Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 0:28:41 GMT -5
Astraios looked at Paula, horror-struck. "I just remembered where I've seen that hand..." he whispered. "It was all over the news last year... a young man was kidnapped... and his boyfriend. There was no ransom demand, just..." His throat closed as he closed his eyes. "Just blood."
Euros heard his father's words and choked, having to cough to clear his throat. He remembered that, but he didn't remember the hands... The police hadn't been able to figure out who had sent the news the video, and the bodies hadn't had any usable evidence... Just a rosary and a cryptic note. His voice was strangled. "You don't think..."
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 0:36:08 GMT -5
And with that, Paula's world snapped into focus. She whirled, nearly spilling her coffee, and pointed at the analysts. "Get on the computer and start searching. I want articles, clips, reports, anything on this bastard. And I want it in thirty minutes. If I don't have something in my hands by that time you'll wish that bitch from earlier this year had finished what she started."
Paula turned back to the family. "I want one of you to tell me everything you can remember about this case. Spare me the thirty minute wait for information." She put the coffee to her lips with one hand and drank deeply, ignoring the heat. The other hand fingered the handle of the gun on her belt.
When I find you, you son of a bitch... You'll wish you were dead...
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Oct 25, 2009 0:48:48 GMT -5
Jason's face paled to the lips, and his blood ran cold in his veins as Mr. Aetai's words slid into his mind like a knifeblade. If I had gone out after Zeph... He gave a violent shudder, his stomach churning and bile rising into his throat. He clamped a hand over his mouth and gave a faint groan, every instinct telling him to run to the kitchen and vomit into the garbage, but his orders telling him to stay with Paula.
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 0:52:24 GMT -5
"Jason, you can go puke in the kitchen." Paula snapped, waving her hand. "Don't get vomit on these nice people's carpet."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Oct 25, 2009 0:57:14 GMT -5
Jason nodded once and bolted into the kitchen, gripping the edge of the counter to hold himself upright as he heaved his dinner into the sink, gasped for breath, then heaved again. Trembling, he turned on the water and carefully rinsed the sink out, then sipped at the water and rinsed his mouth. He drew a breath, then turned and returned to the living room, standing beside Paula again.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 1:11:30 GMT -5
Astraios looked grieved speaking while Jason was in the kitchen, "Nothing... just the video, and a note... saying something like 'this is what happens to heretics and blasphemers.' The victims were found near a church... Greek Orthodox. They were badly beaten, and the news said it had been a slow painful death..."
Euros picked up where his father left off. "The police couldn't find any fingerprints, any stray hairs... The boys looked almost like they'd been crucified after they'd been killed, long enough for some of the blood to drain from their bodies... and..." he swallowed, "They'd... been abused."
Both men stopped when Jason came in. Euros looked pointedly between him and Paula, refusing to say any more.
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 1:16:06 GMT -5
Paula stiffened at the mention of the bodies being found near a church. It will not be hard to find.
"Mr. Aetai." She said, keeping her voice calm. "Where do you and your family attend mass?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 1:27:46 GMT -5
Astraios gave her the name of the church hesitantly, sucking on his lower lip. "You don't think he's there do you?"
Euros stood up quickly, walking away before he could hear any more.
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Post by Aritha Bianca Kairavi on Oct 25, 2009 1:37:47 GMT -5
Aritha slowly lifted her head. She's ended up taking a nap in the corner, but was awake for the call. Tears were streamed down her face, but she wiped them away. "I can't go there... They know what I am, and while they don't really seriously harm me... having crucifixes pounded into your forehead hurts. And I think they have stakes waiting for me now..."
She so wanted to help and knew she would only get in the way. "I'll try to get more from my people... some of them traveled with us, maybe... maybe we can at least learn how they knew where Zeph was when they grabbed him."
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 1:56:10 GMT -5
"Do that." Paula said. "Call me if you discover anything." Turning away from Aritha, she strode over to where her coat was and threw it on. Then she began her march out of the room, gesturing wildly. "Jason, you're with me. If these are the same people, then you are a target, and you are now under my personal protection. I want you at my side at all times. Mr. Aetai, I want your family to remain here with the police." She gestured at the analysts. "And I want you to call your chief and have two squad cars full of police from whoever has jurisdiction in that area waiting for me. If they ask questions, tell them who gives the orders and ask them if they would like to have dealt with the Woman in White themselves."
With that, she set her coffee down on a nearby table and swept out of the room.
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Two cars and four officers were waiting for Paula and Jason when they arrived at the church. The one in charge, a man with graying hair, stepped out to greet her. "Detective Harris." He said with a thick accent. "We're glad to see you again."
"What have you got for me?" She asked quickly.
The officer shook his head. "We've done a search of a ten block radius around the church and we've been over every square inch of the church itself. Nothing. I'm sorry, detective."
