“Come on, let’s go,” he said, pulling her arm gently to get her focus back.
She nodded, and they made their way in the opposite direction to the sirens.
*
Back at the apartment, Julian had already begun to research the name, Thomas Keller. He found a news article dated fifteen years ago.
‘Thomas Keller, 34, has today been convicted after a year-long investigation into the deaths that took place across the Boulevard over the last decade.
The so-called ‘Crimson Rose’ murders, coined after the way the deceased were found, had rocked the Boulevard’s residents due to their horrific and seemingly random nature of attacks.
Twenty-eight victims were found, spanning a ten year period. The bodies discovered in abandoned buildings, where their chests had been mutilated in such a way the flesh was splayed out in the depiction of a bloodied red rose. The result of this macabre ritual led to the media nickname for the serial killer.
Keller, who was finally caught in the process of mutilating his latest victim, a police officer who had been working undercover in an attempt to lure the killer out. The officer, Josie Reed, died shortly after the capture from the injuries she sustained, and has been hailed as a hero in memorandum.
It’s believed that Keller will serve a life sentence at Blackwater Prison, though his trial will take place early next week.’
Chapter Five
Xander
Business was booming, Draven Investigations was now one of the most well-known agencies this side of the Metro. Xander had to admit that having Ava and Mollie as part of the team had made all the difference. Since leaving the Underpass behind, Mollie had quickly managed to adapt to living on the Boulevard. Her skills in tracking and adapting to modern forms of communication had raised the business's awareness and brought them into the limelight. Then, with Ava’s wealth and status as the widow of CyBio genius Maxwell Owens giving them some influence, especially in the tech world, Draven Investigations had managed to get some high-profile cases.
Xander’s office was, however, much the same as it had been, though with some new upgrades. His computer was now a more up-to-date model, but it was set to one side of the desk where Mollie could use it. There was also a fresh drink maker at the side of the room, another of Mollies’ requests. Since getting more accustomed to the Metro lifestyle, she had developed an addiction to coffee, along with several other artificial foodstuffs, which were necessary for her daily functioning, or so she had told him. She was at the machine as it dispensed its thick black liquid when a knock on the door alerted them both.
“Come in,” Xander called out, tidying up the papers on his desk in preparation.
The door opened, and a man stepped in nervously as he crossed the threshold, but his body language relaxed as he looked up at Xander.
“Howie?” Xander stood up and walked towards the man he recognised as the owner of the corner shop he bought most of his cigarettes and alcohol from.
Howie glanced up, then fell to his knees. Only then Xander saw the blood seeping from a wound on Howie’s arm.
“Mollie! Grab a MediSeal!”
Mollie jumped to her feet, knocking her coffee over as she ran over to a cabinet at the side of the office and grabbed a pack before rushing to Xander. The sight of the blood made her freeze.
“Mollie!” Xander’s voice broke her thoughts, and she passed him the MediSeal.
“What happened, Howie?” Xander tried to keep focused as he ripped the remains of Howie’s sleeve off and attached the MediSeal. The cylinder clamped onto Howie’s arm. The cylinder created an airtight seal around the wound which then analysed and adjusted based on the injury before flooding the space with antibiotics that helped seal the wound whilst boosting healing with a cocktail of drugs.
“S…Sliders. They hit the store again. Third time this week,” Howie’s voice was quiet as the drugs from the MediSeal flowed into his body.
“Sliders?” Mollie asked.
Howie nodded, then lost consciousness as the drugs kicked in. The MediSeal indicated that Howie had lost too much blood and had initiated a drug-induced coma to allow the body time to heal. It also advised calling for medical assistance from its sponsor of the day, ‘Medical Halo.’ Larger corporations owned all medical support on the Boulevard. If you wanted help, you paid whichever corporation you wanted help from.
“Call Ava, get her here to keep an eye on Howie,” Xander said, lifting him to the sofa.
