📌 Tags: Psychological Thriller, Urban Noir, Vigilante, Mature Themes, Serial Killer, Crime Drama
⚠️Authors Note - Mature Content
"This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, nations, corporations and events are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real events or persons is coincidental."
The police cruiser roared furiously through the Promise City streets, its sirens blaring.
Sitting inside was Brady, one hand on the steering wheel, the other, loading his pistol.
The car skidded, the road was uneasy. The icy ground was slippery, and cold to the touch. After ten years in the New York City Police Department, he knew;
The ice storm was coming.
Specks of snow began to fall, not covering but subtly layering his vehicle's hood.
A dispatch had alerted Brady to a sighting of the Grey Cadillac in question; it was parked a few blocks away from the Stretch entrance located in the Bay District.
An anonymous tip? Informant? It didn't matter. This was an opportunity Brady hungered for.
All he could think of was the guilt of stopping Edward from joining him on this lead.
But he couldn't risk Edward discovering Brady's partnership with Near.
Ironically, Edward would still be present under the hood.
Walking up to the suspected vehicle, Brady was armed and ready, with his pistol raised he scanned for any movement. He wasn't getting the drop on Brady again.
His leather shoes crunched upon the ground, as he neared closer to the rear of the car, the driver's side door was wide open.
The rear was popped open, revealing black grip bags, filled to the brim. He closed in, looking cautiously-
Costumes.
Props.
So, this was the workshop of this predator?
Here he could make himself into whatever he needed to be.
And that? That was their superpower.
'Dispatch, I'm at the suspected vehicle, strong possibility it belongs to the Wedding Ring Slayer. Over.'
[ Copy 24, cordon the area, and await for backup.]
'Negative, I am so close, I can feel it.'
The dispatch operator immediately began to protest, but Brady was already gone. Footprints imprinted in the mush indicated the driver had entered the Stretch.
With the echoing protests emanating from the radio, Brady twisted its on button, conveniently switching it off.
'Ooops.' He grunted.
Click
Brady turned on his flashlight, and shined it into the murky tunnel. He aimed his pistol, steadily he scanned.
Nothing.
Yet.
So he thought. He proceeded to move inside.
'Ignoring orders Detective?' A voice echoed-
He spun around, ready to pull the trigger and send the voice to hell.
But the flashlight revealed-
A dark blue hood, and cape.
Near.
'F*ck.. you nearly gave me a heartattack.'
He exhaled-
'Why so jumpy?'
Brady now relaxed, rested the pistol by his side.
'Oh I dunno, anyone could be down this tunnel?'
He continued
'That, AND a serial killer that has already f*cked me up before?'
The vigilante remained silent, nodding in response. He understood the emotions.
'Understood.'
'So, did you see the car outside?' Brady asked-
'Yes. I confirmed the vehicle indeed is the one in all the footage and reports. The registration matches.'
'And?' Brady waited for a response.
'I left a tracker. I will find him if needed.'
FLASHBACK
Sometime Earlier…
Bridgerton Precinct Haven (Outpost)
The Haven was small, hidden, convenient, a home away from home.
Eddie had slinked away, albeit temporarily.
He sat at his desk, and typed furiously on the blue illuminated keyboard.
'Sunohara.'
[Send.]
'Look at this evidence I have accumulated.'
There was a moment of silence...
[Oh my god..]
the young man muttered, seemingly dropping whatever he was doing in place.
He then continued-
[So, this car IS the same. It is registered to…]
'Well?'
[Leonard Stagg. Former disgraced police chief in Promise City]
'I see.'
Edward clenched his fists on the table.
[Dismissed for corruption.]
'That explains the lack of action on the case prior to my involvement.'
[Then the next Chief, your current boss-
'I'm my own boss.' Eddie interjected-
Right yeah my bad. Chief Rojas, he continued Staggs policy of burying the case.]
'Why?'
[He, like Stagg, highlighted the need for better funding, and the need for prioritising what the department did have.]
'Translation, we do not care.'
[Exactly.]
Edward was silent, the images of the many victims were across his screen like a haunting taunt.
He stared for a moment that seemed like an eternity.
Then, breaking the somber realisation, a flickering red light alerted him to a developing situation-
A police dispatch, the car has been sighted.
Brady is in pursuit-
'Sunohara, tie this evidence down and upload it to AI-N.'
[What happened?]
'Brady has just left the precinct.'
[That's not good..]
'No, it's not, he is following the grey cadillac.'
[Eddie, you can't let him take the lead he isn't ready.]
'Don't worry, Detective Brady may have dismissed Officer Quinn-
Now he can deal with Near'
Back Down the Stretch…
The two walked through the Stretch, knee high in mush.
'Brady. Let me take the lead.'
'No.'
'I was NOT requesting.'
Near said with finality.
'Excuse me?' Brady turned to Near, his eyes narrowing-
'We need level heads, not emotional ones. There may not be another opportunity like this again.'
Brady paused, his pride wounded but he was a professional, he understood the underlying meaning..
