Chapter 7: RCPD – Chrome Reaper – Chapter 3

Housing complex 18239f. A group of officers have the entire apartment floor locked down as they comb the scene for evidence; Fingerprints, footprints, blood, bodily fluids and just about anything inbetween. The corpse of a rather muscular man laid across the table, large chunks of his body missing. The detective duo enter the scene, passing through the alarm tape which upon recognition of a detective immediately uploaded the case file to their systems. 

"Sarge... This is-"

Terry voice grey weary as she read the details.

"Yeah, it might be our guy. Send the camera feeds to the cybernetics department and make sure Tammy at the net department gets it too."

Andre commands a nearby officer as he crouches down to examine the body.

"Well he's clearly been harvested- don't jump to conclusions Peterson, plenty of people try to jack chrome."

Terry bit her tongue in embarassment.

Andre thought back to Marias case and remembered the scorching damage from her optics being fried out, down her spinal column.

"No optical damage here but... Well the whole bodies seen better days, are forsenics on their way?"

Andre points to a nearby officer with his gaze.

"Already en route detective."

The officer barked back with haste.

"Alright, make sure examines this one, I want to know if theres any connection to Maria Mikhailov's death. Forwarding the case file to you now."

The officer gave a dramatic nod in affirmation, every detective handles a scene differently, but few would give tasks out to regular officers like this.

"Sarge, if these are connected... My first major case as a detective and it's a serial killer..."

Terry's solemn expression couldn't hide the glint of excitement in her eyes.

"Junior, detective. Keep your head on straight, Terry."

Andre's firm tone set Terry straight, none the less for using her first name.

"As you say sarge, what do we do now?" 

Terry questioned staring at the body.

"Well for now, we're already assigned to a case. So lets go question the neighbours and forward the info onto someone else."

The pair carried out their required duties before making their way to the RCPD Headquarters in the commerical district.

 

"Wow, if I didn't see it on the news, I wouldn't believe a psycho let loose last night."

Terry leaned back in her seat as she glanced at the surroundings.

"They can't leave such an important area looking like a hurricane struck can they?"

Andre joked as he pulled into the underground garage.

"No, I guess they can't."

Terry muttered.

Striding out of the parking lot, Detective Andre lead Terry to their department floor, to his desk. Along the way, hundreds of officers and administration scuttered around in a panic. Last nights events left everyone in a hole of paperwork and lectures, meaning late nights for everyone. The neatly decorated halls smothered in dirt from unwiped shoes as the janitorial staff struggled to keep up.

Upon entering the office, numerous detectives made nods and greetings to their Sergeant. Moments like this shon in Terry's eyes. The respect of her peers, the power to make change from within, just a few of the aspirations she held onto. Andre's desk was anything but tidy, papers spread to each corner, which was strange as barely anyone bothered using paper. The force in River City was one of the last establishments to fully take on using digital formats for their notes, due to the fear of hackers. But for the last fifteen years its been a paperless world, Andre however, as well as a few older colleagues stuck to the old pen and paper method for personal use.

"Peterson, once you've filed your paperwork, check with lily on the body and see what we've got. I'll join you once I'm done with what I've got to do."

Andre commanded in his usual flaccid tone, even after all these years, power over others wasn't the reason he accepted the position of sergeant.

With a cheeky salute, Terry set off to her duties leaving Andre free to work undisturbed... Or so he thought.

"Shouldn't you be out there in the hunting grounds, Andre?"

The dulcet tones of an all too familiar voice echoed around him.

"Captain, what do I owe the pleasure?"

Andre smirked to his old friend with an inviting grin.

"I hope you didn't forget our conversation this morning? I've got the paperwork right in my office, all you gotta do is say yes."

Cpt. Teller's attempt was thwarted once more as Andre waved his hand in disproval.

"I thought you were up to your neck in psycho papers?"

Andre humoured, leaning back in his chair.

"What can I say, I'm a whizz at paperwork, fastest fingers in the west."

Teller wiggled his augmented fingers at a rapid pace.

"Well if you ever get fired, at least you know you have a talent sir."

Andre chuckled alongside his old buddy.

