Nightmares Part VII
Blitzen
“Unity…” FBI Agent Stevens whispers to himself. “Unity…”
“You know, whispering the phrase to yourself won’t help you solve the crime.” Police Chief O’Brien says with an aggravated tone.
“Would you relax?”
“Sorry.” O’Brien says, leaning back in his chair, putting his feet up on his desk. “I’m just a little high strung. The fourth one of these crimes we’ve found, each similar in almost everyway.”
“They left the clues, we just have to put them together.” O’Brien laughs, taking his feet off of his desk and leaning forward. “What’s so funny?” Stevens asks confused.
“Nothing.” O’Brien says with a smirk. “You’re not the first to say that to me.”
Police Chief Conner O’Brien and FBI Agent Jonathan Stevens sit inside a room in the Blitzen Police station. Various pictures and documents from the recent “Unity murders” are spread across O’Brien’s desk. On the edge of the table rests an open bottle of vodka, a half full glass standing next to it. O’Brien stares at one of the photos, a picture of the word “unity” smeared in blood on a large wall. He takes a deep sigh, and pushes the picture aside.
“What do you mean? Who said it to you first?”
“Just some guy I worked with a while back.” O’Brien picks up the glass and takes another drink of the hard alcohol. “He’s long gone by now. Just a memory.”
“Oh,” Stevens says calmly, his interest declining. “Well, back to the case, same clues at every one.”
“Abandon buildings, completely empty. Inside, empty wrappers, bottles, and other paraphernalia scattered on the floor. In a back room dead bodies are stashed away, and on a wall inside the house is the word
“Unity” written in blood.”
“So, any ideas?”
“No. It’s only been a few minutes since you last asked me that, remember?”
“Yes. I’m just drawing a blank.”
“The gangs may tie in, you know. We have seen no activity since the incident at the docks. This may be it.”
“Could be. All those kids with no future or friends. They’re all united under one name.” Conner looks up, his eyes opened wide.
“Say that again!” He commands enthusiastically.
“They’re all united under one name. Like, all the members in the Kulls are a family.”
“That may be it, Stevens.”
“Family?”
“No. You said it yourself, they are all united under one name. United, like Unity.”
“Of course!” John says with a smile. “The gangs
are involved! They must be back on the rise!”
“Doesn’t explain much else, but at least we have some kind of an idea to work off.”
“Agreed. The gangs have been on a lull for so long, maybe one of them has decided to take advantage of the silence and come back stronger than ever. Maybe the dead men we’ve found are members from the other gang.”
“Sounds plausible. Maybe they’re trying to make an example.”
“If all they’ve been doing are, “making examples,” then I think the main event is going to begin soon.”
“You’re right. They won’t continue this much longer if they want to reclaim power.”
“Then we better get to work. I’ll have the police start to sweep the city, keep watch.” John gets up from his chair and goes to the coat rack at the far corner of the room. As John reaches the rack, he pulls off his jacket and quickly throws it over his back. John suddenly stops, and turns back to O’Brien, a look of confusion on his face.
“Hey, Conner?”
“Yeah, Stevens?”
“A week ago, you didn’t want to do anything about the gangs. When I came here, you were in an apathetic state. Why the sudden change?” O’Brien takes a long pause, his mind drifting back to memories from his past. As the two stand in silence, O’Brien comes back to the present, and turns to John.
“I don’t know, Stevens.” He says solemnly. “Something happened to this city, to me these past few months. Something that hasn’t happened for years…”
Lost Haven
As the night continues and the hours pass, Eric continues to dream. His mind is lost. Lost in the memories of his past, replaying them as if they were videos on a screen. As he tosses and turns, his mind moves to a new memory, another that he hoped to forget. The darkness in his head begins to clear, like a curtain being raised before a play. As the image becomes clearer in his thoughts, the moment from his past begins to play back, and he is forced to remember another scene in the tragedy that is his past.
Blitzen 1999
“What are you two doing out there!”
“We’re trying to finish this case, Chief Milliard!”
“The commissioner is breathing down my throat! You two said this thing would be in the bag! You said that you had a list of suspects! Yet here we are, two weeks later, with a body count of five and still no evidence!”
Police Lieutenant Conner O’Brien and FBI Agent Eric Renden stand inside the office of Adrian Milliard, Blitzen’s current Chief of Police. Adrian is a stocky man, his time in active duty long gone. He sits behind his desk in a padded wooden chair, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Adrian rubs his head slowly, his fingers grinding into his scalp. Eric and Conner look at each other, each filled with frustration and fatigue. Adrian looks up from the paperwork on his desk, and stares quietly at the two men.
“Alright.” He says, trying to calm himself down.
“I’m sorry, O'Brien. I’m just under a lot of pressure lately. I mean, Conner, you’re supposed to be my best! What’s going on?”
“It’s not me, chief. It’s the case. It’s tricky.”
“Mmmh.” Adrian mumbles, rubbing his chin.
“Maybe it isn’t the case. Maybe it’s this Agent here. I never did want him running around here.” Conner steps forward, raising his hand into the air and waving it as he yells.
“Eric is not inhibiting me!” He says, defending his current partner. “He’s an asset to the investigation of this case!”
“Fine, fine. All I know is I’ve got five bodies and no killer! Get back out there, and find this guy!” Conner sneers and storms out of the room, pushing the door open and slamming it on the wall outside the office. Eric continues to stand in the office, staring at Milliard. Adrian looks to the open door and sighs. After a few seconds, he turns back to Eric, and shoots him a disgruntled look.
“What are you still doing here, Renden?” He asks in a harsh tone.
“I’m here, Chief Milliard, because you aren’t doing your job. I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but it’s your fault Blitzen is going to hell. They sent me here to try to clean things up. You’re loose interpretation of the law and definitions of who you consider criminals are allowing multiple crisis to occur that are now effecting this country on a national level.” Eric moves closer to the desk, his face stern and showing no sign of fear or intimidation.
“You want me out of here? Clean up your city.” Milliard stares back at Eric with animosity, hate and rage burning deep inside him.
“Watch your mouth, Renden.” He says in a deep voice.
“No one talks to me like that.” Eric smirks, throwing his arms down onto Milliard’s desk. Eric moves in closer, his eyes staring right into Adrian’s.
“Maybe it’s time people started.” Eric stands up tall, his body moving like a whip. He smoothly walks out of the room, his body staying firm and proud. Outside, he finds Conner O’Brien standing with his back against the wall, his fists gripped tightly by his side. Eric walks over to him taking a heavy sigh.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just pissed off he could treat you like that.”
“Don’t worry about me. It’s you who has to put up with this guy. I’m only here until my objective is completed. You work here for a living.”
“Ha. True.” As Conner begins to calm down, a younger policeman stops in front of them, his breath erratic and heavy.
“Lieutenant.” He says taking in a deep breath.
“What is it?”
“Another murder, outside Reece street.” Conner looks over to Eric, a smile on his face.
“Well, you ready?”
“Always.”