'Fine.'
Near calmly passed Brady, his blue cape lightly brushing his shoulder.
'Footprints from the suspected car lead further down the tunnel.'
'How can you tell?...' Brady asked confused by knowing full well Near more than likely had a response prepared.
'I calibrated my hood's HUD to track the disturbance in snow, debris from the inside of the vehicle.'
'You think that far ahead..?' Brady asked, flicking his eyes to the vigilante next to him.
'I am always ahead, the night I am not,
people die.'
Near leading from the front scanned prints that littered the dirty mush.
'Did you go and see the Owl?'
'Hmm?'
Near acknowledged the question.
Brady turned to the side, aiming his pistol.
'Y'know, after rescuing her son.'
'No. She and I still have business.'
'Business?'
A name.
Brady's mind pondered-
'Stay focused in the present.'
There was movement in the darkness, a slight shadow-
A trashcan tumbles, the metallic crash rang out throughout the tunnel-
Brady spun to the direction of the commotion, he raised his torch and barrel of his pistol.
A rat.
Both men relaxed, as the vermin frantically scampered away further down the tunnel.
But the light revealed something else, a man, big, burly.
A paper bag over their face, and in their hand a long knife.
'HEY YOU!' Brady exclaimed in surprise.
Then there was a metallic tap-
Tap Tap Tap…
'Brady MOVE!' Near roared, but it was too late-
POP SIZZLEEEEE
BANG-
Blinding white light disorientated Brady who tried to give chase to the now retreating suspect-
He stumbled over the knocked over trashcan-
Near fairing better sprinted towards the suspect, hot on his trail-
Then he noticed Brady wasn't behind him, if he continued his pursuit, they'd be separated-
And at risk.
He clicked his tongue.
Stopping dead in his tracks.
He scanned a footprint from the suspect using his hood's HUD, still melted into the mush, it could be followed.
But later, they should regroup.
He walked over to Brady who was now standing, rubbing his eyes. His vision finally returned.
'C-Cr*p-.... We've lost him!'
'Not for long.' Near pressed a button on his gauntlet.
'Let's go.'
The footprints lead further into the tunnel.
Nestled into one of the corners within the belly of the Stretch, the pair found themselves face to face with a wooden door, it was simplistic. The footprints led directly inside-
WHAM-
With a swift kick the door burst of its hinges.
They were not prepared for what they'd see within.
Inside the Suspects' hideout…
'Oh.. my.. God..' Brady stood in the doorway, his mouth agape. His pistol raised, aiming steadily in the cold dark.
Near snapped immediately alerted by the intense aroma of bleach and iron..
Wet footprints led further into the hideout.
Down stone steps, the scent was a familiar scent, one of death and decay.
Hanging up across the stained metallic wall were bodies of those already dead. The shock alone made Brady completely forget the scene around him. The blood that ran down the wall, trailing from the victims, made Brady wretch.
Near, not cold hearted, but more stable, more stern stood powerfully. He clenched his leather gloved fists.
'Do you like my hard work, Detectives?'
A voice asked calmly.
Near focused. Undeterred by the horror show.
Detective Brady had his pistol raised, but it shook violently.
The voice continued almost retrospectively.
'You know, it is quite funny.'
'What is quite funny.' Near asked, his teeth gritted with a growl.
'The media was my biggest weapon.. The fear it created.. I didn't even need to do much to blend in.. the people.. Wrong.. Those whores became so on edge they would trust only a handful of people.'
Tap Tap Tap
'But what happens when I become someone they trusted..?'
He emerged into the dim light. His face hidden behind a paperbag. His grey vest was stained with oil and blood.
'This.' He gestured to the hung up line of victims.
'All it takes is..'
He removed the paperbag.
'This.'
His appearance was that of a police officer. Familiar to both Brady, and Eddie.
'Or this.'
With a rough ruffle of his brown hair, a quick rub with force.
Near noticed immediately. He murmured in the moment-
'Meta-human powers?'
'No.' The Slayer answered, now a completely different person.
A delivery driver Near had seen on night patrol, and Eddie would have seen during the day.
'Again, the media would be useful, but, Chameleon implies I can shapeshift.'
Then there was a pause.
'I cannot.. It's just a little bit of makeup, disguise, and acting..'
He raised his face once again-
Revealing a distinct appearance of Edward Quinn.
'This.'
'N-No way..'
Brady exclaimed.
However Near would be far more alarmed. Just stoic. Experience as Near taught him that his foes will take advantage of any situation.
The Slayer continued, droning on and on, seemingly as if he was waiting for someone worthy of explaining it all too.
A final confession of sorts-
'Sure, it takes a few weeks to learn the lucky individuals' routines, but I learned after a week or so of mimicking their speech patterns.. I am almost indistinguishable… thank god I did that drama class in college, huh.'
Brady clenched his teeth-
'Well, you f*cked up.'
'Huh? How?'
'Picking a fight with me.'
BAM
A clean single shot through his shoulder.
'Brady!' Near shouted-
'Augh!'