"I've heard you're upgrading your homocide into a genocide? Serial killer?"

Teller perched on Andres desk after pushing a couple papers aside.

"Maybe, word travels fast huh?"

Andre's grin soured.

"Worse actually."

Teller produced a tablet, detailing a news report about a "Chrome Reaper". Andre grimaced at the report.

"It hasn't even reached the three strike mark yet, any idea who leaked it?"

He pushed himself upright in his chair and stared the captain down.

"Could be anyone Andre, you know that, downstairs or in even in this room. Journalists pay well nowadays."

Teller sighed with resignation towards the mess of his own precinct.

"I believe as captain it's your duty to plug the holes you're responsible for, right?" 

The smirk returned to Andre's lips.

"Right you are, I best arrange for a detective wide seven hour seminar on the do's and don't regarding public information!"

Teller rose from the desk and chuckled heartedly as he shuffled back to his own office, waving Andre farewell.

Andre paused for a moment with a smile on his face before his mouth flatlined and his head bobbed downward towards his desk.

 

"Ah! Terry, nice to see you! Nice to see you too!"

Lily's excitement got ahead of her as she used the head of the victim to mimick a second greeting.

Terry paused in shock for a moment as she attempted to shrug off the crass coping humour of an employee that cuts bodies open daily.

"Nice to see you both too, gotten anything yet?"

Terry stepped forward to the table with the mauled man.

"Lots!.. and also nothing, this guy has so many holes in him he's resembling a giftshop of cybernetics to whoever jacked him."

Lily rearranged the bun in her hair whilst continuing to examine the corpse.

"I've also got the trimmings in a bag here, which are practically useless too."

She pulls out one piece of torn off skin, and spreads it across the metal.

"Except this, a cut off tattoo? the other part of it is completely missing though! I can't find it anywhere, so either the killer has it, or this is the worst unfinished tattoo i've seen in years."

Lily reveals a what looks like, a half cut off fist, exposing just a knuckle. Terry's eyes gleam however.

"You don't think this two clasping hands do you?"

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Terry poked.

"Carthanon? It's possible I guess but aren't you jumping to conclusions a bit there junior detective?"

Lily's jab at her rank and inexperience have little effect.

"Andre wanted to know if these two cases are related, this would be the connector, other than this missing chrome of course."

Terry barked back, expressing the importance with her hands shaking over the body.

"Just be careful, Terry. You're seeing what you want to see."

Lily's warning however held more power, with a much softer and warm tone.

"Right, well we'll let Andre take a look and see what he thinks."

The girls shot a smile back towards eachother as they continue examining the body.

 

"You called?"

Andre announced himself.

"Yeah, the killer didn't leave any evidence. But the body might have, take a look at this tattoo found on the victim's torn off flesh."

Terry pointed to the slab of meat stretched with pins onto the table.

"A.. hand? Oh I see. I take it we're missing the rest?"

Andre's flat pitch reverberated in Terry as she nodded in a depressed fashion.

"Well it's worth checking regardless, if both victims are related to Carthanon, thats a serious lead."

Andre's more pronounced statement left Terry suddenly uplifted.

"Right! I'll go see what I can dig up on them, maybe we can find some friends of our victim left behind in the cult."

Terry rushed off to begin her own investigation as Andre expressed his thanks to lily once more.

Several hours pass as the duo work quietly at their own stations, digging up any and all information. The most exposed member of the cult, the one who's name repeats the most frequently, is a Bishop Carn Eli. A silver tongued higher up of the cult, appearing to be a recruiter and faith reaffirmer of sorts. From what intel the force has on Carthanon, he's most likely a supplier of their strange homebrew drug too. While he's the most exposed member of this faction, thats in name only, approaching this guy isn't easy. The slums isn't a safe place by any stretch of the imagination but the area controlled by Carthanon is akin to walking head first into the very precinct they're sitting in.

After several more hours Andre's frustration takes hold.

"Gah, Terry doesn't it seem wrong to you."

Terry's head shot over to her sergeant.

"Wrong sir? You don't think the cults involved?"

Andre shook his head and pushed his chair aside while standing up.