Paula nodded. "Alright. Remain here with me for a few minutes. We may need to go somewhere else, and you may need to accompany us." She turned away and produced her cell phone from her coat. She quickly dialed the house phone for the Aetai mansion. One the ringing stopped, Paula spoke, not waiting for the person on the other end to answer.
"Jason and I are at your church. Zeph is not here. How are the analysts at the mansions doing on tracking down anything related to this killer?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 2:19:54 GMT -5
"All they can tell us is Zeph would be his third victim, and he is good at covering his tracks. And he's a sadistic son of a bitch who is guilty of the very crimes he is 'punishing'... because he uses that sin as a punishment. And he always works with a number of accomplices..." Astraios said. "I had to call our doctor to calm my wife down; she's sedated now before she hurt herself."
The sounds of fumbling came over the phone and Euros came on the line. "I want to help. Zephyros and I have a lot of bad blood... I want to work on clearing that up. And I can help if there's any trouble. Besides... if you do find him in time... I'm the perfect blood donor for him. Genetically he and I are identical."
Behind him there was a short burst of Greek, sounding angry and he replied in kind. The exchange continued for a moment and Euros huffed a sigh. "You aren't going to stop me, Detective Harris. I will follow behind you if you tell me no."
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 15:23:39 GMT -5
Paula nodded grimly, although she knew that Euros could not see. "Very well, then. We are currently at your family's church. You can join us here and then we'll attempt to find your brother somewhere else. Now, I need to speak with your father again."
Once Mr. Aetai was back on the line, Paula spoke quickly. "What I need from the analysts, and from you, is to give me two crucial pieces of information. I want where the other victims were picked up and where they were found. Can you get that information for me?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 15:34:21 GMT -5
Euros quickly got ready to leave as Mr. Aetai gave her what he could. "We don't know where they were picked up... somewhere in the same city they were dropped. As far as can be told they were just out for a walk."
It was the last city Aritha's caravan had been in, when they'd picked up the new families. Aritha had called Astraios first, unable to remember Paula's number. They'd found the alley Zeph had been taken from... he'd dropped his wallet when they'd grabbed him. "He's probably within ten miles of that alley, but we aren't sure."
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 17:02:37 GMT -5
Bingo.
Paula whirled on her heel and marched back over to the officers, speaking into the phone as she went. "Have Euros and Aritha meet me and Jason at the alley. It'll just be the four of us - I don't want the kidnappers to know we're coming so I'll keep the group as small as possible. Tell them to be there in thirty minutes. I don't care how." She hung up the phone and addressed the officers.
"The location is out of your jurisdiction. I want you to head to the edge of this city. We're going to bring the kidnappers to you, at which point you can arrest them. Or, rather, we'll bring any that we can capture. I won't answer questions about what happens to the others." The officers nodded and got in their cars, speeding off down the road. Paula climbed into her own car - borrowed from the Aetais and motioned for Jason to join her.
As the boy climbed into the car and the two sped off, Paula noticed how worried he looked. She leaned over and put a hand on Jason's arm. "It's going to be okay." She promised. "We're going to find him. You're both going to be okay."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Oct 25, 2009 18:02:07 GMT -5
Jason looked over and met Paula's eyes, seeing the confidence in them and wishing he could mirror it. The idea of being the kidnappers' next target terrified him, and countless scenarios were playing out in his mind. What if he got separated from Paula, and the kidnappers found him and subjected him to the same horrors Zeph was enduring? What if they simply exchanged him for Zeph, letting the Aetai family go free while he was tortured and killed?
No, no, NO! Stay focused! he ordered himself, trying to dispel the images in his mind's eye. Freaking out is NOT going to get Zeph saved! You need to be strong. You need to be brave. For Zeph. Everything is for Zeph.
But any number of things could go wrong! whined the voices of his fear. You don't know what's going to happen.
That's right, I don't, he agreed. But that's not going to stop me. Courage isn't about having no fear. Courage is about seeing your fear, acknowledging it, and then kicking its arse. I know how scared I am. I know how many things could go wrong. But right now, Zeph needs me probably more than he ever has before, and I am NOT going to let him down because of what may or may not happen!
He drew a breath, feeling the voices of his fear fall grudgingly silent. He knew they'd all start shouting again once they got closer to Zeph, but for now, his mind was clear and focused. He sat up a little straighter, a smile briefly touching his lips. Then his face turned grave again.
"Do I have permission to turn wolf and kill people if necessary?" he asked, looking over at Paula. If she said yes, heaven help anyone who threatened Zeph's life while he was watching. Heck, he would probably do it anyway regardless of his orders. There were some things you just had to do, no matter what it took and no matter what the cost; and protecting a friend or lover was one of those things.
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 18:20:59 GMT -5
Paula turned her head to stare at the road. There it was, then. The question that Paula knew Jason would eventually ask. Unfortunately, she did not have much of an answer for him.
