fellow agent.

With a firm voice that lack its usual shaky voice, Monika stared at
him before giving her order.

25
“You check his check, I’ll be the one to open his stomach” The men
only nodded and grabbed a pair of tools, turning the light above
brighter and promptly ignoring her.

Monika focused on the stomach, grabbing the scalpel with steady

hands and positioned it above the scar-less stomach. The scalpel
glinted in her vision, a replacement for the loss one which they
couldn’t find.

With a steady breath, the blade touched the stomach and pressed
it down with laughable ease.

Monika slowly packed all the bloodied tools in the plate, deciding
to be the one to wash all of it as her partner left to start all of his
findings in the lab, as well as to check the substance that she saw in
Richard’s stomach to see if they are the same as the previous
victims. Giving him a bottled drink for his hard work, the man gave
her a questioning glance before muttering a thanks, tucking it in the
pocket of his lab coat before exiting the room.

She disposed of the gloves placing it in her bag along with the
others to be incinerated for later. Stifling a yawn she wondered
what time is it already and looked at the wall on the left, which was

26
where the wall clock is located that glared at her with its red
numbers,, Monika realize that there’s only 4 hours left for her to
rest…

If she can still sleep after what happened today

Rubbing her sore eyes, she carried the plate and made a move to
the exit, only to stop when it opened, revealing the sharp brown
eyes of the person she doesn’t want to see the most.

Monika buried her hatred, guilty for feeling this way when the red
head didn’t even do anything against her. Not that she’s even
aware of it in the first place.

Avoiding the sharp eyes, Monika focused her eyes in the plate
and stuttered a greeting “He-Hello…” She muttered softly.

“Greetings miss Sullivan,” Answered an equally soft voice, in

contrast to the intimidating, frosty look on the red head’s face.

“I’m here to see him,” Monika flinched and forces herself to look at
her, only finding sad, hurting eyes that she couldn’t handle seeing
so she avoided it.

“He’s over there” It was pointless to say it, Monika knew. But she
couldn’t handle the unbearable silence that was trapped inside the
room. The redhead nodded. Stepping aside to continue her way
towards the metallic table that the red head probably saw on the
door.

27
Monika remained motionless, only listening to the soft footsteps
that Alice Quinn created.

Silently, she turned her body and looked at her, stifling her shock
when an alien gaze of love, sorrow, affection greeted her. She
wondered if all that cold, crystallized persona of a heartless ice
queen is all an act, or is it because it’s Richard.

Monika smiled mirthlessly at the thought.

‘Richard really can help those who needed saving and turn them
into a better person’ Even if that person only leaves her shell in
front of him and still be the same seemingly cold individual to others.

“What have they done to you, love?” Alice whispered, voice

seemingly hollow, different from her blank, polite or cold tones.
Monika followed the red head’s pale hands that grasped the
cooled corpse of a once vibrant, warm, human being. Hand
ghosting over the thick blonde hair that couldn’t be fix with a brush
that Richard once use to complain about almost every day.

Monika uncomfortably excuses herself from the room, hand fiddling

with the ring jewelry clasped adoringly in her neck for comfort.

_________________________________

Alice didn’t bat an eyelash at the retreating woman. All she wanted
for now is to see her beloved in such an uncharacteristic display of
affection that she knew would make anyone uneasy. Alice Quinn is

28
never this way. She never acted this way in all the years they’ve
known her. All they known of her is a cold, calculating human.

And all it takes for her to freely express her locked emotion is the
dead, cold corpse of her man.

She stared.

And smiled oh so sadly.

“A shame, you could’ve live such a wonderful life, run a daycare like
you always wanted, build a secret garden to complete your
everlasting bucket list.” She leaned forward and gently pressed her
forehead into his, closing her eyes and basked at the silence. “And
maybe…I would be there in your life, the one to protect you as you
protected mine.”

She leaned away and faced the ghastly skin that replace a once
vibrant once “But they just had to take you away from me,” She
pressed her chapped lips in his forehead, ghosting and loving.

“They just took you without my permission,”

Her eyes hardened, hand turning into a fist.

“And they will pay dearly for it,”

Alice snapped, shaking her head with frown, leaning back and
straightening her posture to look around, she click her tongue

29
softly and cursed at her slip up. Even with Richard dead, he still
manage to make her act this way.

Remembering her second motive, Alice gently removed the clothing

that obstructed her view of the gaping wound. She stared deeply
at it before grabbing a pair of gloves and putting it on. She
hesitated only for a second before her fingers touched the flesh.
She ignored the fact that she’s touching the inside of her lover and
forced herself to see it analytically.

Her eyes narrowed in concentration, mind flickering to the previous

victim’s wounds that she saw in Richard’s file in their shared room.

The wound in the center is deeper than usual, but the skin and
muscles are similar like the previous ones .

Did he struggle when he is attacked? Or was taken by surprise?

She checked one of his hands. Dried blood trailed down on his
arms. Nails stained with it as if attempting to stop the blood from
leaking it

He must have been standing, but why? And the state of his clothes
that she saw on the other room for the people specializing in fiber
analysis on her way here...all the recent victims all have cleaned
clothes, never a bloody one.

Her theory clicked in place, a mirthless smile forming in her face as

her brown eyes darkened, narrowing in realization.

‘I see…”

30
31
Chapter 6

‘Home’

Location: Wilshire Corridors Condo

Parking at one of the slots, Alice promptly grabbed her handbag,

checking the time on her watch which displayed the glaring numbers
of 1:50. She proceeded to enter the building with controlled grace,
as if she didn't just lose someone special to her on the same day.
Waving off the security guard that stuttered a greeting, Alice
passed him by with a smile.

Entering one of the elevators, she clicked a button for the 10th
floor and waited patiently as she browses through her phone.

Just as the elevator door finally closed, a faint yelling of “Wait!”

Comes from the other side of the door, Alice instinctively raised
her free hand to press the open button on the elevator from closing
completely.

From the other side, the woman nodded at her thankfully, her fringe
bobbing up and down from the action with visible sweat clinging on
her forehead, and in her hands is a box that nearly reached her
chin. With obvious difficulty, she wobbled to step inside.

32
Stepping aside to make a room for the obviously tired woman,
Alice briefly shifted her eyes to the exhausted figure that placed
her box in the floor to press the number 9 and made mental
description as if it’s a habitual routine when she's not doing
anything.

Brown hair neatly tied in a bun with some light makeup, matching up
with her prim and proper outfit. Alice guessed that the woman
beside her is an office worker. An assistant to a Company maybe?
But then again, she could be wrong.

Leaving the brunette's form, her gaze went back to her phone and
typed a message for Markus to ready ALL the files by tomorrow
and that she will need to see Richard's body and autopsy file first.

Feeling the eyes that bore into her, Alice swiftly turned her head
to the only occupant in the room, catching the woman off guard as
she stuttered an apology for staring.

"It's all right" Alice assures the woman as she continues to

apologize, not really bothered since she did that to the brunette
too.

33
4

"I just wanted to thank you for helping me, and well, waiting. I
must've wasted your time by now," The woman fidgeted in her spot,
eyes glancing off to anything other than the Alice’s brown orbs
that continue to stare at her with a raised eyebrow.

"It’s really no bother, I’m happy to help. So it’s nothing to worry

about, miss?" Alice trailed off. The woman stared at her confused
until she realized that the red haired must've been asking for her
name

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth Luh Vendein. Pleasure to meet you" She

raised her hand for a handshake.

A man nonchalantly went inside, barely regarding them with a

glance as he treaded near the door and pushed the 13th floor
button. He whipped up a black cased phone and browsed through
it.

The opposite gender stared at the new occupant for a few

seconds before continuing.

"Alice Quill, the pleasure is all mine," She offered her free hand,
which Elizabeth shook with optimism. She then raised an eyebrow
at the woman's surname as she let go of the appendages "Luh
Vendein? I must've heard that name somewhere," she feigned her

34
wonder, watching with critical eyes as Elizabeth rubbed the base
of her neck in bashfulness, A coping mechanism when embarrassed
perhaps?

And the surname sounds fancy as well, did this woman come from a
noble family line?

"I get that a lot. Actually my sister… is someone whose been making
a name for herself the past year," Elizabeth admitted with a smile

Alice could trace a hint of pride in her, with her chest puffing out
like a peacock and yet she could trace a little bit of...envy?

"Is that so?" She whispered, mentally listing the information the
brunette revealed.

Some people might see this habit as cruel, only socializing into
others just to get information. Faking all the emotion of interest to
communicate. And there are those rare times where she actually
enjoys a genuine talk, but like she said, it’s rare and happened only
to one person.

It's a habit of hers that is too Difficult to stop and yet too valuable
to discard of.

So Alice just went along for the past 25 years of her life

35
“Well, I guess this is my next stop," Elizabeth exclaimed cheerily.
She gathered the heavy box with a huff, groaning at the familiar
weight of the cursed box that she’s been carrying for on her way
from work.

The brunette then turned her head to address Alice before she
completely left.

“Thank you again for helping me Miss Quinn hope we get to meet
up soon" she smiled, eyes crinkling and almost unseen with her lids.
Alice nodded "Likewise, Miss. Luh vendein,” she couldn’t promise
to see the other woman soon as she plans on moving out of the
condominium next week and into her old apartment.

Elizabeth was already on the other side when a buzz suddenly

started from her pocket startling the brunette as she fumbled to
placed her box on the ground and picked her phone from her
pocket.

“Oh, it’s from my sister!... Hey sis! I met a really nice lady-“

The elevator door closed in front of her, leaving the two occupants
in complete silence.

Both ignored each other in favor of their own interests as Alice

moved in front of the door just as the elevator door dinged open.

36
10

She left without a word.

Shoving the key in her room, she unlocks the door and swiftly
entered, dropping her bag randomly and stared at the dark room.

Deciding to take a shower as the feeling of dirt and sweat stuck in

her body, she suddenly smelled her body odor and winced at the
horrible smell. Elizabeth didn’t seem bothered earlier so maybe she
did not reek that bad?

Her body stilled at the almost suffocating silence, the silence that
made her remember that Richard isn’t with her anymore.

She switched the light on, watches as bright lights overtook the
darkness, she fills the place with music, anything that could replace
the silence.

She slowly removed all of her clothes on the way to the bathroom,
taking a leftover food in the fridge and set it in microwave.

Filling the bathtub with warm water and scented soap before laying
down as it continues to be filled. She stared as the water and soap
mix in a spiral fashion, bubbles already forming as more water falls
into the tub.

Alice closed her eyes, her exhaustion from before coming back
with a vengeance as she fell asleep soon after. But she soon
regretted for letting the fatigue won over her.

37
Chapter 7

Nightmare

The voice is distorted. Ghastly, spider-like fingers gripped her

neck and squeezed the life out of her.

Alice couldn’t breathe as liquids seems to entered her lungs, as she

was forcefully submerge into a pool of liquid that wasn’t water.

Alice knew that this is a dream, she tried waking up like she usually
does. But all of this looks so real, felt so real.

Red

The color of red continues to swim in her vision

Alice doesn’t want to be in this place

She wants out

The voice continued to scream beneath the surface, the sounds it

sprouted were muddled

And she can’t understand

Alice couldn’t understand

She suddenly found herself forcefully ripped out of the surface

and came face to face of something frightening, a gaping mouth of

38
endless darkness, and horns protruding out of each side of its
head.

Alice could feel the sticky substance sliding into her body and
realized she was drench in blood, Blood, BLOOD.

But didn’t have enough time to see more as the spidery hands in
her neck tighten its hold and dragged her face close to the
Demon’s gaping face.

She remain paralyze as the gaping mouth move, sharp teeth

appearing in its gums as a wicked grin formed in its face.

“TeLL Me YOuR FeEEeAAARSS”

Its grin become even more terrifying

“ALICEEE!!!”

Alice bolted awake with a gasp, eyes wildly looking around as her
hand clasp into her chest in distress, heart beating loudly with
adrenaline, as if wanting to escape from her ribcage.

‘W-what was all of that a-about?’ she wondered, her mouth unable
to even pronounce a single word other than gasping for breath, she

39
could feel her body quivering in trepidation and lack of bodily heat
in the ice cold water she was in made the situation even worse.

‘It was just a dream’ Alice mouthed, not having the strength to even
make a sound, god she felt pathetic.

‘Just a dream’ Her wide brown eyes were tightly shut, wanting to
make the horrible things go away.

‘Just a goddamned dream’

It was then when she tried calming her nerve that she noticed that
the water was already overflowing out of the tub with suds spilled
onto the floor.

She gave a deep weary sigh, turning of the faucet and pulling the
drain plug with shaky hands. She forced herself to get out of the
tub. Taking the hanging bath robe in the hook and immediately
wore it.

Alice’s eyes drifted to the tableside with a lone clock with digital
numbers, one eyebrow rising in surprise that she slept through for 3
hour.

Ignoring the feeling of tiredness that seems to creep everywhere in

her body, Alice passed the food in the microwave, not having the
energy to at least take it out of the microwave and return it back to

40
the refrigerator as she plop on the bed and lay wondering what will
happen now that she’s alone again.

Alice knew that emotions can either be the one to drive her to
success, use it to fuel her desire to bringing Richard’s murderer into
justice, or be the cause of her downfall, leaving her blind to facts
like the only time she failed.

Where she had gotten too attach to who she thought was the
victim, only realizing that that person is just too good at pretending
that even she was fooled.

She will never make the same mistake twice.

41
Chapter 8

Meeting

This is the day that she would finally meet the group assigned to
this case longer than her ended up with tense and forced
conversations. Her older peers tried to make her join in to establish
some sort of closeness and camaraderie, which she agreed for the
sake of working together on the from now on.

The group of 5 consisted of 3 men and one woman, now including

her. They all gathered in a room with a projector placed at the end
of the wide rectangular table. The sides are filled with a bunch of
cabinets for all different kinds of cases.

They gave her all the files they compiled over the years and she
read through the reports and suspects.

Alice went through the file as thorough as she can, keeping her
ears alert to hear what her teammates’ opinions are about the
dubbed Voicebox Killer.

Pursing her lips in thought as the subject of her ire is suddenly

shoved to her. First day she didn’t sleep well and had to conceal
the deep bags under her eyes with makeup, no matter how much she
despised using one of those skin-killers.

42
But back to the subject.

The Voicebox killer is something that earned a name for itself for
the last 2 years, for its seemingly random victims and the supposed
leftover clues that the killer leaves that always makes every agent
that has taken the case frustrated.

Alice knew damned well that the bastard is playing with them,
probably having gathered a huge ego boost every time a new victim
comes out and is left unsolved.

His or her First kill was a recently widowed woman named

Annabeth who went missing, No one could contact the poor
woman's whereabouts and that no one demanded for a money as a
sign of hostage taking, eleven days later her body was found by her
own service maid in her own room, Pictures of Annabeth and her
husband were lay out around her in a circle, With her ring grasp
firmly in her chest and her face is wearing a frozen expression of
melancholy. But what troubles the Police investigators assigned to
the case is the wound on her neck, her larynx cut off too cleanly,
with not a speck of blood in her neck area.

Others speculated it that the killer is a deranged cult who saw

Annabeth as a perfect victim to summon their gods.

While some theorized that it is the mistress of Annabeth's recently

deceased husband who passed away 2 months after her
disappearance, Believing that the widowed woman is at fault of her

43
lover, which made the red head raised an eyebrow at that time the
second theory may have made sense if not for the fact that
Annabeth's husband is Blind and CLEARLY incapable of
walking without his legs.

The death of both Annabeth and her husband left their son who
Alice assumed would be graduating from college by now,
orphaned.

as there is no evidence that could lead to anyone, many tried

solving the case, intrigued and wanting to be the one to solve the
untraceable Murder but after months of searching and finding
nothing and connecting people to the murder, the case became
cold.

But then 2 months later, the body of Lawrence Wilde, an office

worker at some company was found dead in his car weeks after he
was declared missing with his Larynx cut off of his body, last seen
in the Eden’s bar with his colleagues, who assumed he went home
with a girl after some... misconception within the group.

If the new recruit assigned to paperwork hadn’t organize the file

cases by alphabet AND got curious of the Annabeth’s Case
BECAUSE of the fact that his mother had the same name as
Annabeth, then the police investigators wouldn’t connect the case
that happened 4 months ago into the recent one.

44
He pointed out the patterns that seem quite similar to the old case
and the new case.

Lawrence Wilde was found the same way after all, but even if the
day they were found was different, the autopsy of Lawrence’s
body is guaranteed by the professionals, even if his body was
found on the 18th day, it is undisputable that he died on the 10th
day.

And that…he didn’t die because of the wound in his neck, but what
he consumed, one noticed a remnant of something stuck between
his teeth, a gelatin they then identified as a capsule containing
something.

The Forensic pathology team decided to check the Victim’s

stomach and lo and behold, they found a goldmine.

A Substance known as Digoxin mixed in water and a high dose of

cyanide is found in his stomach with other leftover of half dissolved
Food.

The man clearly bit the capsule between his teeth before
swallowing the Digoxin as particles of powdered cyanide is present
between the his molar teeth to the throat and down into his
stomach with lingering effects of wounds at the poison.

If Lawrence Wilde hadn’t had that gaping hole in his Neck, they
would’ve count his case a suicide one.

45
But that isn’t the situation here because the murderer probably
forced him into taking it and then removed his larynx for some
twisted reasons.

They couldn’t check if Annabeth consumed the same substances

as Lawrence, for her body is already buried and decomposing but
the Forensic team responsible had conclude that the victim died of
Blood loss.

(Alice wasn’t sure if they are telling the truth or just negligent of
their work for not opening up Annabeth’s stomach to check)

The 3rd killing is something that really hit the final nail in the coffin
that they are against a serial killer.

The 3rd killing , is a double murder of a couple that was supposed

to be married, just like the following victims they disappeared
without a trace for 10 days with the 11th day of someone finding
their corpse at some random location.

Both of their larynxes were surgically removed with their arms

positions into a hug, as if they were just sleeping from such a night
workout.

Police investigators are able to admit about the pattern the intern
suggested, that the killer strike every 2 months and seemingly
kidnap random people at different places

Same missing organ

46
Killed at the 10th day

With the same ingested substance of a Suicide pill and Digoxin

mixed with water on their stomach.

(Rumor has it that they were supposed to name the killer as The
Cyanide killer but it sounds like the murderer kills cyanides so
They Just decided to call it The Voicebox killer because he or
she took their larynx so that even in death, they couldn’t tell who
killed them)

And the murderer is now dubbed as Voicebox Killer, That weren’t

that popular becomes A controversial as the case had been
handled by the local police before it handed to the FBI by a raging
senator whose daughter was found dead with the same wound as
the previous victims. The 8th victim.

But something just doesn't add up about Richard's death.

As it supposedly happened every 2 months, is what made Alice

furrowed her brows at that moment. As the criteria seemed to tip
off quite dangerously to the side to be spilled in the floor of
Bullshitness.

Because it’s only been a month and 2 weeks the since the latest
victim, the date may have been close but if there's one thing that
Alice is sure of from the so called Voicebox killer, is that he or she
is a Fucking perfectionist.

47
It always killed on the tenth day of the 2nd month and Richard was
killed on the 20th day of March which the estimated time-frame of
the supposed victim should be April10 and most important of all,
He didn’t went missing for 10 days just like the other victims had.

She voiced out her thought about the hole and the people
assigned to the case seem to be thinking about it as well. “You’re
right, but maybe the killer just couldn’t wait to kill their next victim,
maybe they were addicted to the thrill of killing that they just killed
Richard” Mike Leonheart speculated, looking through the files of
the previous victims, his gruff voice that sounds like he’s been
grouching his whole life.

“That could be true” Nikolas Sullivan Agreed, rubbing his

mustache in thought, standing near the window with a cigarette in
his hand, Alice hid her distaste as she caught a whiff of polluted
smoke in her rather sensitive nose.

“Or maybe Richard found a lead about the Voicebox killer”

Assumed a feminine voice belonging to Olivia Ashburn, A black
haired woman in her late 40’s, stopping her tapping to look at them.