"No no no, the flesh. The body was mutilated yes, but it was done with precision! So where the hell is the rest of the tattoo?"

Andre walked over to Terry's desk and hovered over her tablet.

"A trophy? Perhaps?"

Terry's suggestion while not impossible didn't sit right with Andre.

"A sloppy trophy? missing a small chunk of the tattoo? I don't think so. No we're missing something."

Andre backtracked his steps as he begun to pace up and down the now empty office.

After several moments, the gleam of the office lights snapped Andre out of his trance, alarming him to the time.

"Oh shit, let's call it a night, good work today."

Andre rushes to grab his coat and get out the door.

"Something on tonight sir?"

Terry quickly inserted.

"Yeah, seeing my daughter."

 

Andre drove an older model of a classical american muscle car, painted a solid dark brown, it was essentially a collectors item. It would be at least if it wasn't updated to function with new age fuel. Pulling up to his ex-wife's house a half hour later than planned, she opened the front door with enough sass to break a 100 yard fall.

"Hannah! Your fathers here."

She shouted out in a deflated tone.

"Daaaddddyyyyyyy, you're lateeeeee!"

Blasted out a short brown haired girl, fashioned into two ponytails either side of her head. Dressed in a long skirt with a puffy jacket thrown over the top.

"I know I know, I'm sorry, work got craaazzyyy!"

The little girl gasped dramatically towards her father.

"You'll have to tell me everything, even the secret stuff!"

Hannah sang the words with a tone more commanding than his own captain.

"Right you are Lieutenant Muffin, lets go, dinner awaits!"

Andre lifted the girl onto his shoulders as they chuckled to eachother. His ex-wife stood at the doorway with the slightest of grins breaking out, before closing up.

 

The two spent the evening in Hannah's favourite restaurant, an averagely expensive, off the beaten track italian cuisine. Her favourite food, the glorious spaghetti posed triumphently on her place as she slurped up each length with vigor. A smile asserted itself on Andre's face as he watched his daughter gleefully lap up the meal. The real treat however, and why Hannah loved this place so much, was the special dessert handmade by the owner. Andre would call up in advance so that they knew she was coming.

"Taddaaa!"

Hannah cheered as the dessert was placed on her table. A chocolate cake with chocolate icing, filled with a chocolatey goo and littered with chocolate sprinkles. It was the chocolate molten chocolate cake of chocolate disaster, or to hannah, heaven. The nine year old tried to take her time and enjoy every bite... However her insatiable desire took over, as she devoured the cake. Chocolate smeared across her mouth, she drifted back into her seat with a pleasant, content expression. 

"Enjoy yourself muffin?"

Andre leaned over to wipe the mess off her face with a napkin.

"Yup! This place is the best."

Hannah delightfully laid back, as her father pampered her.

Andre returned to his seat, as he sipped from his coffee and conversed with Hannah. The pair talked whilst they let the stuffing they gave themselves settle down. Andre grilled her on school, life... boys, to which his daughter just giggled in a menacingly open way. Almost more alarm bells than a possible serial killer struck Andre's core as he attempted to play it off cooly. Which just lead to more teasing from his all too wise daughter.

After the meal, Andre was on strict instructions to bring Hannah home however the night wasn't quite finished yet. He took her to the market to buy a new trinket for her schoolbag, to which she was given by one of her adoring local fans, a small chinese dragon surrounded in butterflies. After thanking the old lady, the pair drove home. 

"Bye daddddyyyyy! Don't be late next time!"

Hannah ran off upstairs, waving behind her.

Hannah mother however stood at the doorway.

"Hope you had a good night Andre... Teller called you know. Said you declined a promotion. Again?"

Andre turned his head, unsure if it was shame or annoyance.

"I'm not meant to sit behind an office Julie, you know that, I know that."

"Yeah but Hannah doesn't. Think about it Andre, we didn't work out but I don't want her to grow up without a father."

Julies concerned tone reaffirmed her words, like a knife through butter.

"I'll think about it, I'll see you next week."

Andre muttered in sorrow.

"Yeah, I hope so."

Julie slowly shut the door behind her.

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