“Okay, what’s the plan?” Mollie said, tapping her PDA.
“We’re going to go check out the store. We need to stop these damn Sliders! I want to know which gang did this!” Xander’s fists clenched as he looked at Howie.
The Sliders had been getting increasingly more aggressive in the last few months. Their attacks more frequent and more deadly than before. The MPD had done little to try and stop them, either because they couldn’t get a handle on the violence or, as Xander suspected, there was someone higher up on the take and covering for them.
“Ava’s on her way, she’ll be here any moment,” Mollie said, grabbing her leather jacket and passing Xander his trenchcoat.
“C’mon then, let’s see what we can find.” Xander checked his revolver, and they headed out into the Boulevard.
*
The store was only a couple of blocks away from the office, and they arrived within minutes. It didn’t take long for them to see what had happened. Smoke was billowing out of the shop front, embers still smoldering inside, and the snow around the pavement had melted from the heat. Xander covered his mouth as he stepped through what remained of the door and into the smoke, Mollie following behind.
“The fire looks like it’s been put out.” Mollie said, looking at the dying embers of flames.
“Yeah, the shop had a vapour mist system, it would have put it out before it raged too much.”
They looked around the shop, several items had been burnt, but about half were intact.
“Whoever did this must have known that the fire would be put out pretty quick, so why even start it?” Xander thought out loud.
“Just to make a point?” Mollie asked, using her metal hand to pick up a burning sheet of metal that had fallen from the ceiling.
“Hmm,” Xander wasn’t convinced.
A crash came from the back of the shop, which was followed by rushed footsteps. Mollie and Xander shared a glance. Xander nodded for Mollie to head outside and go around the back of the shop. Xander followed the sound through the shop, drawing his revolver.
*
Around the outside, Mollie tread through untouched snow along the pathway, which ran alongside the building and around the back. She moved fast but cautiously, only stopping when the figure of a man blocked her path. He was wearing typical Slider get-up, ripped jeans and leathers. He looked up at her, surprised, before scanning the area for another exit.
“Don’t even think about it,” Mollie hissed at him.
“Hey, I was just sent here to check the fire was out. I don’t know anything,” he raised his hands in protest. He had a few metal fingers but no other augmentations she could tell.
“Well, you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Mollie walked forwards. She could feel the bloodlust rising inside her already. She’d been resisting it for too long, and the spike in her adrenaline boosted its hold on her.
“Screw this, you can’t stop me,” the man rushed her, trying to push his way around.
Mollie grabbed his arm with her metallic hand as he passed, spinning him around with his own momentum, and slammed him into the wall. The sound of his head cracking on the brick echoed with a sickening crunch.
“I don’t think so,” her eyes glowed a deep red as her teeth extended. Warm blood was dripping from the man’s head wound, melting the snow below them.
“What the hell…”
Mollie smiled, taking a deep breath as she could smell the iron from the blood as the sound of a door opening from the back of the shop i
nterrupted her.
“Mollie?” Xander called out as he turned into the alleyway.
She paused, shaking her head, fighting against the bloodlust that was like fire in her belly.
“Here,” she sang out, swallowing her rage and retracting the fangs as she held the man against the wall.
Xander jogged up to them and looked at the man.
“Please, I’ll tell you anything. Just get me away from her!”
Xander glanced at Mollie with a raised eyebrow as she let go of the man and shrugged. The man fell into the blood-soaked snow and tried to crawl away on his hands and knees. Xander grabbed his collar and lifted him up.
“Not so fast, tell me who did this, why they did it, and how I can find them!”
The man managed to get to his feet, feeling the wound on the back of his head, wincing in pain.
“I…I don’t know, I just got told to come by Mr. Fostia. He wanted to know the fire had done its work. He’s the only contact we have with anyone. I swear!” The man looked back at Mollie, the glow in her eyes subtle but visible as he locked eyes with her.