A hushed silence envelop the room as they shared a glance

towards each other “And the killer knew about it and that’s why
they killed him” Mike added, seemingly agreeing to the black haired
woman as he nod in agreement.

48
Alice look up from the files with a furrowed eyebrows and an
emotion that the black haired woman couldn’t process as it
vanished in an instant “Then why would the killer risk their Quota
just to dispatch a threat? It would've make sense to leave the Body
without taking out the larynx, and we all know that the killer is an
absolute idealist".

“Maybe it just doesn’t want anyone to steal their kill?”

“Or a threat to make us stop by killing one of our own” Nikolas

added with a frown, scratching his whitened hair at the moment.

Alice look up from her notes and sent a look at the smoking man,
which caught his attention, his palm sweating unexpectedly from
the emotion that flash through her face before sending a small tilt
of a smile in his direction.

“Did you ask your sister when the full autopsy will be done Mr.
Sullivan?” Said man flinch from the voice, slightly startled out when
the gaze suddenly sharpen and silently berating himself for acting
like a child about to be scolded for doing something bad and he is
13 years her senior for god’s sake!

“N-Not yet, but I think they might be done soon” He admitted,

watching as the only red head in the room scribbled something in
the paper.

49
“I see, thank you” She murmured, Nikolas nodded and hastily went
back to his own business and finish smoking.

The other occupants in the room couldn’t help as their eyes linger
at the end of the table where Alice Quinn is at.

The red head woman in front of them sat with a poised posture,
sipping a steaming cup of coffee as her narrowed eyes finished a
page, yet her Face is unreadable, they get this odd feeling that
feels like they’re not sure if they’ll get used to her ice cold
demeanor, or even understand, guess time will only tell.

The youngest yet most experienced Agent FBI has to offer with
a high rate of success cases ever assigned to her and if there’s
anyone in the room who has the high chance of solving this case,
then it will be Alice Quinn.

it made some of them pretty peeved out for the big boss to almost
eagerly give the case to her just as she came back and intimidated
at the same time to not try any funny Business that could
potentially be the receiving end of her ire, But they have been into
this case for the last three years after all.

A knock came from the door, making the entire inhabitant look at
the door, as a young man with freckled face hastily entered the
door.

50
“Er…Miss Quill?” He inquired, fiddling his hand in nervousness for
being in the attention of the people above him, feet refusing to
move anymore at the doorway as he is clearly intimidated.

“Yes?” she questioned, standing up and met the searching gaze of

the young man, who didn’t seem to know where ‘Miss Quill’ is.

“S-sir Carson I-is asking for your p-presence in his office” He

stuttered a reply, face tinged with red as he finally saw the infamous
Red Queen of the FBI Agency (Not that Alice knew, It’s a
Sacred Law to never utter that name in her presence).

Alice nodded and gave the resident in the room an apologetic

expression; she made her way out of the pristine office and
followed the Young man out, the room’s Door closing with a click.

Nikolas let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, he notice

his Blonde companion seems to slump in his chair as well, thumping
his head in the table with a groan.

“Man, what is up with that?” Alexis, a wild blonde haired man

Whined as he stretch in his chair and swirled himself in it, He was
dubbed as the man-child of the team.

“With what?” Olivia Ask with a monotone voice, seemingly the only
one unaffected as she taps at the keyboard in her laptop probably
doing reports.

51
“I can’t help but feel intimidated around her, it feels like she’s a
ticking bomb if we make even a mistake in this investigation and
we’ve been here for years”.

“The sudden Assignment of this Case to her is something that we

didn’t think would be happening “Nikolas added, not meeting
anyone in the eye as he fiddled with the Cigarette stick in his
pocket. Alexis snorted and played at the pen in his hand.

“At least she’s not an asshole like mike here” Alexis pointed out at
the bald man across him.

“What did you say?!” A vein becomes visible in the man’s temple, an
irritated expression on his face that Alexis stick his tongue out at
him.

“Miss Alice is a nice lady, Alexis if you guys stop looking at her
rank and achievements, then you’ll be able to actually see that she’s
fun to be around” Olivia suggest looking pointedly at them which
they tried to avoid, She get to actually know the young woman and
all she saw is a hard-working person with fiery fire for justice, along
with deep hurting hidden behind her icy gaze once upon a time.

“I know man; it’s just that…we’ve been stuck in this investigation for
years, hell! We’ve been threaten by the boss for not having much
progress and with figures dropping dead, And with Richard being
gone and be replaced by someone new, someone better, and
someone that we knew that she is closed to on a deeper level gone

52
is just…” Alexis trailed off, uncomfortable to continue what he was
going to say, but unknowingly becomes the voice of the occupants
that’s still wary of the young FBI.

Olivia sigh “I know, but we must also not be insensitive about what
she feels as well” She had been miffed at first for a younger agent
to suddenly be in charge and is leader of the investigation, but
being a rational woman as she is, Olivia knew not to let her view of
Alice be clouded, she could see what the red head woman is
capable of.

“She is after all, the lover of Richard Monroe” She finished with a
pointed stare and that seems to be the right word to say as
understanding appeared in their faces, mixed with shame for
thinking negatively about their comrade.

“Sir Carson must’ve given the leadership to her because she is the
most capable one to move our investigation forward, A lot of
people already resigned in the investigation and with us the only
one left, need the help we could get” Nikolas stated, squishing the
cigarette butt in the ashtray and went back to his chair.

“This might be a bitter taste in the mouth but you’re right” Mike
agreed, huffing and crossing his arms in his chest.

“Plus, no one could hide from the wrath of an angry woman for so
long, the killer is done for” Alexis laugh with delight, imagining a

53
beat up killer from a very pissed off Red Queen that he secretly
admired from the shadow.

“Then, no more mental boarders about our subordinates all right?”

Olivia said, finally closing her laptop and staring at them after
receiving a nod and thumbs up from the team a pleased smiled
appeared on her nonchalant face. This made the only blonde in the
room shiver in sudden fear

“Dude, if you’re going to smile, please, for the love of all things
anime, follow the proper facial expression when you’re smiling” came
the opinion of the Man-child, rubbing his arms with an emphasis of
being creep out.

“I didn’t know that there is a properly to conduct a smile” Olivia

remarked, not really offended to say the least.

“Well there is to me in my presence!”

“Check your grammar for god’s sake”

While the two famous duos started bickering, the two mature adults
in the room started minding their own business, with Olivia Fishing
her phone out of her bag to check her Social media, And Nikolas
calling his sister to check the progress of the Autopsy.

54
 Chapter 9

Intern

Alice is seated in a wooded chair while staring at the man across

her in the table

“You want me to what?” Alice Repeated with a raised eyebrow,

drifting to the young man across the room, with only the glass panel
that separated them.

“I want you to take Mister Emerson here as another member in your

investigation, He is part of the honor internship program and will be
staying with you for 10 to 12 weeks, depends on you”.

Carson repeated with a mysterious smile on his face, hidden by his

interweave hand in front of him but Alice saw through him and gave
the older man a suspicious glance.

“I never taught anyone before, are you sure that I’m even capable
for this kind of thing?”

“I have hope for you”

“You overestimate me too much, besides why did you assign him to me
specifically if the older agents with clearly more knowledge in handling
an intern had more potential than me” ‘who prefers working alone and
not talking at all’ Alice stated dryly before sending a calculating look at
the intern who seems oblivious to what is happening, sitting in the plush

55
chair with upright position while looking curiously at them and wondering
what’s happening. But based at how he fidget in his sit, she could tell
that he’s nervous at being assigned to the people he didn’t even know
of. Alice averted her eyes towards the dark skinned man for more
information who readily gave the Red head what she wanted to know, in
cryptic way

“This one is a special case, He will be able to help in the

investigation I assure you, and besides, if there’s someone out
there who could bring the potential in him” A big surprise indeed
for the Scarlet woman in front of him, He could see it bubbling in
the surface and knew that the Usually stoic woman could bring that
out and flourish it into one that the agency needed.

‘A special case?’ Alice thought with a frown.

“You can decide if you want him to take part in your current
investigation or make him observe, the choice is yours”

it’s not like Carson here is giving her an offer to refuse, he’s just
informing her, He know that Alice knew he wouldn’t accept her
refusal and just force the intern to either her hands or the other
members and will order said intern to stick close to her. So with a
sigh she nodded her head.

And it’s not like it will badly affect the case anyway The boy could
learn by observing and sharing his thoughts about the case and
Alice will be there to teach him , plus, The more the merrier.

56
And if Carson said that this kid is a special case, then Gabrielle
Emerson probably has something to step the investigation into the
next level.

She bid Carson goodbye as he wave his hand in dismissal and

motioned The Black haired man to follow her into their Office.

While on their way to the Office, Gabrielle followed the red haired
woman on a long hallway as she skimmed through the file that the
Olive-skinned Director had given, checking for information that he
freely given for the sake of being assigned to this particular
investigation, The older woman he’s been ordered to follow
suddenly stopped in front of a door similar to the ones he passed
by, prompting him to stop as well.

‘He was mindful of his Surrounding, Good’ Alice thought with a

small tilt in her mouth.

“So you graduated 1st in class huh, then this should be easy for
you to catch up with the investigation rather quickly” remarked the
red haired woman, facing him entirely with a swift turn and towering
over him with approximately 2 inch in height, Gabrielle craned his
neck to meet her gaze and politely smiled.

“Thank you for believing ma’am, I’ll do my best to help as much as I

can into the investigation” Alice nodded and turned her brown
gaze into the door in front of her, hearing bits and pieces of a
heated argument inside.

57
“Since we’ll be working from now on, I would advise you to not be
intimidated when you’re in front of our team, they may act tough
and mature in front of a Newbie but once you get to know them
and prove your worth in the investigation. You’ll fit right in”

“I..see, thank you for the heads up ma’am” His hand unconsciously
crept into his neck and tighten his tie with a barely visible gulp on
his part.

With that, Alice grab the door knob and twist it, entering the room
with the still heated arguing of a balding man and a blond man-child

“I’m losing hair every second you open that mouth of yours”

“You’re already bald though”

“WHY YOU- MY HAIR IS JUST FUCKING

SLICKED BACK”

“That doesn’t excuse your huge forehead” Alexis stuck out his
tongue

“Ahem” The two’s Argument immediately cease and whipped their

head to stare at Alice in surprise, Olivia nonchalantly stared at the
red head woman’s companion the moment they entered the room.

“Who’s Blacky over there?” Alexis piped up at the Stranger that

their Big boss standing next with. Ignoring as the bald man
muttered how kids these days have no respect for their seniors.

58
Olivia sent an annoyed glare at the man-child but didn’t said
anymore as she too, is curious of the new arrival as well.

“Everyone, this is Gabrielle Lyn Emerson, He’ll be working with

us in the investigation from now on” Alice pointed at the young man
beside him, who is beginning to fidget at the continued stare of the
Occupants seated in the room, the three men then exchange
glances with a scrunch up expression.

The only woman seated at the table groaned and banged her head
at the wooden desk voice muffled as she spoke with an
exaggerated voice.

“We just had an agreement about this”

Alice let an Amused glance in her way with a confuse smile

directed at the rest of them, wondering what they agreed upon
when she’s not here before.

Nikolas sigh and stood up from his slouch position, Walking over
to the new Recruit and offered his hand.

“Nice meeting you lad, The name’s Nikolas Sullivan, guess we’ll be
working from now on” Gabrielle shook the offered hand with a
smile.

“And to you as well, sir” Nikolas laugh awkwardly and pat the back
of the black haired man “None of that now, Just call me Nikolas or
whatever”

59
“Nicky here doesn’t like being called sir, he said it make him looks
old” came the cheery voice of the blond haired man, grinned when
the man he dubbed as ‘nicky’ glowered at him.

“Don’t call me Nicky”

Alexis clasped the hand of the surprised young member and shook
it whole heartedly “My name’s Alexis Cumberbatch, yes,
Cumberbatch, But no I’m not related to the one you’re thinking of,
yes I check about it, No, England isn’t my Homeland,
unfortunately. Nice to meet you” Alexis grinned at the befuddled
man who hesitantly smiled at him ‘I wasn’t thinking of anyone…’

“Ignore his surname, he’s prone to create made-up celebrity and

seems to believe that they’re real” A Gruff voice across him
remarked which the blond man blatantly ignored as he continued
grinning down at him.

Gabrielle smiled and shook it with a firm shake before replying

“Nice to meet you too Mister cumbersnatch”

Gabrielle realized his mistake too late and prepared to apologies

to the nice and a little eccentric Blonde man when a bellied laugh
erupted from the man from earlier, bent over while pointing at the
blond haired man who stood frozen in his spot.

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“HA! Told you they’ll never get your name right, most of all if you
just met” Mike Approach the pair and look smugly at the ire of his
life for the past 3 months.

‘Why does everyone always say my name wrong?’ Alexis’ silent

whine went unheard from the still laughing man, who cough, then
proceed to smile widely at the young man, approval written over his
face “Anyway, I like you, The Name’s Mike-“

“Wazowski” Alexis Butted in with a loud-ish whisper, Gabrielle

wondered who that was.

“Shut up Pringlesnatch, as I was saying, My name is Mike-

“Teavee” And that

“I said my name is Mike-“

“-y Harper” Who?

“Please shut up, both of you” Olivia groans and smack the two in
the head with a brochure she planned to read for later

“Ow!”

“Hey what gives?!”

Olivia ignored hem and greeted Gabrielle with an apologetic smile

“Don’t mind those two, My Name is Olivia Ashburn and that

61
man,” Olivia pointed at the bickering Slicked haired man “-is Mike
Leonheart, I hope we can get along”

“T-thank you Miss Ashburn, I hope to meet your expectation”

Gabrielle shook the offered hand, eyes blinking confused at his
expectation of the group that contrast heavily to what Miss Quinn
said outside.

Olivia nodded went to her sit barking at the two to sit down.

“Well then, why don’t we give a brief review for our newly assigned
member of our investigation?” Alexis proposed, having already
forgotten the misconception about his name earlier as he gave
Gabrielle a grin.

Alice nodded and prepared to give some of the files about the
investigation, having already organized it from the 1st to the latest
victim while they’re introducing earlier.

“I’m pretty sure that if you’re a news fanatic, you would’ve heard of
people dropping dead with their larynx gone once every six months
in some news” Alice started, staring at her now responsibility with
keen eyes, who had gotten a serious look on his face and Listen to
every words she said.

“the police hid the connection from the public’s eyes when the
higher ups agreed as they thought it wasn’t that important, The
media hadn’t connected the dots yet as it would create a mass-

62
panic of the civilians for two years” Alice didn’t know what her
superiors were thinking of not letting the civilians know of a serial
threat, that they won’t even know if they’re the next victim, but
Alice think it’s better to be a little paranoid than an ignorant one
that could be the next one dead, no matter how random the victims
are. but she’s under the Vow of Confidentiality, les she risk being
thrown to prison for breaching it and informing the media about it..

She didn’t know whether to be glad or remorseful and even

resentful that it took an innocent life of the government’s family
member to die for the case to be taken seriously as a Mass threat.

“It’s also a way to keep the killer from knowing if we had any lead if
it ever got out in the press or aware that we have suspects,
Quoted by the director” She made a motion of lifting her two
fingers together and drawing a quotation mark in the air.

“As we are all aware that we’re against a highly intelligent killer with
knacks for larynxes for an odd reason, Confident with his or her
ability evade the law for so long that they left traces of clues
behind”

Alice suddenly a pinch expression on her face “And a Dry

Humor”

The senior investigators shared a knowing glance with a bit of

bitter humor in it, engulfed in gleaming enmity, while the youngest

63
one stared confused at them about the Dry humor thing that their
supposed leader is displeased about.

“We’ll tell you for another time squirt” Mike gruff and look away at
them, seemingly looking at anything other than the living ones
present, Alice stealthily rolled her eyes in a tight amusement
before continuing.

“I also prepared the group suspects that Richard already filed

away, along with ones that you prepared “ Alice continued,
punching some keys in her laptop and open the projectors with the
remote, the blank screen came into life and Gabrielle is face to face
with multiple people he didn’t recognize much with some he vividly
remember in the news, each cataloguing into stolen shots and
formal pictures. He tightens his hold into a fist, eyes trailing the
longest on the first picture and to the most recent one.

“Each of these people has a connection to the respective victims

that varies from rivalry, family debt, and ect”

“We’re looking for a killer that has innate knowledge of medical

studies, narrowing down to all the People with Medical occupation”

“Which is approximately…has a thousand or so overall, but if we

narrowed it down to Surgeon and even Pharmacist, Two hundred.”
Olivia hummed in thought.

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“And narrowing it down even more with the previous victims in
contact with each of them…twenty four?” Alexis chimed with
uncertainty, looking down at the paper to see if he got that right.

Mike rolled his eyes and leaned his head on the wooden table to
rest his arms on it, sharp eyes discerning anything he could
contribute to their insistent rambling “But only 3 of them require
extensive medical attention, the others is pretty much healthy in
terms, some, like the first and fourth one is in need of counseling
and in meds with psychological problems”

Gabrielle listened with rapt attention and attentive eyes, gathering

all the information that the others had given, the gears on his head
already turning with possibilities that he wanted to share, choosing
to keep his mouth shut for now.

Alice let the others give their own thoughts of the Investigation
and decided to observe how the intern that Carson assigned to
her will fair, it’s obvious how he wanted to say something with the
way he fidget and look uncertainly at her, Alice answered with a
shrug, giving him a chance to speak up, But the younger man chose
to keep his mouth shut and only listened.

Now that the younger man, as well as the others was distracted
with their talk, Alice took that opportunity to gather a simple
profile description for the young intern.

65
Gabrielle Lyn Emerson, Age 19, Lean athletic built but still in
need of more training if the need of a fight arose because in FBI
the need to be seen as strong could get you somewhere, but then
again, he could be quick on his feet to avoid any injuries from being
subjected into him so Alice guessed that couldn’t be a problem for
now, The younger man had Wavy black hair and fidgety Blue
eyes, and with her narrowed stare, a specs of silver that surrounds
the iris, probably a mix from his parents . He have pale complexion
that could indicate that he has low melanin or maybe doesn’t just
stayed in the sun more, who knows. Alice towered over him with the
heel of her shoes much to her dismay, vowing to never take it off
when the younger man is around. Gabrielle Emerson also showed
early stages of keen intelligence that could be nourished and
develop into one that could be well known in the agency, but there’s
a thing that keeps him from prospering, holding him back, it could be
his hesitance to speak up and hold everything he wanted to say for
himself and maybe something more.

Alice blink out of her haze the others didn’t seem to notice her
momentary relapse from reality and continue to talk, Gabrielle
seems to be easing up from their Resident Man-child and Grouchy
grandfather’s Constant bickering, a tilt of his lips and the urge to
laugh from their amusing verbal, one sided spat.

Her eyes drifted to the other members of the team, Olivia seemed
to be sending the younger male a silent message that clearly

66
translated to : ‘Do you see what I have to put up with?’ from which
the Gabrielle helplessly shrug with a silent support, seemingly
worried for himself at the thought of handling the ‘father-son’ duo
that continues to fight and got completely sidetrack with their
summarizing.

Alice cleared her throat and immediately got their attention,

flushing at the thought that she saw them as a bickering kid, Olivia
quite envy how she easily mange to control the situation and
wonders if she should be harsher when handling the two.

And just like that the investigation is right on track, with Alice
scribbling notes and Gabrielle listening intently.

67
Chapter 10

Rooftop

Alexis slump over the desk with a dizzy look , if this was an animated
one, they would’ve seen steam coming out of his head with his eyes
swirling.

"How did you even become an FBI agent?" Mike grumbled half-
heartedly, preparing to leave for a lunch break.

The slumped over Blonde Just whined and sprouted incoherent

words that the balding man didn't understand, rolling his eyes, he
made his way over the door and close it with a bang.

"Well, there goes my plan for a group lunch" Alexis straightened

his slack posture with a bored expression on his face, Olivia stared
at him incredulously.

"You call that a plan?"

Motioning his hand in a waving manner Alexis bore her with a

kicked puppy look.