"If necessary." She said with an air of authority. "And only if necessary. I don't want you to fly off the handle. One of the reasons you are here is that we can use your werewolf talents. However, I don't want you doing anything you won't regret later. Do you understand? These are criminals - they should be brought to justice. Killing them should be a last resort to save someone's life."
She looked back over at Jason. "Do you understand me?"
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Oct 25, 2009 19:36:27 GMT -5
Jason nodded, taking another deep breath. "Yes, ma'am."
He turned his eyes back to the road before them, his body tensing like a coiled spring. They were getting closer to Zeph's kidnappers with every passing second. They still had time... but how much? And what state would Zeph be in when they got there?
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 20:58:41 GMT -5
The silence in the car brought thoughts unbidden into Paula's head. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, watching the trees and buildings fly by.
At least it was humans this time, she mused to herself. She had dealt with both ghosts and vampires in her time, and a case with normal human beings was less stressful than those. She could catch and capture humans. And capture was the point of this case. Rescue and capture. She would use her gun, but she would avoid killing if she could.
Of course, She never knew with these people...
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The car pulled into the alley at ten o'clock in the evening. Paula ignored the clock and shut the car off. Then she opened the door and stepped out. Her trench coat billowed out behind her in the wind, and she drew her gun from it's holster. Her face was a mask of pure seriousness.
This is where this mess began. This alley. Now, it's the place of the beginning of the end.
"What are we looking at?" She demanded of the people in front of her. "Tell me everything."
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Post by Aritha Bianca Kairavi on Oct 25, 2009 21:12:26 GMT -5
Aritha shook her head, "Not much. This is about five hundred feet from the last place Jason and I saw Zeph. We didn't hear anything, but I was dancing and the music is loud... They probably didn't give him time to scream. We left his wallet where we found it... there," she pointed, then moved her finger to point toward the car.
"There are skid marks by your car, from an industrial style van. The kind with no windows like the American movies have for those police stakeouts with the listening equipment and the videos and things? The police told me the exact model but I didn't understand what they said. I don't speak 'car'. They said it was probably disguised and there are no surveillance cameras around here..."
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 21:23:30 GMT -5
Paula nodded. "It's a start. Now we know what kind of car we're looking for." She turned and bent down next to the tire marks. "Sadly, the police in this area won't be willing to search themselves. We need a large group of people willing to go over a large radius in a short period of time..."
She stood and turned back to Aritha. "Can you recruit some of your people to search? We can set up a base at the motel across the street, and I can keep going over the phone calls and video searching for more information."
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Post by Aritha Bianca Kairavi on Oct 25, 2009 21:27:49 GMT -5
Aritha nodded, looking back toward her camp. "Most of us are sick about having these men travel with us for a month and not knowing. Just about everyone will help search. My father might be able to help you in your computer-stuff too. Papa can't walk but he's very good with his fingers and he really wants to help. Is that okay?"
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 21:35:54 GMT -5
"That would be helpful." Paula started towards the hotel. "Jason, Euros, come with me. We're going to go check in and get my laptop set up. After that... it'll be a long night. Aritha, Call me when your people are assembled. Start at the alley and start working outwards."
She stopped and turned around. "Also, there is a very important task you must do. I want to know the names of anyone who joined your people within the last two months. And I want to know if any of them are unaccounted for. Those are the people we're looking for. Can you do that for me?"
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Post by Aritha Bianca Kairavi on Oct 25, 2009 21:41:02 GMT -5
"I'll do my best," Aritha promised, dashing off quickly. She didn't bother getting Paula's number; she was going to get her Papa with them once her people were ready, so it wasn't necessary.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Oct 25, 2009 21:42:41 GMT -5
Euros looked at Paula, ready to do what she told him. Anything to save Zeph...
So he could pound him for this later.
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Post by paulaharris on Oct 25, 2009 21:52:39 GMT -5
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The clock on the small table by the TV flashed one in the morning, and no one in the motel was asleep. Paula had booked two rooms; one for work, and one for sitting and taking a breather. At the moment, she was in the second room, standing by the window, gazing down at the alley. All the lights in the room were off, and she could see clearly down through the darkness. The alley was lit by a single streetlight and deserted. Aritha's people had long since moved away... the overwhelming response from them was amazing. Paula's team had suddenly grown massively, and they could cover a lot more ground.
Paula sipped at her coffee. She had been working on the same cup for over an hour, and the amount of caffeine in her system was starting to take it's toll on her. She was physically awake and mentally drained. But she refused to stop. Not until Zeph was found and reunited with his family.
She thought about everything she knew, and then thought about it again. It was a simple matter of finding these people now... finding them, and rescuing Zeph. She had given Aritha orders to instruct her people not to move in on the hideout. That was a task best reserved for a professional - Paula - and her team. If an army descended on the location of the kidnappers, it could start a chain of events that Paula did not want.
A knock came at the door. Without turning, Paula shouted "It's ajar. You can come in." She kept her eyes on the window, watching the reflection of the door open and light from the hallway flood into the room.
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