“He’s telling the truth,” Mollie said, holding his gaze.
“Mr. Fostia? That’s a name I know,” Xander shoved the man away, who took the opportunity to run down the alley, kicking up snow as he went.
*
Xander and Mollie had headed back to the office, making sure Howie and Ava were doing okay, before picking up Xander’s car and were now parked outside of an office building.
“Why are we hanging around?” Mollie asked from the backseat of the car. She liked to spread out over the seats but was now sat up looking between the front seats at the building.
“You’ll see,” Xander said, continuing to watch the door of the building.
Five more minutes passed before the door opened, and a man walked out. He wore a long overcoat, which glittered in the light as its self-heating lining melted the snowflakes as they touched it.
“Here we go,” Xander began opening the door of the car and stepping out.
Mollie paused. She didn’t know if Xander wanted her to follow or not. She decided he’d have told her to stay put if he’d wanted her to and jumped out of the car, jogging to catch up. Xander had lit a cigar as he walked, the smoke trails mixing with his breath in the cold air. They moved towards the man who was unaware of their arrival until they were almost on top of him.
“What the hell! Stay back!” He reeled away from them as they approached.
“Calm down,” Xander raised his hands, holding the cigar in his mouth still, “we just want to talk.”
“I... I don’t know anything,” the man stuttered as he stepped backwards, bumping into the wall behind him.
“C’mon, we’ve not even asked you anything yet,” Xander smiled, “I think you know exactly what we need to know.”
Mollie rolled up her sleeves, despite the cold in the air, to show her metallic left arm. The smooth metal remnants of the nanotechnology from Yuri’s infection.
“Holy shit! Just leave me alone!” The man started to panic, his eyes darting between them.
“You are Mr. Fostia, right?” He asked, eyeing the man carefully.
“Y... Yessir,” the man stammered.
“Mr. Fostia, one of the most notorious brokers on the Boulevard? The same Mr. Fostia who buys and sells goods,” Xander said the word with exaggerated emphasis.
Mr. Fostia froze. Instantly his panicked expression dropped from his face as he pressed his thumb and middle fingertip together.
“Who are you?” Mr. Fostia asked, his voice completely calm and sedate, a hint of ice to his words.
Xander glanced at Mollie, who shrugged her shoulders.
“My name is Xander Draven,” he paused for effect.
“Am I supposed to be impressed and know who that is?” Mr. Fostia replied, unamused.
Xander growled under his breath, exhaling a mouthful of smoke. “I know that you’re a middle man for the Sliders.” Xander held the man’s gaze. He could see the pupils in Mr. Fostia’s eyes dilate. “All I want to know is where I might find the gang that hit Howie’s convenience store.”
“Ah, I see. Well, in that case, you would need this.” Mr. Fostia passed Xander a small card. It was blank except for a small chip encased in its centre. An old-fashioned datacard. “Make sure you remember the information, it doesn’t hang around.”
Mollie took the card from Xander and plugged it into the PDA attached to her right arm. The data chip downloaded a location to her system. It ejected, and the card dissolved, the chip crumbling to dust with a wisp of smoke.
Mr. Fostia smiled, then pressed his little finger and thumb together. His demeanour changed again, he seemed to grow in stature and a flash of aggression in his eyes. Standing straighter and taller, his shoulders hunched over as he loomed above them both.
“Now get the hell out of here, before I beat the living hell out of both of you,” he growled.
They both turned and walked briskly away from Mr. Fostia and towards the car.
“What the hell was that!” Xander whispered to Mollie.
“Bio-stims, I’d guess. Chemical enhancements for certain emotions. Usually, in the Underpass, they’d come in a syringe or vial. But he must have some sort of bio-hack to have them embedded internally. The way he pressed his fingers together, he must be able to activate different emotions and physical triggers attached to them by touch.”
Xander blinked in disbelief. Even after the events of the Fall, he had a hard time keeping track of the technology in the world.