"Cut me some slack! I was just about to ask them after my

breakdown”

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"You wouldn't succeeded anyway, Nikolas has to check on his
sister at the lab for the progress or probably go the kindergarten
and mike had to do whatever business he has outside" The black
haired woman explained, patting the man-child in comfort.

"If you want, I could accompany you " the man-child immediately
brighten up like a bulb and Olivia wondered if the blonde is really a
32 years old man.

"Really? Thanks Ollie!" Olivia only gave him an exasperated look

“Let’s see if we can invite the others”
“Uhh you should probably not” Alexis muttered to her with his
eyes behind her, turning her head to see the other occupants,
Olivia could see that they were both busy and look like they didn't
even notice the other member’s leaving.

And with a sigh, Olivia nodded and drag the blonde man-child with
her on the way out, Gabrielle only cast them a lingering glance
before going back to what he is doing, gathering whatever the red
head said like a gospel.

They converse for a while before noticing the time, realizing those
twenty minutes has passed since Olivia and Alexis exit the room,
not that Alice didn’t pay attention.

Deciding to have lunch now that she checked the time, Alice invites
the intern when she felt that her lecturing is enough for the day, and
contemplates where they should eat.

69
Eyes glinting at the thought of her favorite café, Alice turned her
attention towards the male she is assigned to and plastered a smile.

“How would you like a Scottish Lunch Mister Emerson”

Gabrielle only blinked at her and nodded

“So, how is your first 3 hours in the work place Mister Emerson?”
It was the 1st thing that the older red haired woman uttered when
they sat down at one of the tables of a café after their order was
taken by a enthusiastic waitress, it was one of the nearest to the
building they came out of, maybe 2 blocks away that wouldn’t need
any sorts of transportation And Miss Quinn decided to drag him
here for a talk that he couldn’t help but be worried to, But
Gabrielle pulled off a smile and took a small sip from his latte to
ease his nerve,. He couldn’t afford to look week in front of such
powerful figure

“You can call me by my first name Miss Quinn” Alice didn’t bat an
eyelash and just gave him a tight smile of her own “Gabrielle then,
you can call me Alice from now on”
Gabrielle only nodded and contemplates what he will answer for
the red head’s recent question

“It’s certainly…Interesting to say the least, it is also nerve-wrecking

with all the experienced people surrounding you” He then
hesitates “And mind-opening, I didn’t know how much were hidden
in the public with this case”

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Alice nodded with her unnerving brown eyes, Gabrielle didn’t let
him be affected by the stare, but he did gulp and wondered if he
said something wrong

“Indeed, I remember the first time I was assigned to my case,

younger than most of my peers, tried intimidating me at first before
proving them that I can keep up with them” Alice shared with a
whimsical smile, Gabrielle smiled at the projection his mind relayed.

“I think it’s the same as everyone, a method to toughen our will

perhaps”

“It could be, and it could also be a method to remove any

competition”

Gabrielle got the idea, but he wanted to hear why the Red head
across him would say that.

“You see Gabrielle; I didn’t quite go to the academy like most do,
got myself straight to the FBI through the invitation of the higher
ups because of my rising reputation to solve cases in my youth”
Gabrielle leaned forward to hear what Alice got to say.

“Of course I had to work harder, work to become stronger that

people who would try to destroy this opportunity that was gladly
given to me, I remain adamant to receive a physical training, be with
peers older than me and fought my way through”

71
Gabrielle stared at him with something in his eyes that Alice
couldn’t recognize.

“There’s something that I wanted to know”

“Yes?” Alice urged while sipping her beverage, looking at the

young intern through her eyelash.

“The killer’s Killing method…” Gabrielle muttered, looking around

to see if someone could eavesdrop of their conversation, but to his
surprise, they’re the only one still present.

“Oh you mean the Digoxin and Cyanide pill?” A rueful smile
filtered her face, eyes darkening at that particular subject “Our
resident killer wanted his or her victims to suffer, the cyanide was
supposed to make the heartbeat quickly stop, instant death, But
the Digoxin countered it. Do you know what Digoxin is
Gabrielle?” At the intern’s shake of head, Alice continued “It’s a
Medication either swallowed or injected, used to treat heart failure
and make the heart continuously beat”

Gabrielle looked at her in horror, Face ashen white that had Alice
wondering as to why he reacted that much, Gabrielle Emerson
probably imagined what that felt

The killer is cruel and a sadist.

Forcing others to swallow a high dose of Digoxin, The right

amount that it will make the drinker spasm erratically from the heart

72
activity then adding the Cyanide pill… A horrible battle that will
happen in or body, two substance fighting each other and with the
Digoxin ratio purposely lose for the Cyanide to take over and
finally kill its inhabitants. She wouldn’t even dream of the thought
of that happening to him

But before she could continue to tell just that to the younger man,
The pair sighted the people running outside and noticed a crowd
forming just in front of the building that is facing the café, Gabrielle
became tense and Alice calmly downed her tea before placing it
down, she stood up and stared through the glass as if looking for
something before those brown orbs clash into his eyes.

“Well then, let’s see what’s happening” he quickly nodded and

catch up to the red head’s strides, before he knew it, he was
already outside and is squeezing to get through the forming mob to
follow his superior, which act like a beacon with her red hair in the
sea of Black and brown.

Muttering and harsh whispers envelop from the forming crowd

envelop him, along with teenagers snickering as if finding something
hilarious about the panicking crowd.

Gabrielle catch up to her figure and observed that she’s talking to

a frantic Hotel employee heaving and rapidly talking about
something
he passed from the Crowd that he now noticed to be forming a
half-circle, some are pointing while the others with their camera
pointing in the sky.

73
He look up and blanched at what he saw, up in the rooftop is a
person he couldn’t identify the gender off, but could already realize
of what they’re planning to do.

“We- We couldn’t get him to get down! he threatened to jump if we

come any closer-“The red head then signaled him to take care of
the frantic woman, dashing through the Hotel doors and
Disappearing behind it in a flash.

“Breath Miss, Calm your breath and talk slowly” Gabrielle

ordered gently, observing how the woman forced her breath to
slow, when he deemed it alright, Gabrielle began his quick
assessment that he was drilled of in the academy “Do you know
how long he’s been up there?

The woman scrunched her brows before dropping her gaze and
staring at the ground. Not meeting his eyes before blurting out a
hesitant answer “A-about 10 minutes…”

Gabrielle hid his frown at the poor management, aren’t they

supposed to call for help for this kind of situation for the police to
immediately set up and avoid the death of the person above? And
what if the one threatening to jump didn’t hesitate? But it’s a good
thing they manage to stall the man from jumping to his death bed for
so long.

Deciding to not continue his questioning, He thanked the woman

and directed her towards her fellow workers.

74
He look up and didn’t bother calling for help, knowing that
someone already called for aid and on their way to setup counter
measures if the person above did jump from the 4th floor they’re
standing on, the sound of police cars arriving had the crowd
dividing, he explained the situation and they began ordering the
crowd to step back.

He wondered how Miss Alice will handle this situation.

But oh boy did he not expect this kind of method from the Red
head.

75
Chapter 11

Rooftop part II

Archie knew enough is enough; he knew that he couldn’t handle all

the pressure happening in his godforsaken life for the past 20
years of living in this world. Social anxiety coupled with the fact
that his own family always let him down and blurt out hurtful
comments that they thought would help him overcome his
‘Problems’ But NO, they keep of making things worse!

And then, and then…Even his own friends has grown tired of him,
he could see it in their eyes, the annoyance, the disappointment as
if he’s doing things wrong, for being weak willed and how they react
around him as if wanting to get away from him, Archie knew that
they were tired of him.

Life has always been cruel to him, all plummeting from the incident
years ago, leading him into this pathetic person that he is now, he
decided that people is crueler too, even the Workers in this
building doesn’t want him to jump in fear of being fired if they
couldn’t prevent him from jumping and ruining the hotel’s reputation
because he will die and splatter his remains on their entrance,
tarnishing their oh so cleaned and lovable image that his parents
has work hard for. But that’s the point, he will leave this world with
a final ‘fuck you’ to them for what they’ve done.

76
But why is he hesitating? He could’ve jump and ignored the pleas
of those people. Having already gathered enough crowd for them
to share the message.

That the owner of this building mentally abused their own child to
the point of killing himself.

He decided he wouldn’t give a fuck about it anymore, the workers

already give up and fled the rooftop, not wanting to scarred their
eyes of the vision of him jumping, or maybe not wanting in the same
vicinity as him in order to save their job? Who knows, people are
cruel after all.

He gripped the railings tighter, hands sweaty and trembling. He

tried calming his nerves and took deep breaths.

“You’re hesitating” a voice drawled out, startled from the voice that
sounds so close to him, Archie whipped his head on the right so
fast that he could’ve sworn that his neck creak a little. He stared on
the regal looking woman on his side, standing a little bit behind him;
the only thing separating them is the Green metal railings that
reach half of his body that he is standing on. He let out a startled
shout, but jerking in motion at the sudden appearance but he
realize with a narrowed eyes that the woman is probably here to
stop him just like the people from before too.

“Did they send you here to stop me from jumping?” He accused,

one hand pointing at her direction while his other remained tight

77
grip on the metal “ You can’t stop me! I already made up my mind”
Archie said with so much conviction, at the same time reassuring
him too. He readied his trembling body to jump as he forced his
tense feet to move as a threat for the red head woman to back off.
But she remained unaffected while staring at him with eyes hidden
in sleek glasses and what the red head said next momentarily stop
his brain from functioning.

“Oh, I’m not here to stop you at all” The red head chuckled,
waving a hand as she swat the air in a Lax motion “ Feel free to
jump” Archie stared gob smack at her, not expecting her to say
something like that.

“I-if this is your way of preventing me from taking my life then you’re
in for a surprise” He regain his bearing and declared at her,
watching with suspicious eyes as the woman remain standing with
her arms in the pocket of her trench coat, looking at him with
unnerving eyes and irritating tilt at the corner of her lips in an
almost mocking way “Not at all, I’m just here because I wanted to
see how a person fall from above view”

Archie decided, this Woman Is a lunatic. Batshit insane

psychopath.

“Stay away from me you crazy woman! And let me die in peace!”
focusing his eyes on the ground he notice the crowd already
swarming with a new batch of people forming in a half circle while

78
pointing at him, some with their phones out with the intent of
recording his fall, the distant sound of blaring siren made his heart
clench in thought.

Seconds tick by and he was still in the rooftop with the lunatic,
drawing a deep sigh from her.

“This is taking too long”

He turned his head at the red head when suddenly, Archie felt a
push in his back “Wha-“ before he knew it, his world is tilting, he let
out a frightened shout as his feet slid off the pavement, hand
accidentally letting go of the railings from the sudden push.

Fear overcome his senses, body flailing as he tried grabbing

something to stop him from the sudden fall, Archie wasn’t ready
yet! shitshitshitshitfuckingshit

A tug behind the base of his neck stop him, a fistful of his cloth
held by the lunatic that just tried pushing him to his death; He tried
moving his head and look behind him, meeting the bored gaze of the
lunatic that pushed him.

“You wouldn’t really die in ‘peace’ as you thought it would be, you
will die in bitterness, you wouldn’t know what the outcome of this
will be” The red head-no, LUNATIC said, as if she didn’t just
push a person because the person is taking his sweet fucking time a
little bit too long for his liking. It doesn’t matter if he is in the middle

79
of killing himself, this shit is different! This lunatic doesn’t have his
consent to just suddenly push him just because she’s fucking
bored!

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!” He

screamed in rage, shock and terror rolled into one, but fear is the
one that overcome his senses, trying not to move to much as the
only thing keeping him from falling is the hand holding his clothe in
one arm, As if the weight didn’t deter the lunatic one bit as her
other arm remain inside her pocket( he didn’t notice one heeled
foot leaning against the fence to support his weight).

“I thought you wanted to die?” She questioned with a mocking tilt

of her head “I’m merely helping you as I saw you having a hard time”

“FUCK YOU!” Archie screamed, along with the gasp and shout
from below who probably thought that someone stop him from
jumping and currently is holding him down and didn’t just carelessly
shove him to his death.

“You’re Rude, what would your parents say with that kind of
language?” Anger immediately filled through his being “My parents
wouldn’t care about what I say, they didn’t care if I got hurt or not,
why would they waste their energy on someone like me?” He
sneered, momentarily forgetting that he is a few move from dying
and spatting in the ground, what does this stranger knew anyway?

80
Chastising him for his language when she doesn’t even know what
he went through throughout his pathetic life!

“Pathetic really, you live in their dominating shadow without doing

anything?”

“What can you do anyway?! I just wanted it all to end!” He flailed,

Goosebumps creeping in his skin as his eyes drifted in front of him
and the ground that suddenly look like a lot higher than it is before
“Pe-people like me will always be treated differently! Just because
we act like someone they didn’t want to do business with they will
either try and destroy my life or remind me of how worthless I am!”
He spoke with a wavering voice, he blinked the tears threatening to
fall from his face “and you people all do is go on your merry way
and live in ignorance that someone is hurting!” he balled up his fist
in anger, restraining himself to lash out. The lunatic seems
thoughtful for a moment, brown eyes seemingly fogging before
clearing and is back with the lax, half-lidded eyes that pissed him
off.

“You’re right, what can I do? Not like I can help you with that” The
lunatic shrugged, He could feel the panic slamming into him in full
force, feeling the lunatic let go of the only thing holding him down,
his body immediately goes down, the gravity doing it’s work with
bringing him down head first. Cries of panic reverberated from
below.

81
“AHHH! STOP! STOP” he pleaded, his flailing body turning
from behind and positioned to see the red head, just in time for her
to grab his shirt and pulled him towards her, not enough for him to
get his footing as he tiptoed at the edge of it. With half of her
body crossing the only barrier with the other hand originally in her
pocket firmly held the pavement as if to stop herself from falling as
well, yet her face remain indifferent with an amuse smile lingering on
her face.

Fuck this shit. Fuck this reverse psychology shit.

“Please pull me up” Archie begged, his pride forgotten for the sake
of not falling from the suddenly intimidating height of the building
and then he realized,

He’s afraid of dying..

“I forgot that I wanted to ask something before you fall” This made
him gape before her..

Did, Did this woman plucked him from his fall just to answer her
question? Did she intend for him to die?!

“Wha-what is it?” His voice trembled, hands gripping the

appendage of the red head in case she let go for the 3 rd time.

To his relief he was completely pulled from his death bed, he knees
weakened, he grip the pavement for support and stared at the red
head warily. doubt that she will shove him completely this time if she

82
doesn’t like his answer. She leaned and cross her arms in her chest,
tilting her head to the side while staring at him in.

“What’s it like? What does giving up feels like?” Her voice was
lower, sounds like a whisper in his ears with the pounding in his
heart from earlier.

Archie stared at her confused, mouth already demanding to what

the redhead said, and she seems to anticipate it as she interrupt
him before he could lash out “You of all people probably knows
about it more than I do”

An involuntary twitch spasm in his face from the Jab, unbelievable,

this woman is unbelievable.

Archie release a tired sigh and grip the railings tighter, he’s
confuse at the particular question and wondered why the red head
would ask about it, maybe she wanted him to realize something?
That life is worth living for? She already done that with the stunt
she pulled of earlier.

He turned to look at her, really look at her. The makeup that she
thought was concealed enough showed the deep bags under her
eyes, the paleness that could only point at being in a seclude place
for preferring to be alone, along with the sorrow flickering in her
brown gaze as if seeing something he doesn’t know of, what he saw
is a tired person seemingly on the brink of breaking, like him.

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Gabrielle could feel his heart stop the moment the body of the
soon to be corpse suddenly slipped of, body involuntarily leaning
forward as if to catch the man when it froze a second later, he could
see the faint lines of a sleeve connected from the man’s nape and
he release the breath he didn’t know he was holding. His neck
craned and looks above once more.

“Oh man I was hoping for something to happen, this is boring”

someone complained. Gabrielle snaps his gaze towards the sound
came from. Blue Eyes glaring daggers at the unimportant man with
an unimportant, useless opinion. The man seems to sense his gaze
as he turned his bored eyes at him, suddenly flinching and diverted
his eyes somewhere, his expression must’ve unnerve the man, who
hurriedly scuttling away from his field of vision. Letting out a snort
he returned his attention back to the spectacle, a little
disappointed that he couldn’t see how his boss would handle this
situation Up close, he wondered what tactic she’s using to
convince the man, is it manipulation? Physical force? Or All of the
above?

The third option seems to be the correct one as the man released
a shriek as the arm tug forward as if intent to letting the man go.

Epidemics were already stationed just in case. With the handlers

ready in action, Gabrielle was then approach by one of them,
inquiring for more information which he readily give, both of their

84
attention then returned to the current situation as the people
around them seems to be releasing a collective sigh of relief.

The suicide jumper was gripping the Railings again but still on the
dangerous side of the fence, and look to be conversing with his
boss, the two occupants on the roof stayed there for an estimated
time of ten minutes before people around him begun to clap and
cheer with some assholes releasing a disappointed sigh and left,
The suicide jumper already on the safe side with his boss holding
the other’s arm for assistance, just in case.

Gabrielle is curious as to what the two talked about and as the

front door opened with the former suicide jumper and the red head
agent in tow. He approach both of them along with the fellow
nurses and officers, he made a beeline towards his boss, having
already separated to the recently suicidal man with the gathering
crowd around him. Alice avoided the people intent on getting close
to her space, immediately noticing him and walked towards him, he
congratulated her with a smile, the red head shrugging and
muttering thanks before motioning him to walk towards the
direction of the Headquarters.

“Hey!” Both turned towards the direction of the voice which came
from the star of the day, who sees to stutter with the color of red
creeping up his neck and into his face “J-just because you help me

85
realize something doesn’t mean that I for-forgiven you for doing
that earlier!”

Alice simply sent an amused smile on the man’s direction before

continue walking, with Gabrielle following beside her, he took one
backward glance towards the man.

Gabrielle could feel his eyes unexpectedly narrow.

“Where were you?” Nikolas questioned with a raised eyebrow as

The last people needed in the room occupied the remaining sit

“We were sidetracked” Alice Answered distractedly while taking a

note

Gabrielle stared at her questioningly but didn’t dare utter a word

about it instead he answered the man’s question

“We were in the Aquatea a few blocks from here”

“Their fruit teas are to die for” Olivia commented offhandedly,

returning to her work with a lingering gaze on the red head.

Alexis hummed in thought, Pen flicking in his lips in as he stared at

the two with interest “AqueaTea…Isn’t that place near the building
where someone wanted to jump this afternoon? I heard it was taken
care of”

“Then, were you two there when that happened?” Mike leaned in
his chair, his disinterested air vanishing in a flash.

86
“Y-yes we were there when that happened”

Gabrielle looks worriedly at the red head whose pen stopped

moving and placing it down. She smiled placidly at them “Just like
what Gabrielle Said, we were there when that man tried to jump.
We offered some assistance to ease the crowd and the man’s
death has been avoided” If Gabrielle hadn’t been there with the
red head, he would’ve thought that Miss Alice is insinuating that
she calmed down at uneasy crowd and not the one from above, But
wasn’t really lying when she said that she did calm the crowd, by
saving the former suicide jumper from death. Gabrielle wondered
why she didn’t take the credit.

“That’s one heck of a experience in your 1st day at work, isn’t it

newbie?” Alexis lightheartedly teased while wiggling his eyebrow at
the now uncomfortably Gabrielle.

“Y-Yes, but I learned a lot from Miss Alice from just a few hours
that she’s been assigned to me” Like how calm she is in such
situation and how she handled it. And also the strength and
endurance that she have just by lifting the man with just one arm.
Gabrielle added to his mental list to opted his training in that field.

“Instead of chit-chatting, why don’t we try and get back to our work
so we can at least have some progress?” Came from the annoyed
looking Mike, glaring irritably at the blond, Alexis lift his hand in
mock-surrender.

87
Just like that the subject has been drop, but taken noted of to be
pursued later.

Gabrielle release a sigh of relief, He wasn’t really that comfortably

being the center of attention, just like miss Alice who went back to
her work the moment she answered their question to send of signals
that she’s done with that subject.