The Wedding Ring Slayer grabbed the wound.
Blood dripped down his hairy arm.
He growled. Infuriated.
BEEP
'Oops.'
He looked behind him-
SSSHHHHHHHRRRRIIIIIIEEEEKKKKKK
Then looked at Near-
'You should go.'
Near set off with the speed of a thousand gazelles. His metallic boots smacking the concrete ground.
Near lunged towards the open door leading further down into the hideout.
He could hear struggling-
Metallic grinding of iron gears-
And the faint panicked whimper-
When he emerged through the final steel door.
There was a woman, older, strapped to a gurney. Attached to a conveyer belt. Slowly it backed towards a meat grinder.
GRDERGRDERGRDERGRDER-
The gurney folded, snapped and cracked.. Until she felt the light breeze of the rapidly rotating wheels.
Her terrified blue eyes fell on Near who emerged through the doors frame.
'P-Please..'
She begged, her eyes red from insistent crying.
'Stay still.'
'E-Easy for you to say!'
'And quiet.'
Near pulled a small blade from his utility belt. And flicked it to disrupt the gears of which it did with efficiency.
Enough time to pull the lever to stop the crushing..
Any longer and she'd be minced meat, literally.
The woman struggled to remove the restraints, using his katana's blade, Near tore them in two.
Her heart was like an earthquake. It hurt. She could barely clutch the edge of the gurney, for her grip was too weak.
'I-I can't b-believe it.. YOUR REAL!' She croaked.
'Yes.'
Her eyes blew wider-
'YOUR ACTUALLY REAL!?'
'Again. Yes.'
Her breathing plateaued-
'I f-feel sick..'
She continued steadying herself.
'He told me.. What he was going to do.. He told me.. EVERYTHING..'
She retched-
Bending over the gurney.
'What he DID to those women..'
She began to sob.
'I SAW EVERYTHING..'
She began to openly cry. It felt as if the world had slowed down in time.
'Do.. Do you know what sound a breast makes when it's sliced and diced?..' The question wasn't curiosity, it was certainty.
Near looked down, his eyes solemn.
'Unfortunately yes.'
Meanwhile..
Brady struggled, he grappled with the Slayer, rolling frantically on the dirty floor.
He was bruised, his lip bloody.
'IMPERSONATING ME?! YOU SICK F*CK!'
'HOW MANY WOMEN DID YOU MURDER USING MY FACE?!'
The Slayer remained silent, focused solely on the fight he was already engulfed in.
'HOW MANY?!'
SMACK
A stiff elbow to the jaw.
'HOW MANY SAW MY FACE AS THE LAST THING THEY'D EVER SEE?!'
SMACK
'ANSWER ME!'
'I'm sorry, were you talking to me?' The Slayer asked remorsely.
'Brady. He's had enough.'
Near's voice ordered-
'Has HE THOUGH?'
Near caught his fist.
'Yes. Go and be with the victim.'
'F-fine..' Brady muttered, wiping his bloodied knuckles on his coat.
Retiring to the other room where Near rescued the woman.
'Ah yes.. The vigilante enforcing justice instead of the police. How poetic.'
WHAM
A swift kick to the side of the face.
The Slayer fell to his side.
'One kick?.. You really are a SAD little man.'
Brady muttered while walking with the woman side by side.
And then, that was it. It wasn't a loud end to the Wedding Ring Slayer.
But it was final.
The tunnel was bustling, the outside closed off by police cruisers and SWAT vans. Ambulances emptied, their paramedics filling into the tunnel. Across from the entrance sat onlookers, the media and, of course the Owl admiring her handy work with a glass of fine wine. Around them snow fell with ferocious tenacity. Swiftly blanketing the cruisers. Near was long gone. Brady stood with his arms folded looking into the dark sky, illuminated by the police searchlights that hovered ahead.
Epilogue.. The next day
PCNN Promise City..
[The Wedding Ring Slayer arrested.. The snow storm is finally here.. This is PCNN news..]
[BIG NEWS, if you've not seen it, and I have one word for you.. HOW?-
The Wedding Ring Slayer has been FINALLY arrested]
[Leading to the demand for the removal of current Chief Rojas due to his severe mismanagement of the case as well as further investigation into former Police Captain Stagg]
[In other news, shifting away from Promise City, California was awoken last night in their beds as their homes shook.. Experts warn a bigger quake could be on the horizon.]
Elsewhere in Promise City..
Near returned to the Owl's Mansion-
He was blunt.
To the point.
'Whose the Ice Thorn Princess?'
The Owl smirked-
'Well, perhaps you know her? Definitely seen her or heard her voice..'
'Go on.'
The Owl's brown eyes narrowed-
'Her name is Ayaka Kodoma.'
Somewhere Else in Promise City..
Deep in the Wound as gunshots rang out. As excess spread rampant. She sat on her sharp, cruel throne..
Her twin black hair pig tails curled elegantly. Pale skin like the moon. And black armour she wore over her light blue lingerie dress.
'Not long now Eddie~'