“Anyway, what was the location on the card?” he asked.
“It’s an apartment just on the border of MegaTown,” Mollie said, checking her PDA.
“Okay, we better head back and let Ava know we’re going on an excursion. We might need back up,” Xander said as he slid into the car.
“Don’t you think he gave us that information pretty easily?” Mollie said, looking down the street where Mr. Fostia had walked before getting into the car herself.
“Maybe my reputation preceded me?” Xander said, smiling, though his eyes were also watching the path Mr. Fostia had gone.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Mollie joked as Xander started the car.
Chapter Six
Prime
Prime took a moment to consider the gun pointing at him. The distance was too far for him to make a move and disarm the woman, and the small space of the lift was unsuitable to attempt to avoid the shot. He decided that biding his time was his best option and raised his hands before taking a small step forward.
“Hey, I’m not a threat here. I’m just trying to track Sam’s last steps,” he said, making direct eye contact with the woman.
“Stay there!” she shouted, watching his feet shuffle forwards. “I have no issue with painting that lift a nice shade of red; it could do with a makeover.”
Prime stopped, standing between the lift doors.
We should kill her. Peter’s voice hissed in his mind.
“My name is Reilly, and I’m just investigating his death,” Prime said, ignoring the voice.
“You’re not the police, so how exactly are you looking into it, and how the hell do you even know about it? We only found out about his death an hour ago,” the woman continued to aim the gun at him.
“I’m an independent investigator. I heard about the death through my media contacts and began looking into it, and that led me here. Who are you?”
Hmm, quick thinking.
“Annabella Rizinski, head of security, and you’re down to one last answer before I shoot you where you stand,” her voice gave no indication that she wouldn’t.
Actually, I quite like her.
“Because I know who killed Simon and want to do what I can to track them down.”
Annabella watched Prime carefully for a moment, then slowly lowered her gun.
“Okay, I’ll listen, but there’s enough security in this building to stop you from getting any
further than this room.”
“Fair enough, I honestly just want to catch the person responsible.”
“Follow me,” she stepped back, keeping her eyes on Prime, and walked into the room. He followed, keeping his distance.
They walked into a large conference room. A long, dark mahogany conference table ran for several meters through its centre, and a large tinted window to the left allowed for a panoramic view of the neon-lit city below.
“Sit,” she pointed the gun to a chair on one side of the table. Prime took his seat.
Grab her gun! We can take control of this!
Prime considered the voice for a second, then decided against it. Diplomacy was his best chance at getting the answers he needed.
The woman sat on the opposite side of the table, laying her gun on it with the barrel still pointing directly at Prime.
“Talk,” she demanded.
Prime paused, considering his phrasing as there was a limit to how much he wanted to reveal.
“Okay, I know the killer is a woman named Persephone. She’s killed several people in the past few months, all of them had been crime lords until now. Simon is the first person that doesn’t fit that pattern. It’s the first major lead I’ve had in tracking her down.” Prime omitted the details about the clones and his connection to Persephone.
“I see,” Annabella nodded, “what makes you think this is the work of this ‘Persephone’?”
“The markings on the chest, the numbers.”
Annabella watched Prime's eyes as he spoke, looking for any deception.
“The numbers are the only thing that the police are keeping from the media. They don’t want panic of the Prime Killer moving onto non-gang related murders,” she said. “So either you were there with the police, or... “
“Or I’m the killer,” Prime interrupted, knowing where she was going. “If I was the killer, why would I come here?”
“You tell me,” she replied.
You aren’t as good at this as I thought. I’d kill you from what you just said
“Listen to me, the longer we delay this, the less chance we have at finding Persephone,” Prime sighed. “I came here to track down any information on his last known location before he was killed. I want to help you and to stop anyone else from being killed. Either you can help me, and we can find Persephone together, or I’ll do this on my own.”
Neon Blood (Neon Helix Universe Book 3) Page 3