He muttered an apology and quickly shifted his eyes towards Miss

Alice who suddenly stood up and assigned them of their next
assignment, which includes interviewing those people who Richard
was last seen with and question the previous suspect of their alibi
at that time. Eyes straying to the paper that she’s been writing on
since the 1st few hours, Gabrielle realized Miss Alice has been
cataloguing each member to what they do best, with notes
commenting their compatibly to investigate and question each
suspect and even the place. The only thing that changed in the
plan is that Olivia and Nikolas switch their assigned person as
Nikolas claimed to know who Olivia will be questioning, saying that
that person will probably be uncomfortable and uneasy to anyone
they didn’t know. So with a sigh, Alice agreed.

And just like that they exit the building and separate to their
respective destination. With him accompanying Miss Alice to
investigate said pace he’s been talking about.

88
He followed her to the white car that he immediately realized as
Mazda3, He must’ve said it out loud when the red head look at his
direction amusedly “You seem to have proficient knowledge about
cars Mister Gabrielle” the teasing quirk of her lips made him stutter
an explanation, Both respectively opening each door open as they
entered “I’m-uh A car fanatic in my youth. I tend to keep tabs on
them as a hobby”

“It’s a good hobby” Alice complimented, starting the engine and

drove “It can be a good asset to the FBI as well, Identifying
runaway cars or even give feedback to the headquarters with that
knowledge in a stressful situation” Alice Drawled, eyes focused on
the road ahead to their first destination. Gabrielle forced him not
to smile goofily and preen. Usually people just look at him weirdly
for obsessing over cars, but it’s the only things that really connect
him to his late-father, gushing over new car models that made his
mother look exasperated at them. Such a sad thing when they
died…. He shook his head to clear that depressing thought and
smiled politely, thanking the red head with a barely heard ‘thanks.

They traveled with a comfortable silence.

89
Chapter 12

Lead?

_________________________________________________
"The results came out, just as we thought, He was killed with the
same Substances of Cyanide and Digoxin, The same one as the
other 8 victims before him" Monika gravely Said, not looking at
them in the eye with her hand tightly formed in a fist, trembling as
she give them each copy of the result

Nikolas gave her a sympathetic pat in the back, hands staying

there that Monika could feel the trembling appendages from his
brother as well.

It was 2 hours after the lunch did Nikolas informed them of the final
results of the autopsy, it took longer than usual as the one
assigned to type all the finding unexpectedly request a leave due to
his problem that had the head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit
Nodding with desperate eagerness while also clamping her nose
and mouth to avoid such horrid smell, The man left with burning
embarrassment, leaving his unfinished work to the one who he is
with during the autopsy. Layla Maddie Coleman Chooses
Monika as their representative, as well as a member of the Fiber
Investigative Unit to rely their findings to them, calling cheerily at 7
am in the morning to inform a dead tired Monika and taunting her
lightheartedly to Man up and face her fears.

90
Monika had to leave her house in a rush and crammed up all the
things she relied on the poor, embarrassed man when they were
together that night. The first thing they saw when they entered the
seemingly glass paneled room is her haggard appearance,
scrambling up all the freshly printed papers, hastily giving each and
everyone the similar papers.

Nikolas pats her in the back to ease her discomfort as she gives him
his own copy.

And from there on, she summarized all their finding, as well as what
the Fiber analysis unit could find in Richard’s clothes. The murder
weapon, as always, looks to be the cyanide pill and digoxin.

“How about the place where Mister Monroe’s Larynx got cut up,
Is it the same place he got killed or, was he moved towards a
different location to remove them?” Olivia asked out loud, finally
looking up from the files after she read over it, (And also keeping
her ear out to hear what her colleague’s Sister had to say)

“As a matter of fact, I was about to tell you about that “A male
voice Mused as a nearly dark- haired version of their Blonde Man-
child, (But hotter) took a step in the center, fishing a remote from
his lab coat and clicking a button.

The projector screen on their side lit up and the familiar bloody
clothes of their deceased colleagues and friend (As well as lover)
Appeared on the screen.

91
“Mr. Monroe here had been killed in a polluted area, based on the
amount of dust that surrounds almost all of his body, as well as his
clothes, before getting his body move to a rather sterile one, similar
like a lab, A place for his larynx to be cut off, as always. Based on
the sterile components found on his wounds”

“Isn’t it the same with the other victims?” Mike blurted out in
confusion.

“Yes, But this one is slightly different from the rest, You see The
body has been left alone for an estimated time, preferably twenty
to thirty minutes before being moved”

“The previous victims hasn’t been in contact with the outside world
for how long, trapped in a confine place where they will stay for
approximately Ten days before they will be out in the open to be
discovered” Monika helpfully added to give her black haired
colleague a time to rest his moving muscles, in fear of them cracking
or accidentally bitten from his over-talking.

“In Mr. Monroe’s Case, it’s the total opposite” He finished with a
mad glint in his dark eyes, before turning to the youngest occupant
in the room, grinning wildly at Gabrielle (who couldn’t help but
compare Mr. Alexis and Him together) “You must be new here,
My name is Jesse Sawyer, nice to meet you” Gabrielle nodded
and offered his own name, stopping short when he noticed that
they are the only one making a sound.

92
The other occupants remain silent, casting a concerned glance at
the only redhead that never left the paper held in her hands,
Gabrielle being the nearest to her could see the slight crinkle
forming at the edges of the paper from her hand.

Even if he only spent a short time with his superior, he was sure to
be the only one really get close to her Titanium wall, enough to
discern the turmoil that threatens to break to the surface.

Monika immediately notice her and fumbled to the last page of the
file, clearing her throat for preparation “We…Also found a DNA
that didn’t belong to Richard Monroe” That got the red head’s
attention, eyes sharpened as she leveled Monika, her attention
solely, clearly focused on her.

Monika hid a flinch from the sudden action but collected her cool
to calm the cheering blond man that she identified As Alexis, The
similar locks of wild blonde hair struck a pain in her cord; she
wondered if Quinn felt the same way she felt when she saw the
blond man.

“We already go the result of a matching DNA from the tiniest bit
of hair that we found in his clothes” from here she heaves a sigh,
giving the final pieces of duplicated paper to one of them.
“Praise the science technology for that” Alexis remark before

93
frowning as he look at the paper in thought “Who’s Pierce
Jennings?” ‘ I think I heard that name earlier…’ he muttered a little
too loudly to himself.

“That’s because he’s the one that Nikolas and I switched over
before” Olivia answered, speaking for the first time that they
entered the Unit.

Realization seems to flash in his already expressive face as he

pointed his finger quite rudely to the bearded man “Isn’t that your
bro-bro that you mentioned earlier?” He exclaimed, Nikolas glower
at him in irritation but the signs of sweat that leaves his forehead
didn’t hide the fact that he’s shock as well

“It’s rude to point at people, learn your manners” He chided before

finally nodding, staring intently at the paper with shaking hands
“But ye-yes I do know him”

Alice continued to observe Nikolas’ reaction with keen interest,

eyes never leaving his the moment she read over the name from the
file

“I was planning to tell you guys the moment we returned to the

office about my suspicions of him, but I guess this changes
everything” Nikolas admitted, ruffling his hair as he uncomfortably
chose the next words to explain

94
“Just the other day, I was on my way to his house to discuss a few
things about his request for a job, we stumbled upon each other in
front of his house. He seems jittery when he saw me but Pierce still
invited me inside” Nikolas begins, crossing his arms over his chest
to rest his upper body on the glass walls

“Nice fellow, gave me a batch of his favorite cookies before

excusing himself upstairs to change”

“Now that’s suspicious” Mike muttered, but with his gruff voice

“Is his clothes that dirty?” Alexis wondered, the same time Mike
muttered, sending a look to the bald man and give him a stink eye,
Mike simply rolled his eyes and ignored him.

“it’s only polite to change to a pair of clean clothes if your

appearance could make a guest uncomfortable” Olivia reasoned
out, but he knew that doesn’t change the fact that she’s suspicious
as well.

Alice and Gabrielle chose to remain silent and waited for the man
to continue his report, or in Gabrielle’s term, Story.

“we talked, nothing important to really take note of but our meeting
today had me on edge, especially after I learned that he’ under
suspicion, doesn’t seems to be himself like I remembered. Refused
to answer my questions as to where he was yesterday morning and
look worse for wear, always looking at the door as if someone is
going to take him”

“Like expecting someone to barge in and take him straight to jail?”

Monika offered drily, clasping her folder close to her chest as she

95
listened to her brother’s story, tucking her fringes to her ears as
she do so in a habit.

“He seems paranoid, yes. Requesting for me to leave when I uh,

remain persistent about his last whereabouts in our last meeting”

“Is that why you’re the first one to come back then?” The blond
Man-child piped, not really delivering it as a question for Nikolas
to answer. But he still nodded at the not-question.

“That’s it then, we finally have our lead for the first fucking time”

“Watch your language Leonhart”

“Give him a break Ashburn,I’m as Ecstatic as he is” Gabrielle

didn’t know if that’s sarcasm right there “But with more control
over your mouth Sullivan” Olivia retorted with a snort, her eyes
then met Alice’s Brown ones and sent her a questioning glance
that translated to ‘What now?’

“We’ll arrange a questioning for Mister Jennings at his house

today”

The others somberly nodded and turned to walk out of the glass
paneled room, Nikolas giving his sister a pat in the head and Alexis
and Jesse humming a similar tune.

96
Chapter 13

Intruder

“What are we doing here Miss Alice?” Gabrielle asked softly while
following the graceful steps of the red head.

He had been confuse when they finished interrogating the man,

Mister Jennings earlier when he noticed that the red head hadn’t
intended to go home at all. She just motioned for him to get closer
and Told him in a low tone of her controlled voice that she’ll be
going to the headquarter to see if her intuition is correct, The
others didn’t seem to notice their stray on their way out of the
house, with a lingering glance from their resident Man-child.
Gabrielle vehemently agreed at the rather open invitation, Not
wasting a chance to see what his superior does in her line of work.

“Just a niggling feeling” Alice Answered, Eyes straying to each

department that feels a little deserted in her own opinion, She
already dismissed the suspicion on Pierce Jennings. Nothing in his
behavior leads back to Richard’s Case, with the only reason that
he briefly talked with the man over his job. It more or less lead to his
psychological trauma of something vile that happened to him when
Nikolas Sullivan met him.

She noted the lack of White coats in the vicinity from their walk.

97
Passing a familiar face, Alice called the person’s attention and walk
over to them, Gabrielle could see the visible gulp from the person
that the red head didn’t seems to notice, or maybe ignored the
action at all.

“Did something serious happened In the BA Unit?”

From the confusion on the Man’s face, Gabrielle got the niggling
feeling that something is wrong.

“Didn’t you hear? Carson asked for the whole unit’s assistance.
Something about a massacre in the San Fernando Valley” The
man hurriedly explains the situation before excusing himself and
went on his merry way.

Alice stared at the retreating back for a minute before stepping to

a different direction.

“I originally wanted to ask my colleague about something, but I

believe that can wait” The red head answered as if reading
Gabrielle’s thought, He nodded and kept his mouth shut on the
way, The longer they walk, the shorter a person is present in the
area and it made him wary when he noticed that they are alone in a
deserted hallway. The BAU room on the end of the passage.

Alice halted her silenced footstep and stared at something

Gabrielle couldn’t see, so he move and takes a look at what the red
head is staring at.

98
He frowned

The Double door is slightly ajar, barely unnoticeable for anyone

walking and not really looking.

Alice looks at him before moving her hand in her backside and took
something and positioned it downwards. A Gun he realizes. He
took a step back and allowed the red head to enter first swift as a
cat and soundless like assassin, Gabrielle minded his steps to make
as little sound as possible and followed the red head to the
otherwise empty room.

Blood pounded on his ears as it heightened for any noise that

doesn’t belong to either of them, eyes focusing on something that
wouldn’t belong in a lab at every step he take, forcing himself to
calm down les he made a mistake, Gabrielle breath slowly through
his mouth and continuously followed the Red head.

“This kind of thing shouldn’t even be possible” Alice muttered to

herself, Gabrielle still heard it from their close proximity. From his
questioning look Alice answered his otherwise silent question with
a low whisper

“Every unit usually left a couple or more members in every

department to guard and keep any investigation or operation
running, there’s no exception” She answered in a clipped voice,
hinting that Gabrielle should be suspicious of the fact and take
note of what she said.

99
Gabrielle nodded seriously and look towards the spacious room
filled with gadgets, tables with little to no concrete that separated
each section of the BAU, divided only by glass panels that allows
anyone to see the procedure of anyone.

The only exception being the place where the corpse for
investigation is stored, each corpse held inside a Metal ‘coffin’
stored like a cabinet with many drawers.

Meanwhile in San Fernando valley

“Carson” A curt voice called, gaining his attention from the police
that he is conversing with, He turned his narrowed eyes towards
the voice and couldn’t help raising his eyebrow to the point of
nearing in his hairline

“We came as you requested” Layla stated with underlying

confusion, eyes wandering in the vast valley as if looking for
something, and she seems to not be the only

“What are you talking about?” The Dark skinned man questioned
in equal confusion, pocketing the folder that was given to him from
the previous officer about the victim’s Identity and turned his full
attention towards the White coated woman, Now noticing the
number of White lab coat in the vicinity “And why are there many
of you?”

100
Layla furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at him “The man you
called informed us of a Massacre near the San Fransisco Valley
and that you required the whole Unit due to how much corpse
there is”

“I didn’t do such thing” Carson denied with suspicion” Besides I

have my own phone here with me, why would I order someone else
to inform you of such thing?”

Layla shrugged but her eyes gained a darkened hue in realization.

“And there’s no Massacre as you can see, it’s only a Murder-

Suicide case” Carson helpfully added .

“I can see that” Layla snap with irritation, Hand on her hips and
heeled foot tapping on the ground with annoyance.

“Um sir?” Both turned their attention towards another person clad
in lab coat, sensing what the question is going to be Carson snap
his own irritation at the poor man.

“I didn’t order a summon of the whole BAU, and no there’s no

Massacre”

The man cowered under his glare.

Carson didn’t try apologizing for his temper as he made his way
into his car, starting the engine and ordering the whole unit with the
exception of the ones originally in the crime scene to get back to

101
the Headquarter. The door beside him opened and Layla made
her comfortable in the sit beside him, pulling the seatbelt and
connecting it to the other.

Carson looks at her questioningly and Layla only blink “What? It’s
stuffy in there” He rolled his eyes and starts the engine, driving
away and leaving a trail of dust behind them.

Back to the present

Alice followed the barely noticeable light, with Gabrielle slightly

distracted by the corpse that the red head ignored all together.
Recognizing it as the newest victim of the investigation, and from
what he had gathered, Miss Alice’s Deceased Lover.

And it all happened unexpectedly, one moment he was assessing

the corners of the Morgue and the next, Bumping into the red
head’s Back that had him instead stumbling backwards and hitting
the table and scattering all the things that is placed to the side,
falling into the floor with a crash and finally staring at the frozen
eyes of a hooded person bend over a computer, Gloved hands
that stilled from their keyboard.

Alice reacts fast and whipped her gun at the person’s Chest.

Gabrielle tensed in his position, ready to stop and block any form
of escape that he could. He didn’t have any weapon in him to
attack the Hooded Man? Or is it a Woman? The gender is

102
unclear with the baggy clothing, So he was force to rely to the only
person fast enough to apprehend the ‘guest’ if necessary.

“Place your hands where I can see it” She ordered with the
coldness that Gabrielle hadn’t heard before from the woman

Slowly, the hooded person lifted their appendages under the

scrutiny of those Darkened brown orbs, slowly and carefully.
Gabrielle warily watches as their left hand to stray longer than the
other, hidden by the Monitor. Alice only have time to realize what it
is before shoving herself and Gabrielle to the ground, a bullet whiz
past them and embedded itself on the Glass wall, shattering it into
pieces. Alice tried shooting, her other hand resting on the
shattered glass as she pushes herself up, missing the person’s body
much to her ire. The Hooded person bolted out of the area with
Speed-filled panic, bumping into some materials and out of the
room with a bang.

Alice followed soon after, body slamming into the Double doors
and wrenching it open, never missing a beat with her adrenaline she
run after the last glimpse of clothes on the left, she ignored the
Younger male that tried to follow her in speed, ignore her feet that
was clad in heeled shoes, and not meant for running. She ignored
the pain in her hands and the creeping ache in her muscles on her
feet, all the red head was focused on is the running figure that
leaves any person in the vicinity blink at them in bewilderment.
They entered an empty hallway.

103
She gripped the handgun tighter and fastens her speed, catching
up with the hooded figure and grabbing the base of their neck clad
in thick cotton and with all her might pulled them into her and sent
herself and the other in the floor in an effort to trap them, hand
gripping the handgun and placed over the struggling figure’s chest
in a manner that is threatening to blow up their innards, Her other
injured hand holding the Figure’s left hand in a tight grip that she
will know that would bruised in violet and blue.

but she misjudged the hooded figure’s strength and possibility of a

hidden weapon as they unexpectedly lash their free hand at her,
with a glinting knife in their hand that could’ve slice her throat open,
but with inhumane speed that could only come from her adrenaline,
Alice moved her hand to instinctively protect it, her right palm
facing the blunt force of the blade, the pain hadn’t registered yet
and she took that moment to send a punch in the fucker’s chest
with her uninjured left hand. They grunted in pain and Alice, in her
haze, manage to discern that it’s a male.

Said male return the physical favor in gusto as he propel the red
head out of his person and shove her into the wall with a force that
had her grunting, Alice could’ve sworn that hear head hit the
concrete wall, the gloved hands that gripped her loosen and let her
body crumple into the tiled floor, The male made a step towards
her in an action to even inflict an even more damage, stopping as
the blaring of alarm resounded in every direction, the set of feet
running away from her made her tremble in anger.

Alice force herself to stand up amidst to the pain in her hands and
most importantly in her head, throbbing and making her vision

104
blurry, she stumbled in her steps but continue running, depending
on her blurred vision and hearing from the heavy stomp, She
release a soft curse under her breath as the sound got distant and
the sound of alarm louder.

Luck doesn’t seemed to be on her side as she lost the hooded

figure, Wasn’t sure if he went on the left or right hallway, betting on
her intuition, Alice pursed her lips and went to the right, stopping
in a halt when a startled cry from the left hallway materialize.

Thinking that the hooded man probably shove someone out of the
way, Alice run to the left , her good hand leaning for support as her
headache worsen.

She soon manage to stumble upon a crouching figure with papers

scattered on the ground, she narrowed her eyes and tried clearing
her vision and called the attention of the person with familiar lab
coat with her pained grunt.

“AH! Alice wh-what are you doing here- wait, is that BLOOD?
!” She immediately recognize the woman’s voice and with a heaving
breath opened her mouth “Did you see a hooded man running this
way Miss Sullivan?” her voice sounds hoarse and weak and it made
Alice wince.

“No, But you need medical attention immediately” The stern voice
of Monika made Alice raised her eyebrow in the midst of her pain;
She could tell that the woman is lying, maybe Monika thought her
health is more important?

but the panic sound from the woman as she tried to force her to
stay when the red head made a move to come back to her former

105
destination, and the insistent spurt blood on the hallway made her
hesitantly nod as the brunette threatened to inject her with
tranquilizer, hoping that someone at least catch that man from the
population residing inside the building, Alice stayed on her spot.

She waited for the Brown haired woman to snatch up all the paper
on the floor with a hurried pace, uncaring from the crease and dirt
stepped paper.

Soft hands gently grasp her uninjured ones and drag to her to a
location that Alice blindly followed, stumbling with every step that
had the brunette struggling, Rapid pair of footsteps had her
tensing and she turned her blurry eyes towards the sound and
recognizes the color of the clothes.

Gabrielle immediately walk beside her and ushered her to lean on

his body as he grab her arm and steady it in her shoulder, as if
knowing that he couldn’t possibly carry her weight and has the
probability to make her injuries worse.

Alice only grunted and let the both of them suffer for forcing
themselves to carry her body, Monika’s previously meek voice
became loud and had it ringing in her ears as the brunette called for
help.

What a hell of a night.

106
Chapter 14

Interrogation

_________________________________________________
The perpetrator that infiltrate the BAU laboratory was
unsuccessfully apprehended, vanishing in the feed like a phantom
and had Alice silently cursing the FBI population, And it had
them on edge as the prospect that someone successfully entered a
highly populated building filled with skilled agents and no one, not
even the guards that were stationed on every exit, noticed the ins
and out of the Hooded man. The sarcasm in her voice as she
thought of them skilled can be subconsciously felt by said
population.

Her injury has been treated with professional help of one Monika
Sullivan, After being questioned as to why she is the only one left
in the BA unit, the Brunette claimed to have been accidentally left
after she went to retrieve a follow-up files at the other side of the
building –which the people of said building- After that Alice had
her right hand in a sleek cast, much to her annoyance the pounding
in her head had been receded into a manageable one, confirmed by
the medical doctor that she only suffered from concussion, she
didn’t hesitate shut down their pleas as they wanted her delivered
in the hospital to be confined, Because of the fact that Markus
informed him of a rather Alarming fact.

107
They shuffled through Richard’s File.

The fucker tried doing something in Richard’s file and got stopped
by her lucky intuition.

She’ll be damned if she let herself rest with this and they got the
fucker’s accomplice too, the one who ordered the BAU of
Carson’s falls orders.

“Carson suspended him for giving false command and was placed in
the interrogation room for being a possible suspect, as of now for
his action"

"Who ordered all the Agents in the Lab to go to the Hangman

crime scene yesterday?" Alice Murmured after Catching up to
someone she's familiar with, following the man's pace as they made
their way to the same destination, the spectacled man nearly drop
all the papers he was holding from the sudden, dangerous question.
gathering his bearings and glance at the Red head before quickly
replying to the visibly agitated agent in a hushed voice so only the
red head could hear.

"Jackson did, he mentioned that 'The boss' texted him to inform

them that they we're all ordered to be dismissed for the day and
they all seems to do so in an instant" Alfred, The spectacled man
explained, relying all that he was informed to as he himself only

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heard what the Chemist, one of the member that Jackson
dismissed. Frantically explained, fearing for her job for following
Jackson's demand.

And to say that Carson is shock is an understatement when he,

along with the rest of the agents of police saw the whole BAU
members comes into their crime scene in the middle of the night
asking him what his next order was, and where the massacre of
bodies is to be preserve. He patiently tell them that no, it was just
one corpse hanged by the no-named murderer and no, he didn’t
order an immediate summon from them, much less the whole unit.
And Carson immediately knew that something is amiss, fleeing the
scene along with the baffled Unit and into the headquarter, just in
time for him to receive a call from Alice, informing him that someone
tried infiltrate the lab And the unsuccessful attempt to catch them.
( the red head then hesitantly inform him of her wound)

"And everybody just believed that? Even the ones stationed to

guard the files?" Alice said in a more normal voice as they walked to
a deserted hallway. Tilting her head to look at the man beside her
better and unconsciously forming her hand into a fist. She was
instantly reminded of the stinging pain that she got from the earlier
encounter. it left a bitter taste in her mouth for letting them escape
escape from her grasp, she was so close.

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"I have no idea how that happened, they just quoted that Jackson
was pressuring them to leave, threatening them of telling Carson
that they disobeyed his order"

"He sounded desperate from how you describe him" The red head
muttered.

They entered the slightly darkened room and her gaze immediately
snap towards the chained down man who keeps on banging his fist
on the Metal table in clear frustration, with Carson himself sited
across the man, glaring at the suspended agent and spoke with a
clear, minacious voice that finally silence the raging man, as if
remembering his place. He didn’t have any defining features in him
that could make him stand out in a crowd, save for his Anger
management that is as clear as day.

Alice and Alfred, along with the others that Alice recognize being
Markus, Silently watch the interrogation with the Glass panel
separating them and the ones inside as the questioning continues,
now with a more sedate pace.

One in denial and the other with a calculating tone as he tried

110
wording the questions that could potentially bring the man guilty.
and from what Carson gathered from the past 5 minutes, This little
shit is full of it.

As she never interacts to this 'Jackson' before, Alice had no idea

what to think of him in a way that could excuse the man of his
behavior.

But he just became a suspected accomplice really, that person she

encountered with in the Lab, greatly confuse her, whether or not
they were hire by the killer or was the killer itself, she wasn’t sure of.
But one thing was for sure, the serial murderer that she’d known,
strike when they least expected it, Nothing like this Jackson who
will be a guaranteed accomplice if he continue to vehemently
denied and refuse to answer some of Carson’s question.

She might get the answers from the man herself if this continues,
nothing like using the old method that had others shaking in fear.

Alice turned her gaze away from the two men "Did you track the
number that contact Jackson?" The question was directed to
Markus, The resident hacker of the FBI.

"of course, but the only thing that I could find is a call and the
message that Jackson here is talking about, the caller’s number is

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untraceable but guaranteed that it was only used once, probably
for this”

Alice released a Tsk, withdrawing for the rather short

conversation to observe the proceeding again, the pain in her
wound receding and numbed once more that she almost forgotten
that it’s there, but no. she has to reminded herself of her failure,
failure to catch that killer and let them get away, A reminder that
will keep her going.

“I told you boss, someone called me saying that he’s your assistant.
Filling my head that it was your outmost order” ‘And I know what
you did to those that disobey you’ Was left unheard “That
doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t at least check if what the
caller said is valid, Since when did I ever request for someone to
make a call for me , much less order A whole unit to come into a
crime scene?” Carson rebuked Jackson’s Excuse with a leveled
glare.

“And from these report, ‘Jackson strutted into the lab and
immediately informed us of ‘your’ request of our aid in the
supposed Hangman Serial case’.

‘Threatened us to go to my location’

‘Stayed behind and only gave us your location ’

‘Smug bastard ordering us around’

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The list goes on as Carson gave the already reddening man the
full details of the Members that wanted to share their testimony
about Jackson’s Actions.

“I admit that I did that” Jackson slowly grounded out with barely
contained anger “But I did that because I thought it was from you,
Sir” for the first time Jackson sounded sincere, but the almost
craze panic in his eyes blew the cover away.

“Then explain why you won’t tell me of the unknown caller before
the actual call that you keep on sprouting about”

Jackson seems to clamp his mouth shut with a click, Alice

wondered if his teeth cracked from that action. He took a
shuddering breath and look away from the imposing man in front of
him, the other occupants on the other side of the room waited with
a baited breath, wondering if the man will confess or make an
excuse once again.

“The only thing that I could tell you, is that it isn’t connected to the
one we’re talking about right now”

“Who is it?” Carson demanded with a scowl

Jackson mumbled something under his breath and seemed to

redden at the demand

“I can’t hear you, what are you saying?”

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“it…bo…”

“What?” Carson repeated, the rest of the bystanders outside of

the room leaned forward to wait for his answer.

“Answer my question with a loud-“

“IT’S MY BOYFRIEND OKAY?!” Jackson snapped with

a flustered face, gripping the table in shame.

Alice blink

Markus choked on his spit

Carson stared speechless

“What?”

Jackson begun to sprout his sexual extravaganza in frenzy about

his lover and explained that he really thought that Carson ordered
him about the BAU situation and he believed it because he was
drunk.

Alice shook her head in irritation at the fact that the Man is telling
the truth, she didn’t listen to the man’s ramblings anymore and
simply waited for Carson to be finished and discuss the things with
him .

114
Chapter 15

Conflict

_________________________________________________

“The suspicion over Pierce Jennings has been dismissed, as per

my request, have him investigated of something else” Alice
declared after they settled down on their sit.

Just as she thought, there was a series loud exclamation from the
two vocal people in the team, Olivia sent her a look that requested
for her to explain or else she will join the fray. Nikolas only
remained silent and waited for her explanation.

“He is under the possibility of recently experiencing Sexual

harassment” They quite down soon after that and she didn’t waste
any more time explaining and giving them a rather short file that has
their current (And former) suspect’s name written on it.

“I- I don’t understand”

“We became rather blinded to any possibilities other than the ones
we were told to, that’s why there’s a boon in remaining ignorant to
something, our mind would create potential reasons as to why they
did it, not set in stone to where we scrutinize everything based from
‘facts-”

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“Yeah yeah we get it, stop jabbing at our incompetence” Mike
grumbled, slicking his hair back with a frown.

“Don’t be hard on her Mikey, she’s just giving her words of

wisdom” Alexis made a move to pat the grouchy man’s shoulder,
but immediately snap it back with a snicker when the man directed
his glower at him before suddenly dropping the given file in the
table stood up straight with his expression set into horror.

“I FORGOT THE COFFE IN THE ENTRANCE”

He runs off the door without an excuse, much to Olivia’s irritation
“Mikey loves no one other than his Love for coffee” Alexis
chortled

“Quinn?”

Alice turned her attention from the two to the Short haired woman

“Yes? Is there something you need to know?” Alice softly inquired,

already knowing what the other woman will ask, or should she say
confirmed.

“The last page of the folder seems completely unrelated to the

Jennings, It says here that you requested for another Autopsy to
be done on Monroe’s Body?”

That got the attention of everyone in the room; Alice noted the
violent snap of Nikolas’ head towards her direction.

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“Why?” Olivia query with a raised eyebrow,

“We have come to deduct that the result of Richard has been
compromise by someone inside the Lab, I requested for another
autopsy, Carson provided the set of people to do that would do
the jo-”

Her softly spoken word that had the other people listening with
wide eyes came into abrupt into a halt when a chair skidded out
rather forcefully and palms harshly collided in the wooden table
with a resounding bang, Olivia and Alexis wince at the sound and
glared annoyed to the bearded man, who ignored them in favor of
glaring at the Red head woman across him, who seems to remain
unaffected as she stared at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Care to repeat that?" His voice was ever stern, with a barely
controlled anger lacing every word that the man leisurely said, His
eyes contains a mixture of disappointment, trepidation and barely
contained Rage that Alice noticed before speaking.

"I requested another autopsy for Richard, but this time, it's a
thorough one, just to make sure that we're getting full information
for the sake of the investigation" she repeated, adding more
explanation for the older one to see and understand.

"Why?" Nikolas grounded out, hand turning into a fist "Isn't my

117
sister's data not enough? She, along with the others did their job,
They both did their work for the sake of this investigation, and
here you are, tarnishing their hard work just because you're not
satisfied with the result?"

"I never said that I’m not satisfied, i just had something to make sure
of” Alice retorted .

“Don’t try to shut me out of this and not tell a damn thing as to
why, I’ve been here since day one. I’m more a part of this
investigation than you are” Nikolas grounded out, as if reminding
her that she’s only been here for 3 days. Alice remain unaffected
to his words that had the others wincing at the Bearded man’s
rather harsh remark.

“Their findings about the traces of Jennings’s DNA proved to

be valuable in the investigation. It leads to the possibility that
someone inside the lab could’ve tried deliberating something Alice
recounted, eyes narrowing. "And besides, why are you so against
the idea? I respected their findings, and most of all, how dedicated
Monika and the others in the investigation, wouldn’t you want to
gain advantage to finally solve this case?"

Nikolas only glared at her before forcing himself to sit down, his
heart already racing from this stressful situation, where had he
gone wrong?

118
"If it makes you feel better, if the thing I’m unsettled about turned
out wrong, then that just means that I’m wrong, I’ll even publicly
apologize to both of you and your sister" She doesn't even mind
apologizing if she really made a mistake anyway.

"H-hey no need for that Alice! I'm sure we can all agree to disagree
for the sake of the investigation yeah?" Alexis' usually cheery voice
seemed to be forced as he wave his arms around to placate a raging
storm that continues to brew at the two, eyes wildly going back and
forth to the two with distressed intensity.

Olivia and the other spectator chose to remain silent and see
through the situation and decide when to intervene, The black
haired woman only hope this wouldn't escalate into something much
much worse, she couldn't help but wondered if her blonde
companion made it more bad as it is.

Nikolas only stared across her, Alice could discern the Mixtures
of emotions swirling in the older man's expression but she stood her
ground and let a slip of defiance escape her stoic face.

"Tch" Nikolas broke off the staring contest and marched out off
the room, opening the door wide open, and not before casting

119
Alice a Dark look and closed it off with a resounding bang, leaving
the room once again in a tense silence.

Gabrielle couldn't help but frown heavily in his seat, unable to meet
any of them in the eyes as he had his own inner turmoil, the team's
dynamics is one that you could feel like at home while you try and
solve a problem, he could almost labeled this seemingly
dysfunctional team as a company he preferred more than all things
possible, and to think that it’s only been three days since he came
into this group and now…

He couldn't help but try to find the reason for this sudden
situation, Gabrielle knew Miss Alice enough to know that the
controlled, analytical mind of the red head wouldn't just sprout off
this kind of thing and not expect the consequences of the said
action.

'What are you planning Miss Alice?'

Olivia released a deep sigh rubbing her temple in a way to massage

the growing migraine "You have to give Sullivan a chance for acting
that way, he's just protective of his sister and also.." She started,
Expression stern while gazing at the younger woman in a
disapproving tone .

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"You don't just unsubtly tell that kind of things, especially if you
tell those in front of a family member that could destroy your life
just by their anger alone"

"I know" The red head's tone remain unchanged

"This is the first time that happened in a long, long while" Alexis
muttered to himself, fiddling with the metallic pen while staring
worriedly at the door and at the Red head woman.

The Door suddenly open and both spectators swiveled their head
to the direction to check if their angry subordinate came back, the
only thing that could prove that Alice check as well is the subtle
flick of her eyes before continuing her typing something in her
laptop.

"What did you guys do to piss the man off? i saw em' stomping
down the hallway like a beast who got his cereal shitted at" the
familiar sound of Mike's gruff voice and astounding dirty mouth
manage to turn Olivia’s disapproving stare right at him, Mike
blinked multiple times before shrugging off and placed the Take-
out Coffee in the table before sitting, He look expectedly at them.

"Well, you see, it's actually a long story..." Alexis is the one who

121
decided to fill what his Frenemy missed out, Mike's eyebrow rose
up with an incredulous expression after the blond man finished the
recap of what happened just a while back before turning to the red
head that seems keen on ignoring them.

"I think you fucked up"

“But you guys don’t get it” Gabrielle muttered, finally speaking up
to back the red head “What do you mean ‘we don’t get it?’ is there
something that we should know about for that stunt you pulled?”
Mike demanded, not really forceful. A furrowed brow, Hands
folded in his chest for the red head to answer.

Alice stared at him and the rest, as if searching for something and
seemed to weigh the options of whether or not tell them. She
release a sigh and stared at her injured hand that still have their
bandage in it.

“We encountered someone who tried sabotaging something at the

BAU yesterday, Carson ordered me yesterday to keep it low for
now” They stared at her with wide eyes and slightly gaping mouth.

“And you only decided to tell us now?” Olivia’s exasperated voice

had the others blinking out of their shock, Alexis look as if he
swallowed a lemon whole.

“Don’t tell me…Their target was Richard’s file?” At the red head’s
Nod, The blond haired man releases a shuddering sigh.

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“Someone purposely left the computer open, as well as the door
unlocked, enabling our Would-be Sabotager to enter and tried
doing something the file, even if the BA units were in a rush, they
wouldn’t let their electronics and precious evidence out in the
open”

Alice told them about the interrogation, about Freyr Jackson and
his apparent reason and why Carson ordered them not to tell
anyone unless in certain circumstances. Alice decided that they
needed to know, so that they can at least understand why she
antagonize Nikolas.
“B-but why? Monika already gave us the results, there wouldn’t be
a reason for them to delete or change something in it” Alexis
Blinked in confusion at the man’s purpose

“That’s something I don’t know the reason of” Alice admitted, she
didn’t know why they did it, she gritted her teeth for not knowing
why.

“Did they mistake the duration of the data to be shared

tomorrow?”

“They must’ve used Freyr Jackson as a diversion by the killer

then” Alexis suggested after Alice gave them the name of the man
still lock in one of the cell for his actions

“It’s not Freyr?”

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“No, he was seen in hanging in the bar when he dismissed the BA
units” Alice denied, the man that huge wouldn’t be that fast and
agile in avoiding her, She knew it was someone else, suspected that
person ever since.

“Then the killer…” Olivia trailed off, uncertain to continue of what

she thought

“The killer is in our midst and Monika Sullivan along with the other
BAU member and everybody else inside this building became our
suspect” Alice finished darkly, knuckles turning with to the point
that they nearly popped out of their sockets.

Surprisingly soft, gentle hands pried off her deadly grip, at least
tried too, she let her knuckles loosen for the younger man to take.

“Miss Alice, your hand” Gabrielle warned with a frown.

Alice sighs and muttered a silent apology.

“What happened to your hand?” Olivia asked in alarm, standing up

to inspect the slightly bleeding wound before getting the Med kit,
Gabrielle already doing the task of untying her bandage and
setting it on the table.

“Oh that is just nasty” Mike wrinkled his nose, turning away from
the bloody view and took the coffee with his free hand, his left hand
holding a newspaper of all things that he really didn’t have the

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chance to check out in the morning, hey didn’t judge him, he knows
no shit in the medical field.

“Something that I got from the Killer’s Accomplice” Alice wished

that she said that a bit earlier, the cup on the verge of being drank
by the man, as said man’s hand froze and look at her.

“You didn’t mention anything about being wounded earlier” The

accusing tone made the corner of her lips tilt slightly, as Olivia
came back with a box of med kit, she answered.

“I did now”

But honestly, this situation is giving her a headache and her hand
hurts, a lot.

125
Chapter 16
Mending of relationships

Alice didn’t know what came over her to come and go to the central
park first thing in the early morning. the sun hasn't risen yet and
with the weather goddamned cold that puffs of air could be seen in
every time she breathe, she would've prefer sleeping in the bed with
let the fluffy blanket cover her entire being and sleep for just
another hour before going to work.

But something seems compelled her to go and leave the

condominium and she left with a deep sigh, donning a thick white
scarf around her neck and a dark trench coat before stuffing both
of her hands on either side of the respective pockets and out in the
building, she let her feet drag her somewhere with not particular
location in mind, avoiding the early risers that seems to be as
haggard as her, Alice felt eyes unconsciously darted to any
suspicious behaviors from the mass.

The red head let out a yawn, mouth covered by her slightly cold
hand that she had to take out of their precious confine to mask her
gaping mouth, the stinginess of her eyes and the bags below it
made her wince for the lack of proper sleep she hadn't had for

126
days, today is the fourth one and it seems to affect her and her
attitude towards specific people.

Because of Another nightmare, it's something the redhead

couldn't comprehend, couldn't find the source of, she thought that
with her recent loss, shouldn't it be about Richard? and yet all the
dream ever was is the Monster that continue to kill her every time
she sleep, Alice tried escaping and find a way to banish it from the
depts. of her mind but keeps on failing every time, only finding a
locked box that she couldn’t pried open before the hideous
monster came out to tackle her out of nowhere.

Rubbing her eye in a rather undignified manner this time, Alice let
out another yawn and ignored a woman walking her dog looking at
her with a rather thoughtful expression while checking her out, eyes
trailing up and down with something like approval in her face.

Her mind couldn't help but wonder about the heated conflict that
she caused the other day, Alice could've handled it the other way
and not the poor result that she got instead, cursing her stupid
Nightmare for scrambling her usually Controlled Mind, and
tongue.

She didn't expect for the older man to explode right at her face, it
was all thanks to the fact that Sullivan had to rein his body from

127
outright attacking her due to the possibility that she might file a
case against him for assault, not that she will.

But there is a reason for that particular action alone, something

that she's reluctant to see the result of but intended to see the end
of it and she chose to be the antagonist of the Sullivan siblings for
the sake of the investigation, there’s no going back now.

A small figure suddenly stumbled in front of her and Alice reacted

on instinct, body reacting fast with hand swirling around a small
chest and kneeled down just as the child was about to face plant on
the floor, Her hand tinged with pain at the force of collision.

It's a good thing that the place they are now isn't that crowded,
allowing the red head to move freely.

Placing the child right up and standing Alice Look at the

youngster who dusted herself off the dust that manage to clung
into her periwinkle dress and look up to meet her gaze. The two
stared for a while, Alice noticed the youngster had a glazed look in
her eyes, which she had been thinking of, racking up her brain from
where she saw it as the Girl's eyes seems oddly ...familiar

"You okay there moppet?" She started, startling the youngster

out of her daze, face suddenly turning into a rosy color that Alice
worried that the kid will cry, but the kid Shook her head, coffee

128
colored pigtails swinging in back and forth motion as pearly white
teeth stretch into a shy smile, the rosy color on her cheeks staying
in place that Alice wondered if it's Permanent

"I'm okay, Thank you nice lady!" The smile widen, The purity of it
looks so contagious that Alice couldn't help but smile as well, eyes
slightly softening from their icy interior.

"Pretty..." The Coffee Haired child muttered under her breath,

staring at the pretty lady that stop her from falling and getting the
pretty dress that her father brought for her, she wondered if this
lady is the pretty Red mermaid from the one in television, pushing
her shyness away she asked just that. Her little fingers nibbling the
edge of her pretty dress.

The pretty lady had this look in her face that Look almost exactly
like the one daddy got when she ask questions and she pouted for
being left out to what's funny about it.

"No Moppet, just a normal human being" The pretty lady said with
a wink, letting her mind run a mile that lead to her thinking of
another favorite pretty lady with the same pretty hair.

"Are you black widow then? She's pretty and fast like you"

Pretty lady shrugged and let out a small chuckle "Something like
that" She gasps and looks expectedly up at her. That just means
that pretty lady is an Awesome Hero beating up bad guys like her

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Dad! Pretty lady then made a shush motion, lifting her pointy finger
and placing it in front of her pink lips "But that's our secret little
moppet all right?" She eagerly nodded before pouting; puffing her
mouth with her arms crossed in her chest “Don’t call me moppet!
That’s not my name"

"Well what do people call you then?"

She puff her chest in pride “Daddy Calls me Poppy” Poppy like
her name very much.

"Poppy, huh? That's such a nice name, but would you like me to
call you Poppy too?" Pretty lady said with a smile, looking down at
her, now that Poppy notice it, The way the sun's light illuminated
around pretty lady's hair looks like a halo like the one an angel
have...

Poppy smiled at pretty lady with an almost blinding intensity,

nodding in agreement with a vibrating excitement.

The lady suddenly frown and it momentarily stop her, picking up

the mood as she tense.

"Where is your daddy then? I don't see him everywhere" Pretty

lady said, looking around in search for a man that has any similar
look as the coffee haired child.

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Alice already pieces enough to know that Poppy' dad is the only
one around, the possibility that poppy only have a single parent is
available but she could only hope that it isn't, for the sweet
Moppet in front of her lacking a mother is....

"Oh! I wanted an ice cream so daddy took off to get me one, but
it's taking too long so I followed after him...but I got lost" Poppy
answered, looking uncertain now that she remembered why she was
running in the first place.

That made Alice worried, deciding to help the little moppet to find
her way back, as the red head couldn’t risk the chance of the little
girl being in the wrong hands. Alice stood up and questioned where
poppy was before bumping into her, Poppy thought for a moment,
gathering what her mind could remember in the last 15 minutes that
she’s been looking for daddy.

"I was playing in the slide near the Pond with those colorful fishes
when daddy left..."

A park then, Alice catalog the distance the little poppet could run
and from the way poppy didn’t seem to be that tired, the park must
be somewhere nearby, and the most possible location poppy came
from is the Neighborhood Park just a few blocks away from here.

Alice sternly look at the sheepish child, Voice neutral with enough
chiding tone that even poppy felt but didn't feel afraid to "You

131
should've stayed there and waited for your dad Poppet, what if you
got hurt?"

"Sorry..." Poppy meekly muttered, seeing her fault in the matter for
not staying put, promising to her to listen now, especially to the
pretty lady, poppy doesn't want to see her upset.

Alice sigh and offered her hand to the coffee haired child who look
at the offered appendage hesitantly, face conflicted as if wanting
to reach out but couldn’t, Alice felt approval for the child's
hesitance, at least she's careful and not that trusting to strangers

"Daddy said to never follow a stranger..."

"And your daddy is right about that one, but here " she reach for
her pocket and pulled out her badge, showing it to the wide eyed
Moppet who immediately brighten and eagerly took her hand, then
followed the pretty lady as she was guide back to the road,
Knowing that pretty lady is like daddy now made her completely
trust pretty lady more. They passed stores and stalls that she
remembered passing by before bumping to the pretty lady.

Now that Poppy think about it, Poppy didn’t know what Pretty
lady’s name was

“Pretty lady..? I’m flattered” Alice drawled while looking ahead,

Her icy exterior back in her face as Poppy decided to look down at

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the ornaments designed in the stoned road, but her voice still warm
and soothing, Brown eyes looking in front “I’m Alice”

“Alice? Like the one in Wonderland?” Poppy piped in bouncing in

her every step as she tried following the pretty pattern of the
carved stone. Her mind flashed to the Girl with yellow hair and
pretty blue dress. Alice didn't seem to mind the overactive child as
the duo both made their way to the designated destination, Giving
a raised eyebrow at the question "Yeah, like in wonderland" They
continued to talk with the younger one talking animatedly and
Alice giving occasional remarks, gathering a side eye look from the
people they passed, eyeing the pair with curious glance and
continuing in their merry way, An old couple giving them a whimsical
smile as if reminiscing a moment 'Such a lovely pair' the old woman
thought, heart lightening while squeezing her husband's wrinkled
hand.

Alice stop in their tracks as they finally reach their destination, the
park was littered with a few kids with their parents, She felt a tug in
her hand and look at the coffee haired child who then excitedly
pointed at a giant green slide surrounded with sand "That's where
I’m playing earlier!" Alice nodded and made their way into the one
the little Moppet was pointing at

Poppy escape the red head's gentle grasp and run towards the
green slide then suddenly begun looking around it as if looking for
something, Alice approach the little girl, avoiding the other children

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running in the area. Stopping just a few feet away from the moving
child, Alice called out poppy's attention to stop her from kneeling
on the sand and possibly dirtying the dress that she knew the
young girl treasured.

"You shouldn't kneel on the ground, your dress will be sullied"

Alice cautioned, stopping poppy from her action and approach her
whle sniffing and rubbing her eyes.

"I can't find it anywhere…" Poppy muttered, her voice wavering as

she begun to hiccup, Alice leaned forward "What is it Poppet?
Did you lost something? Is it your doll?" Alice guessed, as it was
common for a child to have toys. Poppy nodded worriedly "I just
left it in the ground under the green slide” the leveling her body in
front of the young girl, ruffling her hair to calm said child.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find it” Alice thought for a moment
‘Maybe her dad saw it and took it? The slide area is rather
deserted so the probability of it taken by the others is unlikely’.

“Penelope!” the familiar voice had Alice turning her upper body to
look at the source of the sound, Her eyes slightly widening as the
familiarity of the child in front of her and the one she couldn’t
remember finally click into place.

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She stood up and step to the side, allowing the man to crouch in
her former place before engulfing the child into a hug that Poppy
happily reciprocated. Smiling wildly at the white haired man.

“I thought I lost you Poppy, why did you leave the park when I told
you not to?” The man sternly chided after the long hug, the sweat
clinging into his face down to his beard proved that he has been
running around and looking.

Poppy dropped her head guiltily “I’m Sorry daddy; I got impatient
and wandered off… and got lost” Poppy spoke with her high-pitch
voice. The man let off a deep sigh before finally noticing Alice and
stumbled a little from his kneeling position, standing up and holding
Poppy’s hand and stared appraisingly at her .

“Quinn” He tightly intoned, motioning Poppy to go behind him,

whom the child confusedly followed, blinking owlishly at him and the
red head.

“Sullivan” Alice acknowledge, giving a nod to the bearded man with

the same evaluation as his, gone was her soft expression, retreating
back in their confines. Replaced by the same cold exterior that
she’s known for

Poppy not knowing what’s happening between them, but got the
general idea that Daddy must be Mad at Pretty Alice because he
probably thought that she is going to get poppy into a scary place,

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so she tug her hand in her daddy’s hand, gaining his attention as
well as Pretty Alice.

“Don’t be mad at Pretty Alice! She helped me get back here from
the Bricky road safely”

“What? You traveled in the Modern district? Poppy You know

how dangerous it is to wander out there alone” Nikolas
momentarily forgot that he’s facing someone he’s mad to, as he
dote on his daughter and check her for injuries.

“Sorry”

Nikolas sigh and ruffled her coffee colored hair “It’s alright; just
don’t go wander off again without a person with you okay?” Poppy
nodded eagerly “It’s thanks to Pretty Alice that I didn’t trip and fall
back there, she save my pretty dress too!”

Nikolas immediately realizes that the red head was still there “Why
don’t you play in the slide again poppy? Just play where I can see
you” He said, bringing out a slightly warm package out of his
pocket and gave it her

Poppy stared at him confused as to why, but she caught a wiff of

something better than ice cream and quickly nodded running off
back the slide that already has some children in it.

The two adult stared at each other, with the other eerily unblinking
and the man wavering, finally looking away from the brown gaze to

136
look at the playing coffee haired child in the park, Nikolas huff and
cross his arm over his chest

“Thanks” He grouch out, forced and almost unwilling “For bringing

Penelope back”

“You’re welcome” Alice replied with a clipped voice, unwavering as

she continued and observe the playing children as well “my
conscience wouldn’t allow a lost child wandering on her own”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“I apologize for my action yesterday”

Nikolas nearly jolts out of his body and stare incredulously at her
sudden statement, not expecting for her to even apologize at all.
His eyes suddenly narrowed

“Why? You realized that you’re wrong? Wanted to tell me now

instead of the ‘Apologize in front of everyone’ bullshit?” Sneering
at the still unchanging expression of the red head, Nikolas smiled at
her with too many teeth that seemingly resembled a wolf

“No, I stand on my word, I meant about the way I worded it out in a

way that’s insulting, I never intended for it to be directed at your
sister at all” Alice corrected, Nikolas wavered, moving towards a

137
bench and sitting on it with a huff, Alice followed soon after,
Sitting beside him with a comfortable distance.

“You shouldn’t even suspect Monika at all, I know that you know,
that she has feelings for Monroe, she wouldn’t even dare hurting
any of his body part at all, Monika is dependent on him to even
make him disappear into this world” Nikolas started, he didn’t know
how the red head will react with him casually saying her lover’s
death, when the red head remained still and unchanged, Nikolas
continued.

“Monika…never had anyone to care for her in her childhood, Our

parents separated when I was 13 with my father into another
country, with Monika being only 7 at that time, left to that woman”

Alice stared ahead, but listened intently to the Man’s every word,
she didn’t know why he was suddenly telling her all of this when he’s
been wary and untrusting of her since day one

“I left my father as soon as I’m legally of age, I never really know if

they still live in that dingy house, but it seems that they are, but
then I saw Monika for the first time in years”

Nikolas stared at her and Alice saw the burning rage swirling in his
orbs, along with guilt.

138
“She was stunted of her Potential, she didn’t have anyone to
depend on, and that poor excuse of a mother neglected her and
ignored her of her needs. I took her away as soon as I can”

Nikolas look deeply into his hands, She had to know all of this in
order to clean Monika of the damn suspicion, But this part always
makes him smile proudly.

“I filed against my mother and surprisingly won the case due to that
person, I never really known who help us win against her, I’ve been
sure that we didn’t have a chance at all, my mother is a Good liar. I
just knew that she solve cases of true justice, that’s why I decided
to become a investigator, With Monika soon following behind, I, we
wanted to be just like that person”

“That’s why” Nikolas muttered, returning his attention to his silent

listener “Monika should not be suspected at all, she’s too pure to
even walk in that path, she’ll cling to anyone that give a damn about
her”

“I wouldn’t doubt it” Alice whispered, finally conceding at the

subject, she seems thoughtful for a moment before finally looking at
him with earnest brown eyes

“I’m only following the protocol and Carson’s Orders” Alice

whispered, Nikolas stared at him in surprise “He’s the one who
ordered the Autopsy”

139
“Why?” Nikolas wondered, what is Carson thinking? What is he
plotting?

His shoulder lose their tenseness seeing that the red head looks
truthful in her answer

Alice only shrugged and suddenly looks pointedly at him

“Who was your mother, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Gracie-Rose Orman…Why’d you ask?” Nikolas questioned with

a confuse frown, eyeing the red head and silently demanding for
her to answer

The red head’s mind suddenly flashed of that time, a familiar

woman with a snarl on her face, being dragged out by the Authority
for Child Neglect

She had been a teenager when she solves that case…

Alice only smiled secretly and shook her head “Nothing, I think I
heard of her before”

Nikolas Huff and promptly rolled his eyes “As if, her case is pretty
common and wasn’t even noteworthy at all”

Alice hummed and stared ahead

‘We hereby charge Gracie-Rose Orman of Child

Endangerment..’

“If you say so”

TIMESKIP

140
Alice walks through the crowd on her way to the headquarters

She gently squeeze the device in her pocket with a mockery of a

smile, thinking for a moment whether or not she’ll actually do this

Alice’s resolve didn’t waver in the slightest

She took the device and dials the number

The call was answered after a few beats, answered by a groggy

male

“Quinn?”

“Carleton, we will proceed with the original plan, inform her of the
files and send her the location”

The other line was silent for a moment before Carleton answered
with his currently weak voice

“Understood”

Alice could hardly say that Nikolas Sullivan looked pleased to see
him after she entered the room but, to Alice’s surprise, The
bearded man didn’t look entirely displeased either so she guessed
that’s a plus

The littlest smile on her face vanished in an instant when she

remembered the plan

She could only hope that she was wrong for once.

141
Chapter 17

Caught

The figure effortlessly drop to the ground from the high fence,
goggles tinted in green briefly flash through the dark, she surveyed
her surrounding with her tense form ready to bolt into hiding if a
person ever stumbled upon her hooded form.

it's already nearing midnight and the neighborhood she dropped

into is vacant with any other human being, all of them tuck in their
comfy bed and fast sleep for the night, except for her.

A thing she must accomplish for the sake of her and the others
with stealthy feet with inaudible footsteps she unzip her belly bag
and took out a tool meant quietly picklock the said door along with
the others she knew were there as well, but to her silent surprise
only one lock was ‘activated’, Maybe he was still unwell from the
indigestion 3 days ago.

Shaking her head, she focused her attention in slowly opening the
door- careful for it to not creak too much, and entered. Body
blending into the shadow that could only came from years of
training.

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It’s been a while since she done this, years after she graduated all
of it her training put to waste after deciding to work at a safer
environment even (if it includes the dead) and to say that she is still
in working gear-even if a little rough, slower. And to be forced into
this situation is the ones she could never refuse, have no choice but
to do or else they’ll be both sent into prison and leaving her behind.

Green filtered around her vision illuminating the supposed to be

things hidden by the darkness and with the step of a cautious cat
she moved.

She look at the table, seeing nothing but a basket of fruits and
tableware, She took the gun hidden in the vase, putting it in her
back pocket and moving to the second floor, knowing that’s where
the monitor was located, the one that can lead her to her doom.

If only the man hadn’t been stubborn and just stayed bed ridden in
the hospital, now she had to eliminate him and erase all of the
information he gathered to stop him from bringing what they’ve
both done.

Stopping at what she recognized as the bedroom, her hand

faltered at the doorknob as a distorted voice appeared in her right
ear, the earpiece clearing and a familiar voice that questioned
where she is right now

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“I’m outside his bedroom,” she said in a barely audible whisper

‘You have to be careful, I’m not there to make things easier due to
Queen Elsa’s order, you have to do this all on your own’ The
voice reminded with an equally hush voice, distant voices
surrounding the caller, the tone of his voice when he mention their
bane of primary obstacle was scathing and filled with sarcastic
irritation.

“I know,” She muttered with a small tremor at the thought, one of

the reasons why she didn’t persist her original line of work,
controlling her breath when her heartbeat rapidly pulsed.

She let the ear piece on and opened the door, checking the bed
and seeing the lumps of blanket covering her intended target’s
whole body.

She hesitated. Her feet staying rooted at the ground, refusing to

move an inch, her upper body seemed to agree as the air in her
throat clogged painfully.

Taking a step back, she closed the door and stared blankly at it,
hands trembling.

She turns around and made her way to the other room

‘What are you doing right now?’

144
“I’m deleting the information he gathered first”

‘What? you have to do it now, Silencing him is more important, he is the

origin of the source’

She gritted her teeth in frustration and shook her head “Give me time ,
deleting the files will be quick’ the other line was silent for a moment before
a defeated sigh escape from his lips.

‘Fine make it quick’

Breathing a sigh, she turned to the table and atop of it is a familiar laptop
that she saw the man carrying around, Wincing at the sudden flash of
light, she cursed her momentary flash of stupidity, she shove the night
vision goggles out of the way and scrunch her face at the screen, face
facing the front of the door just in case the man decided to go to the
bathroom and notice the light coming from the supposed dark room.

Fingers tapped the alphabetical keys, typing the correct password after
she accidentally saw it at that one time didn’t really mean it and had to
avoid him as if she killed his pet bird, wasn’t really important at that time,
guess it paid off now as files exploded in the screen.

Jesus she didn’t know Carleton is so unethically unorganized, does

creating folders not part of his literal dictionary?

Shaking her head from such dizzy display and cursing the man’s health,
Her gloved fingers slid into motion, searching from the search box for
possible lead, hoping that her luck at least love her just this one time, when
she still came up blank after 5 minutes, her head dried out of any idea.

145
Huffing, she massage her temple and look dejectedly at the messy
display, she just lose a lot of time, maybe…

Fuck it I’m just going to destroy the whole thing

Snapping the laptop shut (silently) She move to smash the thing on the
ground to dictate her anger before her control over her emotion snap
back into place, smacking her face at the near slip.

W̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅh̵̙̮̒̀͘a̵̙̮̒̀͘t̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ ̸̲̂̅̇̆͝a̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝r̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅê̸̲̅̇̆͝ ̸̲̂̅̇̆͝y̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅȯ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃u̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̵̙̮̒̀͘ḟ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃u̵̙̮̒̀͘ċ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃k̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃i̵̙̮̒̀͘n̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅĝ̸̲̅̇̆͝ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅd̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅo̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅi̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅṅ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ġ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ṡ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃t̸̲̂̅̇̆͝u̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅp̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝i̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃d̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅt̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅh̵̙̮̒̀͘i̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝n̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅġ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ṡ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃?̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅI̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ḟ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̸̲̂̅̇̆͝y̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅo̵̙̮̒̀͘u̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝d̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ȯ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃n̸̲̂̅̇̆͝’̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅt̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅẇ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃a̵̙̮̒̀͘n̵̙̮̒̀͘t̵̙̮̒̀͘ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̵̙̮̒̀͘h̵̙̮̒̀͘ê̸̲̅̇̆͝m̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅo̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̵̙̮̒̀͘b̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝e̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝d̸̲̂̅̇̆͝r̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝
a̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅg̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅÎ̸̲̅̇̆͝ṅ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃y̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝o̵̙̮̒̀͘u̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝r̵̙̮̒̀͘ ̵̙̮̒̀͘p̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝a̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̸̲̂̅̇̆͝h̵̙̮̒̀͘e̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝i̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅc̵̙̮̒̀͘ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝m̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝i̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅṡ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃t̸̲̂̅̇̆͝a̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅk̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃e̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝,̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝d̸̲̂̅̇̆͝o̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅẇ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃h̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝a̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ŷ̸̲̅̇̆͝o̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅu̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ẇ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ė̴̡̨̖̯̆̃r̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅê̸̲̅̇̆͝ ̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃s̵̙̮̒̀͘û̸̲̅̇̆͝p̸̲̂̅̇̆͝p̵̙̮̒̀͘o̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅŝ̸̲̅̇̆͝ė̴̡̨̖̯̆̃d̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝t̵̙̮̒̀͘ô̸̲̅̇̆͝!̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝ ̵̙̮̒̀͘

A voice in the back of her head yelled with a sneer, distinctly familiar with
her own, looking at her foot, covered in darkness, she couldn’t help but
shiver .

It’s not that easy you know she whispered, lowering the piece of evidence
that could lead and destroy both their life, especially that innocent life.

I’m not strong-willed like the others; I’m nothing like her, not even at the
level of her feet.

I… I can’t do this; I don’t want to kill him

I-

‘̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅĄ̴̠́̋̈͛̿̈́͐̽͌̀͋̕͝ű̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅn̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅt̴̨̠́̋̈͛̿̈́͐̽͌̀͋̕͝i̸̧̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅë̷͔̘̻́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠ ̶̡́͒̀̔̄̆̎͌̏͌M̸̧̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅö̷͔̘̻́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠ņ̸̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅa̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅ! ̸̧̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅ’̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅ ̴̨̠́̋̈͛̿̈́͐̽͌̀͋̕͝ ̷͔̘̻̈́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠

Her eyes widen

O...of course, if I don’t do this, P̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅê̸̲̅̇̆͝n̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ê̸̲̅̇̆͝l̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ȯ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ṗ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃e̵̙̮̒̀͘,̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ ̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃M̵̙̮̒̀͘ẏ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃l̵̙̮̒̀͘i̵̙̮̒̀͘t̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅt̸̲̂̅̇̆͝l̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃e̵̙̮̒̀͘ ̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝P̸̲̂̅̇̆͝o̵̙̮̒̀͘p̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅp̵̙̮̒̀͘ẏ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅw̵̙̮̒̀͘i̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝l̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃l̸̲̂̅̇̆͝ ̸̲̂̅̇̆͝b̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅê̸̲̅̇̆͝.̴̡̨̖̯̇̆̃.̵̙̮̒̀͘.̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝

146
With a strong resolve she place her goggle back into place, she stared
intently at the door, hand opening the device once again and holding the
screen and the keyboard.

Snap

Her eyes didn’t waver at the door, waiting for the moment of any sound
from her action.

And when nothing came, she gently placed the destroyed pieces into the
table and walk out of the door.

̵̡̙̖̬̱̯̗͚͚̋̋͗̏̈́̉͜ͅ
̴̶̨̡̠́̋̈͛̿̈́͐̽͌̀͋́͒̀̔̄̆̎͌̏͌̕͝F̷͔̘̻̈́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠o̵̙̮̒̀͘ṙ̴̡̨̖̯̆̃ ̵̙̮̒̀͘P̸̲̂̅̇̆͝e̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝n̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝e̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅl̸̲̂̅̇̆͝o̷̡̗̖̦͉̗͍͑̿̀̓̑͝p̶͇̠̦̻̤͓͌̌̃̌̂͐̕͜͝͝ͅê̸̲̅̇̆͝

̶̡́͒̀̔̄̆̎͌̏͌The knife glinted out of her bag after taking it and holding it firmly in her
gloved hands, palm sweaty inside that it made her other hand curl.

She approach the dreaded room and turned the knob, heaving a sigh
before silently pushing it open and closing it behind her, it close with a
click.

Step

She took off her goggles; she will not see what will happen next with a
rose tinted glass

Step

̷͔̘̻̈́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠

147
̶̡́͒̀̔̄̆̎͌̏͌Ş̸̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅẗ̷͔̘̻́̅̾͛̍̔̍̎̄̔͠é̶̡͒̀̔̄̆̎͌̏͌p̸̧̧̢͕͖̭̘̻͎̬̼̪̱̺͊̀̈̿́̀͋̆͐͆̚͝͠͝͝ͅ
̴̨̠́̋̈͛̿̈́͐̽͌̀͋̕͝

Every steps that she made felt like the floor is drench molted lava,
as if reminding her of what place she will end up to if she continue
this.

‘What’s going on? Did you already killed him?’ The voice from the
ear piece questioned ‘Something not right about what she
assigned to us, there’s no one here’ He seemingly muttered to
himself rather than telling her, but she still heard it and chose not to
answer .

Gritting her teeth, she raised the Knife, To hell with this, she let it
hover above the white blanket that continue to steadily rise and fall,
Moonlight illuminating the body like a spotlight.

With a shuddering breath she strike.

‘Wait, is this a tra-‘ She didn’t hear any of it anymore as Thin,

calloused hand snap out of the blanket and gripped her wrist.

A lone eye flash beneath it like a monster, glowing in the dark and
staring at her with those impossibly brown orbs.

Monika withheld a scream

‘She tricked us’

Chapter 18

148
Unexpected Accomplice

Monika staggered back and forcefully took her caged arm out of
those deadly brown orb’s grasp

She watch in fear as the figure gracefully slid out of the bed, taking
her precious time to stretch and release a satisfied hum, the voice in
her ear piece letting out a string of curses of every possible
language that he’d known before all went still

“You really took your time, I was beginning to doze off earlier”
Alice smiled with a teasing tilt of her lips, one that was meant as a
banter between friend and yet her eyes bore no warmth at all as
she stared coldly at Monika.

Monika tense in her position as the red head’s arm move to take
something on her wrist, a familiar hair tie that carried two pearls in
the center, the red head tied it in her hair in a pony tail that it no
longer cover her aristocratic face that money had no chance to
compare to

“W-what are you doing in Carleton’s bed Qu-Quinn?” Monika

stammered out, taking a step back to distance herself from the
woman

“Oh you know, just laying around” was the red head reply just as
she finished placing her glasses ‘before zeroing on her body clad
figure with a raised eyebrow

149
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night? And wearing
such uncomfortable clothing in a pleasant evening?” Alice let out a
sarcastic gasp, hand covering her mouth with wide dark eyes “Or
are you planning to surprise Carleton for a romantic way?
Sneaking into his bed and doing grown up stuff?”

Monika spluttered in indignation but didn’t dare utter another

word, shifting her body for any chance of escape that she knew she
didn’t have right now, not when the person in front of her is the
freaking-

“That doesn’t explain the knife though” speaking of said-

forgotten knife, it was held loosely by the pale fingers, that Monika
carelessly drops on the floor after she jerked her hands out

“Unless…” Alice trailed off, staring at her and tilting her head to
the side in the most intimidating manner that Monika ever had the
pleasure of seeing “This is both your kink? I-Monika I didn’t know
you’re a Closet dominatrix!”

Monika’s face reddened her mask, (The question lingering at the

back of her mind as to How Alice knew who she was?) Anger from
the mockery of Alice’s Voice and half from such accusation

“I- I can explain”

“Is that why you killed Richard?” It was said in such an Innocent
tone when the red head said it, blinking at her in (Mock) child-like

150
curiosity with her posture equally lax. A simple statement that
sound like an offhanded comment when talking about the weather,
yet the message is so clear, so bold that it had Monika reeling but
she helplessly tried to save her skin and act clueless, no matter how
stupid it is to deny when there’s like a neon arrows blinking and
pointing all around her that ‘She’s the one who did it’

“What a-are you saying Alice? You know I wouldn’t do that to him”
Monika exclaimed in incredulity, trying to laugh it as a joke made by
the red head while looking at her in a dubious eyes “The
investigation must be wearing you down “

“ahuh, and it’s all your fault”

Monika clenched her eyes shut and forced out her voice into
speaking “Look, there must be a misunderstanding I didn’t kill he,
this” She motioned around her as if to emphasize her point “Is… A
role play”

Alice raised her eyebrow

“A role-play” She voiced out drily

Monika nodded tersely, if not a little green at the thought

Soft, wispy laughter came out of the red head’s lips, one that set
Monika even on edge from the hallow sound before Alice’s facial
features suddenly sharpened, body rigid and the moonlight behind
her made her look enthrallingly feral

151
A wolf out for blood

Her blood

“How much are you willing to stoop low on the ground to deny the
truth?” Alice softly snapped, reeling her control back from the slip
up

Monika refuses to answer and only stared, body slowly inching

towards the doorknob, palm rested on it. Waiting for the right
moment to bolt

“I didn’t do it”

It’s clear from the two occupants that Monika is lying making Alice
scoff and lowered the knife, taking something out of her pocket
which Monika feared to be a gun

“Even if you ‘didn’t do it’, That doesn’t excuse the fact that you
attempted to murder your colleague, The one that your clearly
poisoned after the Autopsy” Alice fished out a rectangular object
that had Monika Squinting suspiciously, realizing that it’s just a
Mobile “Now why would you poison your colleague hmm? When
you clearly have no reason at all to do that, Carleton never mention
any action that he did to make you grudge him in any way”

Alice waited for another excuse, after receiving none, she heave a
sigh and put a palm on her hips. Monika’s eyes darted towards her
injury.

152
Her mind flashed towards that time she treated the wounds herself,
one where, for the first time, talk her heart out in front of the red
head

And remembered the one thing she took earlier. But decided
against using it unless she doesn’t have a choice.

The round table on her opposite side has an ornamental vase

It’ll be a shame for it to be broken, but she had no choice.

And she didn’t hesitate to throw it at the surprise’s red head’s

direction quite precisely she might add and promptly slamming the
door open and out in the room, She heard a crash soon after and
didn’t hear any footsteps following her.

Someone bodily crash into her own and didn’t have the reaction to
keep herself from falling flat into the floor, thrashing as a set of
hand keep her hold into the ground. A familiar figure she
immediately recognize as Alice’s Lackey came into view, seizing her
to stop moving with some difficulty as he grunted, she didn’t have
the chance to struggle out of his rather bruising grip as another set
of footstep, a calm pace approach them and kneeled in front of her,

153
she look up and glared weakly at Alice’s cold ones, faltering slightly
from the intensity

“If that doesn’t make you guilty, then I don’t know what is”

“Quinn?! Quinn! Where are you?!” a voice from below shouted,

Gabrielle blinked in confusion and sent a look at the red head with
a furrowed eyebrow, steps thundered the stairwell

“That’s weird, why would your accomplice call for me?” The
question was directed at the restrained woman who became tense
in her position, Alice huff and took her gun out of the pocket, the
distinctive click of the gun’s safety being remove had the woman
below Gabrielle tensing, Alice didn’t bat an eyelash at the action,
merely turned her head towards the hall, gun positioned into the
ground and out of the incoming man’s view

“I heard something broke and i-!” The voice shouted before cutting
itself off as they first step into view and took a good view of them

“Mo-Monika? What are you doing here” Nikolas’ voice was faint,
face ashen white while staring in horror at the restrained woman,
Monika’s mask had already slid off her face from all the moves that
she did a while back

Monika slumped over the wooden floor even more, shame and
regret marring her features

154
“Don’t look” Monika muttered, didn’t have the courage to even
look

Alice observed the short conversation between the two siblings

with a furrowed eyebrows Gabrielle’s grip loosening a little from his
confusion as well but Monika remained on the ground wishing for it
to just swallow her whole and never emerge from the land of the
living ever again

“Mona...I… it couldn’t be possible could it?” The bearded man

whispered to himself rather than directing it at towards her, a
conflict of emotions swimming in his face

Shock

Disbelief

Fear

Gabrielle observed the interaction with wary eyes, his narrowed

orbs glued on the newcomer with suspicion, the woman below him
limped in his grasp but he didn’t bother tightening his grip

Miss Alice had already told him everything, the man before him is a
suspected accomplice, trying to convince Miss Alice that his sister
is a good girl and hell would freeze over if she really is guilty. But
miss Alice remained undeterred and laced out a trap for the
younger woman, a diversion for the older sibling to be away from
Carleton’s’ location and make Monika Sullivan vulnerable.

155
But it seems like the older man didn’t follow the red head’s order,
ditching the team assignment of questioning their latest ‘lead’ half
way on their destination and

“You talked as if you didn’t know of what she done” Alice stated in
a matter of fact kind of tone

“That’s because I thought so too” Nikolas snapped angrily, hair in

disarray from the sweat from when he run into the house and at the
revelation that his sister, the one he vehemently denied having a
connection to the murder, his sweet little sister…

He shook his head

“There’s got to be a mistake here Alice” He pleaded in denial,

refusing to believe what is happening in front of him without any
considerable proof that Mona didn’t partake at the killing of
Monroe along with the others

Alice payed him no mind at the moment, trusting her companion to

look after him as she took a pair of handcuffs and locked it in both
wrist, Monika didn’t fought

“She poisoned Carleton’s with the drink she gave him, deleted all
his findings that could’ve point in the wrong direction and replace it
with her lies, He didn’t realize it at that time so when he messaged
her about sending his own version of the Data in the computer, So
Used Jackson as a decoy and sent someone to delete the files.”

156
Monika nearly turned into a white sheet with all the red head
continued summarizing, trembling visibly with tears slowly leaking in
her eyes, Nikolas had been standing across the trembling woman,
frozen in his spot like a statue,

“No one know about this?” Nikolas queried softly, Monika turned
her pleading eyes at his and desperately tug at his sleeve

“No one but Gabrielle and I, I only wanted to test if she has some
sort of connection with the killer, but I guess she is the killer heself “
The red head admitted,

“So…you trick me. Ordered me to investigate a false lead along

with the group, so you can confront the ‘killer’ here” He summarize,
eyes hidden by the shadow that crept in the room

“She trick us too, giving false information, planting deceitful ‘clues,

Gutted Richard’s stomach to implant those things inside, Dragged
a possible rape victim and used his moment of weakness to blame
their death” Every words that left her lips felt like poisoned acid,
every words that had her snarling viciously inside. Hands straining
to hit something, preferably a face.

157
Her eyes suddenly narrowed, standing up along with Gabrielle as
he took the restrained woman along with him. Monika followed with
a grunt “Don’t tell me…you still believe that she’s innocent? After
all the facts that I said? All of it that clearly pointed at her? Why do
you keep on protecting her?”

Gabrielle begun to fidget uncomfortably behind her, sensing the

tension that continue to rise into room that suddenly feels small
that he felt like gagging and stepping out of the room, but he
remained behind the red head’s back as her order. Alice nearly
forgot about him, her focused glaring at the two with sharp eyes.

Alice would’ve admired that kind of loyalty, unwavering and willing

to do anything even ignored their flaws.

But this woman killed Richard

She only have time to realize and move in front of Gabrielle

something behind Nikolas moved with the shadow Alice felt her
world tilt,

3 series of gunshot was heard throughout the house, and possibly

the whole neighborhood

A thump of heavy body hitting the ground with a painful grunt

She remember hearing a bang before suddenly forced to fall

backward, darkness eclipsed her vision for a brief moment. Alice
felt someone catch her before she completely fall on the floor, hand
unconsciously moving to touch the numbing feeling in her shoulder.

158
Her senses immediately comes towards her like a bullet hitting a
target, the stickiness of the blood that poured out of the wound,
and so does the pain of being shot, Alice gritted her teeth and not
dared to make any sound to show her pain. She blearily opened
her clenched eyes and glared daggers at the man in front of her,
hand poised around the gun that hasn’t drop and continued
pointing at her

Gabrielle held her protectively, body positioned to block her of

any incoming bullets as he tried putting pressure on the wound.

Alice weakly, bitterly chuckled

“I should’ve known”

Chapter 19

Bullets and Love

Gabrielle couldn’t help the panic that crashed violently on his

body. The trembling in his hands as he tried putting pressure on
the wound, the sight of blood, bringing memories that buried within.
His mind was hazy, trapped in the nightmare of trauma filled with
memories, of the day where he found his mother laying on her bed,
dead.

159
The blood continued to flow from Alice’s shoulder blade, staining
the white coat that once protected her from the cold, her hair once
perfectly combed now in disarray, tangled with fringes that
scattered in her paling face.

Anger came. Fury and hatred mixing into an ugly mess that
Gabrielle was sure would result to an equally ugly outcome. He
forced himself to focus on the more important matter; making sure
of the survival of the redhead that he was sure would bring his
mother justice.

He glared pointedly at the wounds, ignoring his labored breath

that contrasted to the soft, weak breathing of the bleeding body in
front of him. Two bullets are lodged deeply in her shoulder. But he
listened intently to the conversation; every comment the man said
made fueled his anger even more.

“So” The redhead grounded out, weakly and softly. Gabrielle felt
his heart clench in distress “You’re the one who helped Monika pull
all those stunts.”

“You talk as if you haven’t thought about it,” Mike scoffed with a
roll of his eyes, as if not bothered at the fact that he just shot
somebody. Their blood heavily on the floor, slowly approaching
the frozen body of Monika that was paralyzed in her shoes as she
stared at Alice with wide, scared eyes. He skipped over the laying

160
bloody man, paying no heed that said man is quickly loosing blood
from his shot on the back.

“No, actually...” Alice bitterly revealed in her coughs, Mike faltered

in his steps and stared questioningly at her “I didn’t think you have
the time to do any of this with Lu-Alexis draping around you,
guessed he found out sooner than any of us.”

Mike’s face was unchanged, mouth opening to say biting, hurting

words that had him silently seething, he wondered what he would be
feeling if he was close to the man as the redhead seems like. Hurt?
Betrayed? Hate?

“That was your mistake, foolish girl,” The Alice tensed in his
hands, releasing a shuddering breath, one that could’ve mistaking
by the her pain the in the wound.

“I simply used that lunatic’s antics over me and divert it to poor

Nikolas who could only saw his sister as an innocent human being
incapable of doing anything bad, and it worked. You didn’t think
anything suspicious of me other than having anger issues”

“I see…And the thing with Jennings?” With the blood that the she
continuously lost, Gabrielle wondered how Miss Alice still has
complete control over her voice.

161
“Just heard it from my old pal Nikolas here. I inquired my old
acquaintances of what they did to the poor fag,”

‘Great, a homophobic piece of shit too’

“And now, I just have to finish you both of. Create an alibi and
blame it to the others and we’ll both have happy ending, you will be
together with that Monroe and you,” Those ugly eyes stared at
him, one that reminded him of some kind of monster

“You get to reunite with your parents,” Gabrielle sucks in a harsh

breath. Eyes impossibly wide, panicking as to how the man knows.

“And Monika and I, get to have peace and get things back to
normal, it’s a win-win situation,” Mike continued, lifting his gun once
again and pointed it above Gabrielle’s head, just a few centimeters
of the hot barrel being pressed in his temple.

“Nobody will believe your lies” Gabrielle defiantly said, eyes

blazing with a barely held hatred for this man. Said man only
laughed hollowly. One with malice that even had Monika shivering
in fear, hands on the both side of her face even if they’re restrained
as she descended into the ground with a tremble. The thought of

162
someone she was close to, killing the two in front of her while she
just stands there, waiting for their execution, put her mind in a hazy
storm.

“That’s where you’re wrong, boy. Nobody, other than this woman
connected the dots, and only because she’s a so-called Einstein
that solved this” Mike uttered, sneering down at the now- silent
woman before staring at Gabrielle’s fearless eyes.

The gun clicked

“S-stop” a wet gurgle had the 4 of them snap their eyes across the
room. Monika looked at her brother with teary eyes.

“Don’t- ugh-Don’t hurt them- bastard,” Even with such a weak,

bloody and obviously dying body, Nikolas still had a fierce
determination to protect and he was staring at Gabrielle with
determined eyes, conveying a message that he couldn’t understand

“And why should listen to you?” Mike muttered, slicking his hair
back before directing the gun at the crawling man, Nikolas simply
smiled his roughish grin.

Bang

Monika cried, slinking into the ground even more.

163
Alice’s hatred grew towards the bastard.

Gabrielle’s memory festering, now understanding what Nikolas

what had done.

A chance to turn the table

A distraction for Gabrielle to use

Gabrielle couldn’t really comprehend what happened next, the

sudden fast reflex that he had, fueling his body’s desire to draw
blood from the bastard

Grabbing the gun still pointed at the now limped man, feet
snapping and firmly held into the ground for balance and directing
the gun upwards which release a resounding bang due to the man’s
surprise.

He swung his fist back and punch the man’s throat as hard as he
could, the tight grip Mike had in the gun loosened as he painfully
grasp his neck, backing away from the Intern, mouth gasping for
breath that the air selfishly denied, Mike’s knees buckled below
him, kneeling into the cold tiled floors, gasping.

In pain

164
Mike raised his head and was met face to face with unforgiving
ones, the gun that was now position to shoot him held firmly in the
hands of the child

Gabrielle relished the look of utter pain in those eyes, the anger
blocking his Sense of moral, now in control of his action, and all he
wanted is to pull the trigger so many times. A gurgled coughs snap
him out of his thoughts. Rapidly blinking he turned around and saw
Alice staring at him with bleary eyes, mouth that couldn’t form a
sentence with the blood that dribbled past her lips.

Hearing the sound of movement, Gabrielle immediately turn his

attention back to the recently kneeling man, who wasn’t really
kneeling anymore as he pounce on him with the intent to take the
gun back or maybe strangle him with those big hands

His back hit the wall on the side; the larger man trying to pry away
his grip on the gun with vigor, nails dug into his hand, scratching and
drawing blood while the other hand gripped his head to bang it at
the Concrete wall, in a panicked state, Gabrielle kick the man’s
midsection as hard as he could. The man stumbled back, hitting the

165
wall with a loud grunt, Mike glared at him took the discarded knife
on the ground and made a move to dash towards him again

Gabrielle didn’t think straight any more, he thought of his mother

and her kind smiles, her melancholy smile with a gaping neck as she
peacefully lay in bed. Miss Alice who used her own body to shield
him for his own bullet. He turned his terror into anger, anger at the
man for hurting them, Hatred for taking them away from him.

He used it to pull the trigger

“STAY AWAY!”

A series of bang resonated in the room, Monika cried, tucking

herself into a ball as her mind couldn’t take it anymore, Gabrielle
didn’t care, didn’t stop until the Handgun only produce a set of
click. The blood pounding in his ears is the only thing he heard.
Red haze that filled in his vision.

166
He didn’t know how long he’s been standing there, staring blankly.
But once Gabrielle snaps into reality, the first thing he saw is the
bloodied form of Mike Leonheart, dead on the floor. With patches
of blood from different places on his chest, on his torso and
everybody else

New panic starts within him; Gabrielle stared wide eyed at the form

“Don’t look at him” a voice from behind him coax, it was softly
spoken, not an ounce of fear of what he recently done, with
trembling body, he turned around and was met with soft earnest
eyes

“That’s right, only look at me” He stumbled and knelt beside the
bloody figure, blood staining his shoes and pants, “You’re safe”
the soft voice continues, Gabrielle felt confuse. Shouldn’t he be
the one to say those words to her?

“You too” he murmured through his trembling

Alice closed her eyes and breathes with steady breath, clenching
her wound that already stops leaking blood before grunting tiredly
as she forced herself to move towards the barely moving body of
Nikolas Sullivan, who could only lay on the ground with a glazed
look in his eyes, conscious but barely. Gabriele followed her with a
limp, kneeling beside the man with respect

167
“Why do I keep protecting her?” Nikolas slowly repeated through
his gurgled voice, a question she urged him to answer before his
downfall, Alice didn’t care of the hellish pain in her shoulder and
gently as she could with her wounded Hand and shoulder, rest the
grey patch of head on her lap, He look serenely at the Blank haze
of Monika’s eyes

“Because she’s my sister” The conviction, the fondness and love

when he said it felt like acid pouring in her body, it felt mocking in
her ears. The spark of light that lit Monika when her own brother
still cared about her after all she’d done before falling into a fit of
guilt, it didn’t matter to Alice what the Brunette is feeling right now

Deep respect ingrained in her being and the strain in her body
didn’t matter

Nikolas turned his eyes on her, eyes already fluttering shut as his
breath slowed

“Take..care of..her okay?”

Alice nodded, The back of her head niggling as to why Nikolas

would ask for her to take care of Monika when she will be convicted
in Jai-

Oh

Poppy

168
They simply stayed in their position, Alice with steady breathing,
Gabrielle simply staring, Monika whimpering in the corner and the
still warm corpse of Nikolas Sullivan and bloodied monster that
dared called itself man in the center until the blaring of sirens stood
outside, people slamming the door open, and paramedics nursing
Alice of her wounds carrying her towards a stretcher

Through her weak breath, Alice explained what happened,

Gabrielle on her side as she was carried through the Paramedic van

Monika blankly walk through the police car, cuffs on both arms and
was led away for custody, Gabrielle watch all of this with bleary
eyes, body lacking the energy to even-

If only he was strong enough

If only he didn’t live in the shado-

“Hey” a tug on his arm

Gabrielle instantly looks at the red head whose good arm gently
gripping the helm, he wondered how the red head still found the
strength to talk normally, and losing a lot of blood and two bullets
shove near her collarbone. Just another thing to add in the growing
things he respected in her, along with Nikolas Sullivan

“It’s not your fault, always remember that” the firmness in her voice
could only make Gabrielle nod

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“Heeyy Alice how’s it going?” a familiar cheery voice cause both of
them to look in that direction, A familiar tuff of wild blonde hair
came into their view, skipping towards them like the child that he is.

“I take it that you’re the one who called the authority as well as the
Hospital for the Ambulance, You knew” Alice accused, anger
hidden and weak to even portray in her frozen features

“Yep, I couldn’t have you dying on us without bringing the voice

box killer into justice right?” Alice only snorted, bitterly looking at
him with a sickening amusement

“So you noticed it too” She murmured, she already know not to
underestimate the man in front of her, A man with the same intellect
like her, even more so and equally dangerous as well

He could kill a person without said person noticing as they sip a

cup of tea, smiling pleasantly at you while you converse. She had
been with the man when he executes a double agent that
threatened to swap to a rebel group after all.

And the man played personas like clothes to get answers he

needed without anyone noticing and having a thought off. Often
underestimated by his almost anyone and thought off as a
dunderhead. Which is not really the real him.

He is a carefree executioner that would have anyone who knew the

real him on edge, But not Alice.

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They’ve been partners for years before transferring to the
Investigation Unit As well as her Cousin after all

“Of course who do you take me for?” Alexis playfully nudge her
side, which unfortunately the side where her wound was. She
glared at the Blonde man for the intentional action

“It’s as obvious as my Grandmother’s wrinkly bosom, intentionally

intercepting an information through light poisoning, Guilty glance
that anyone could mistake as ‘Not confessing her Love for the
deceased man’, Sudden courage to talk to a large number of
people especially if there’s certain person in the people that she
hates and envies the most and would rather avoid at all cost, and
let’s not forget the fact that brother dearest dotes on her like a
daughter and almost forcefully switch place in interrogating the
suddenly suspicious Rape victim and putting the blame on said
victim in his weakest moment and convince him of killing your lovely”
Alexis summarized with one breath, not at all winded from talking
straight, almost like a rap monologue that could put skilled rappers
to shame and in awed for the wild blonde man to not stutter

Gabrielle stared at him with his slackened muscles, resembling a fish

out of the water, one for his talking and for what he is talking about

“What…?” He whispered, voice wavering from the man was

initiating, Alexis look at him with a furrowed eyebrow, as if he

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couldn’t comprehend what the young intern is confuse, shocked
about.

“Didn’t you connect the dots yet? Dear Mikey and Just Monika
is a Copycat of our Voice box killer. Maaan you have a lot to learn
before even turning into a Investigator I mean-“

Thud

“You broke him” Alice accused with a frown, at least the poor
mentally damaged intern hadn’t hit his head on the ground and
instead drop on her lap.

“I did? Oh well” Alexis chimed before picking the unconscious

intern and carried him like a sack of potatoes

“Don’t be hard on him Lucy, he’s just a kid” Alice reprimand

before letting her eyes shut and finally went unconscious from
exhaustion.

But not before a single thought sprung into life, but she’s too weak
to fight off Morpheus’ embrace as she fall into a sleepless dream

‘Poppy’

“Yeah yeah I can see him growing on you anyway, as I always

quote, Micasa esucasa ” ‘Alexis’ mumbled, still carrying the ittle
bitty intern in his shoulder with almost laughable ease as he
followed the stretcher into the ambulance.

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He took his phone from his pocket and called

The phone rang for thrice before being answered by a sweet voice
with a layered threat ‘you should have a approving explanation to
wake me up twelve A.M in the morning before I have my men gut
you down and make your intestine into a Catgut’ kind of tone

“Yes?”

“Mamma it’s me”

Chapter 21

Back to the world

Alice woke up with the shittiest head ache she ever woke up in all
her life and she grunted as she tried standing up, only for a lone
hand stopping her short in sitting upright

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“You shouldn’t Move yet” Olivia said softly, bringing a cup of
water near the red head’s lips, Alice Drank it and nodded at the
Short haired woman thankfully.

“Ho-how long was I out?”

“Surprisingly, only two days have passed, they had to do a blood

transfusion, you lose a large amount of blood after the incident”
Olivia’s smile vanished at the last part, body limping in her sit with a
frown

“I-” The black haired started, seemingly unable to form any words,
after awhile Olivia turned at her with a sunken expression “I didn’t
think Mike would do that, would even be part of the crazy
investigation”

“It was unexpected” Alice agreed, face remorseful and gripped the
white sheet that covered her, her other hand useless at the moment

“We already had it taken care of, Carleton spoke against Monika
in the court and Gabrielle informed us of what happened,
Nikolas’s body-“

Alice’s eyes suddenly widen.

“Nikolas! He has a Daughter and he said that I-“ The door

opened, interrupting Alice of her Panic as both look at the door in
question

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“Pretty Alice!” A blurred figure dashed forward and toppled over
Alice’s side, luckily on the side that wasn’t injured, but that doesn’t
mean she didn’t grunt in pain at the collision

“P-poppy…” She whispered before looking questioningly at the

other woman

“Gabrielle told us about what she” Olivia shrugged before staring

at the figure on the door “Why don’t you come in here young man?
The cold air will get ou”

Hesitantly, Gabrielle walked over the room, looking worse for wear
with the deep bags under his eyes. Alice offered a smile

“You look like you didn’t sleep a wink” Alice started

“That’s because he didn’t, stayed at your side since you got

admitted before I forced him to take poppy outside to breath for
fresh air” The other woman offered, giving the only male in the
room a stern glare, then offered her seat for the young man to sit
on

“Um- I’ll just stand”

“Nonsense, I was about to take my leave and inform the nurses

anyway” Olivia tightly chuckled, dusting off her attire

“Pretty Alice I’m glad you’re okay” Poppy exclaimed with a grin,
Alice tried smiling, which came off as a pained grimaced- not that

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the child noticed but Gabrielle definitely did- and ruffled the
child’s hair.

“Why don’t we go to the cafeteria Poppet? I’ll buy you a cupcake”

Olivia offered her hand for the child to take, which Poppy
hesitantly took after some gentle nudging from the red head

The door closed with a click, leaving the two occupants in the room
in a complete silence, Gabrielle pursed his lips and silently stared
down on the now vacant chair.

“How are you doing?” Alice softly questioned, leaning back into
her bed and snuggled deeper at the feathered pillow.

“Fine…” Gabrielle whispered, not daring to look at her and knowing

that she wouldn’t believe that, he’s not okay, afraid that when he
closed his eyes and dream, it will be all about that night.

“You don’t seem fine,”

“I may not look it but I’m fine,”

Obviously, she was not.

“Look, I know it’s hard but you did the right thing here,”

At that, he swerved and looked directly at her. His blue eyes

darkening and overtaking its silver specs as he glared, his face
twisted in a scowl.

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“THE RIGHT THING?!” Gabrielle growled.

“WAS IT THE RIGHT THING TO LEAVE A

CHILD ORPHANED?”

Alice looked down but said nothing. She knew Gabrielle was also
an orphan and whatever she might say might hurt him even more. He
continued shouting.

“DO YOU KNOW HOW IT FELT LIKE WHEN I

LOOKED AT THAT CHILD’S EYES THAT
BELIEVED THAT HER FATHER IS IN A
BETTER PLACE? WELL DO YOU?”

His eyes started to water as his knees fell weak. He fell on the
chair. He feels as though he’s about to vomit. He brought his
hands to support his head as he propped his elbows to his knees.

“Well, that makes the 3 of us right?”

Gabrielle stilled in his position, mind coming into a abrupt halt at

what the red head is insinuating

“Olivia and most importantly, Carson probably fixed Poppy’s

predicament of being placed in the orphanage- as I know she didn’t
have any known relatives and placed the guardianship over me”
Alice continued before staring earnestly at the currently
befuddled man

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“And I need the help that I can get to raise her from now on, where
else could she grow up without being parentless?”

“Wh-what are you saying?” Gabrielle stuttered with wary eyes, one
that was filled with Suspicion, fear and hope

“I’m saying” Alice smiled “That I’m asking you to help me raise
Penelope”

The silence was almost deafening, not that Alice minded as she
relaxed her tense shoulder and letting the young man take his time
in wrapping his head around it

And finally…

“I’d like that” it was almost a breathless whisper but Alice heard it
all the same and she let a pleasant smile over her face

The lack of sound was comforting this time and when Olivia and
Poppy, along with a nurse came back, Gabrielle’s eyes didn’t cloud
over like the one she caught a glimpse of back in the doorway,
greeting the child with little tenseness

She listened to Poppy’s rambling with a fond gaze, Gabrielle

listening intently beside her before her eyes lingered to Olivia’s
onyx ones before mouthing ‘Did she know?’ At the Woman’s terse

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nod Alice wondered why the coffee haired child wasn’t showing
any signs of distress over the loss of her father.

Then Olivia decided that right now is the time to tell that Gabrielle
needed therapy

“I don’t need one” Gabrielle denied with the a shook of his head

“I’m sorry but you can’t refuse this one” Olivia shot back with a sigh
“It’s a protocol for the younger ones and even the older agents to
go for a session and from the one you experienced at young age…”
The black haired woman trailed off, but the two already knew what
Olivia meant and Alice pat the trembling hand which stilled upon
contact

“Don’t worry, I already contacted a friend who’s good at her job”

Olivia offered trying to show the young man that if she knows the
person who’ll consult him then it will show the young man that he’s in
good hands

“What their name?” Alice Asked, softly patting Poppy’s hand who
fell asleep during their conversation after not understanding
anything, lying beside the red head and snuggling in her waist

“Victoria Luh vendein, She’s a good civilian consultant ”

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Pronunciation

(Lah) Luh vendein

Chapter 22

Six for Gold

Two months Ago

"I'm sorry Ma'am But this card has been freeze by-"

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"My mother, I know" a dry voice, cut off the female employee with
an irritated expression in her face, not directed at the employee,
but to her wretched mother who wanted nothing but to make her life
miserable. Her faced wash off her sour expression and smiled
tightly at the woman sited in front of her.

“I’m sorry for wasting your time Ms. Linda"

"Nothing to worry about Miss Angela" The woman gave her a

polite smile

"Thank you for your time"

Angela took her card in the desk, gripping it a little too tightly as
she placed it in her Bag, she stood up and walk off, exiting the
office in a Repose pace, her mind seemed to be elsewhere as body
seem to drift off to a random room, she paid no mind to it as she
already memorized the building's Exterior anyway.

Angela thankfully ended to the woman's restroom, and as soon as

she deemed that there are no signs of life, she let her face crumbled
into a bitter fury

'That damned woman, always making my life harder, what did i do to

make her always act this way towards me?'

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'Maybe because you weren't her real daughter?' a dark amused
voice rang through her mind- whispering painful facts as to why
their mother hated her

‘It’s so obvious anyway...You don’t have any physical trait that

resembled her in some way, plus...you're just the product of a wh-'

"Shut UP" Angela hissed venomously, glaring at her form in the

large mirror as her eyes strayed in her form

It's not her fault to have such a Pale red hair that none of her
parents or relatives had, or why her eyes held such color of green,
it's not her fault to be Born to a Lust frenzy slut of a Father, or
how her real mother used her as a money Bag to be given for her
Father, if it wasn't for the DNA test that she found in her father's
closet, she would've thought she was adopted

"Tough day? “A feminine yet elegant voice suddenly penetrated

the tense silence, startling her to accidentally let go of her phone

'since when did I took it out of my bag?' shaking her head, Angela
pushed her annoyance at bay and crouched down To picked the
Dream catcher case phone, which thankfully didn't have any cracks
on it, She placed it securely in her bag this time.

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"yeah, I have to pay for the requirements of my school today" she
blurted out, eyes straying into the Brown haired stranger in her
side, who didn't seem bothered of the little accident that she
caused,

Angela could see flecks of silver in her narrowed eyes and with a
chestnut colored Hair Curled elegantly into a Braid, Angela
allowed a Brief moment of appreciation to the stranger's
appearance before switching back to her hands, and both female
occupants wash their hands in silence.

"College really is the most stressful part of our life, I remember

Stressing over a mountain of Projects and Thesis My teachers
Assign us to" Silver eyes swept into her, an amuse glint crinkling in
her eyes that clearly spoke 'We can all relate, But from your
haggard appearance I think I Pity you more'

Angela felt herself Bristled in annoyance but wisely push it down

less She might Misunderstand the Message because she was
probably thinking too much about the subject, again.

'Damn, I'm Reading too much psychological facial translation'

"You could say that again, I can't wait to leave the School and just
be done With The life of adolescents” Groaned The pale red
head, Taking out a Tissue to dry her wet hand and dropping it off
into the nearer trash can

183
"I assure you, living the life of Teenage Hood is better than
Entering the stage of adult cycle, unless of course, one find the
need to get away from their nagging parents"

'Totally spot on Dude' Angela mentally (and also bitterly)

snickered, Giving a "Hmm" response as if thinking over to what the
stranger said.

A loud growling suddenly emitted in the restroom, bolting the

smaller of the two to look around, Her Eyes caught two amused
Silvery Eyes who pointed at her with her well-clipped manicured
finger at her midlevel

She embarrassedly clamped her stomach while screaming 'Traitor!'

in her mind; her stomach seemed to have a mind of its own as it
growled even louder

"Sorry I never had the chance to grab a Breakfast on my way

here" she smiled sheepishly, she is full blown Embarrassed

"I can see that" her lips seem to twitch, as if stopping herself from
smiling, Or smirking at her Poor State Hur hur.

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"Well I happen to have my schedule cleared today, would you like
to accompany me? i happen to arrange a reservation table at the
same cafe "

"What? But I-"

“Don’t worry, It's my treat today since you look like you have a little
problem, i just wanted to Make a Downed maiden Happy, even if
she's ...Sad" The way the woman’s tone curled into that of
soothing mother, A rich mega mother.

'Big problem actually' She mumbled before her mind processed

everything the stranger said

Free Food

She could feel her mouth drool at the thought but she put her will
power to not agree because the lady, even if you are pretty, is a
Dead ass Stranger

"Actually, I prepared a food at home after I left for the bank, I'll
just have to reheat it again, But Thank you for the invite" Angela
Lied smoothly through her teeth

"A shame" The woman shook her head and Angela couldn't help
the shame in her gut for lying

185
" But here, if you need someone to talk to about your problem,
Just Go to this address and then maybe I could help you" The
woman fished out a card in her Handbag, and offered it to the pale
redhead who hesitantly took it away from her manicured hands

The woman smiled and then sigh as she check the time on her wrist

"Well then, I'm off to work" She walkout of the restroom "Till we
meet again young lady"

Angela stared at the retreating figure before finally taking a look

at the card, Eyes widening incredulously

'Did she just gave me a-' shaking her head in amusement, Angela
placed the card in her bag and promptly walk out of the restroom

'Adults'

But maybe she could check it out later, the lady is nice to her after
all

To be continue

Book II ongoing ;)

Created By:

186
Althea Earlexandra Jade Pacho

Shan Uriel Carreno

Raen Alyssa Roque

Rg Delos santos

Jannah Shalom Baddong

Francis Kye Juan

The Voicebox Killer is someone who made a name

for itself for the past 2 years, striking their chosen
victim every two months, The only thing that would
potentially lead to their doom is killing Alice Quinn’s
Most precious person

187