Gathering the Pieces...

[Deleted]

It had been a rough few days. It had also been a hard decision to make. Jay had needed the time off. His mother had a relapse and it was rough going. He unfortunately at her urging came back to return to work. Tomorrow would be his first day back and he wanted to be caught up as much as was possible. This city was so unlike any he'd operated in previously. It seemed to have a life all its own. He had been swamped in paper work and case files, since his first day, and it seemed as if Cord was expecting miracles. It was all too much he however wouldn't let it get the best of him...

He sat on his black leather couch in his lounge. Copies of all the active cases strewn neatly around him. His bare feet curling and uncurling against the soft feel of the chocolate coloured rug. He ran his mind over the key facts of the cases here to date. Rising quickly from the sofa he snatched his phone up as it rang loudly disturbing his train of thought. He should have turned it off but he just couldn't bring himself to fully disconnect from the world. His hand rubbed the seemingly constant annoying muscles in the back of his neck. He shrugged, in an attempt to relieve the ache. He read the text from a 'private' number:

Jay, we need to talk. Check your email. I'll be in touch.


Jay didn't like secrets. Nor did he like some heretofore unknown person having his number. as much as he disliked the idea his inquisitiveness got the better of him. He checked his email. after running several deep antivirus scans. What he saw was appalling. Someone had followed his officers. There was Chance shopping and speaking with Alice Carroll. There was Rayven with a face he remembered from San Diego. There was Takanashita in an alley with an unknown male. There were also photos of him opening the door for Phoenix.

The photos made him angry but he couldn't look away. The photos also narrowed the field of who might have taken them. There weren't any photos of Dorian, Cord, or Steven. It had to be one of the three. Just as he was preparing to log off the photos switched subjects. Centering on Takanashita. It showed him and the unknown male as the male shifted into the form of a giant weresnake.

It showed Rayven and 'Joe' canoodling. Then a veritable whose who of the cities lycanthropes in various states of action. Jay sat back the sheer staggering amount of surveillance material was overwhelming. He doubted that the surveillance was done by one person. Possible but not probable. It was unsettling that he and the other members of the team were being watched by their own. It compounded the headache that this city gave him.

Instead of caving to the pressure Jay would rise to the challenge. He immediately set out to trap the snoop that seemed to have a hard on against the new RPIT officers. Jay hadn't made many friends ere but the few he had were definitively fair minded and good at their jobs.

It took his techies all of thirty minutes to track down the source of the emails. The ISP was of course from a public internet cafe. However the video cameras in the area captured Crusinski near there when the email and text were sent. Jay donned his skull cap, jacket, and service firearm. Heading out to meet Crusinski. The officer had crossed one too many lines. There were questions Jay needed answered. No was not an option.

Jay pulled Crusinski's home address and waited for the man to show. It didn't take long he came home fairly promptly. It was amazing how closely they lived to one another. Stepping out of his car as Crusinski crossed the street Jay called out to him.
"What was the purpose of the emails and why go through the motions of attempting anonymity." Jay would have his answers there would be no escape.

Crusinski watched as Jay got out of his car and made his way towards him. He'd seen the man waiting watching for him. He knew that it wouldn't take much detective work to put one plus one together. The fact that he was alone Crusinski took as a good sign. He didn't bother with attempting to answer. He just smiled and said, "Come on I'd rather we had this conversation inside out of the cold and away from any prying eyes."

Jay watched as the man instead of being surprised seemed to be counting on Jay having shown up at his place. He was paranoid. But Jay wanted to get to the bottom of this so he followed the man into his home. Once inside the sheer volume of the mans paranoia crystallized in the form of his walls being covered in detailed surveillance photos from all over the city.the man was obviously not working alone and he had far too much time on his hands. Jay was for one of the few times in his life shocked well and truly.

This man was obsessed. To what ends Jay couldn't be sure. But this had to end. "Crusinski," Jay called unholstering his weapon, "I'm going to need you to give me your weapon and badge."

Crusinski had expected as much most people couldn't except the truth when it presented itself. THE MONSTERS WERE EVERYWHERE. Being confronted most people responded as Jay was. He'd known this response was possible and had prepared himself. "Detective Conner I'm off duty. I don't wear my service issue when I'm off the clock." Proving the accuracy of his words Crusinski raised his jacket showing his weaponless waist. "I keep my piece and badge in the stand near where you're standing you can look see for yourself. The fact that you're here alone I guess makes you curious. So would you like a beer? And would you mind locking the door it'll take me awhile to explain."

Jay reluctantly had to admit himself he would like to know what all of this meant. The man might be obsessed but that didn't make him wrong. Jay holstered his weapon after making sure that the mans and badge were where he said they were. "Okay Crusinski what the hell is all this about?"

Crusinski launched into his tale with little fanfare. The sheer wealth of information the man had was enough to bowl Jay over. The implications only added to the immense scope. The man was well and truly obsessed. Unfortunately he was also right. The monsters as he put them had influence through out the police force. RPIT was compromised and hamstrung. The mess only got worse from there. Jay wanted to believe that the man was wrong in his assertions but the evidence that he'd gathered refuted any assertion otherwise. He didn't believe he preternaturals were monsters but there was no denying that RPIT was well compromised. He didn't want to believe that but the sad truth stared him in the photographic living color. So caught up in his own thoughts Jay almost didn't recognize the dimming of the lights. Crusinski stood to his feet as Jay did. It seemed they both caught the otherness at nearly the same time.

Nodding Jay allowed Crusinski to snatch at his weapon while he freed his own. Jay scanned the room while Crusinski did the same. He caught Crusinski's look toward he door. It was locked. Jay hadn't locked the door. He had been sure that he would have needed to leave soon with Crusinski in custody. That was when the shadows thickened and they smelled gas. Shit they thought in unison...




Max had a good laugh as the apartment building went up inflames like a Roman candle. He drifted way awash in the good vibes of a job well done. If this didn't stir those damn pigs into action nothing would. They damn well would better look into Toren now. First his uncle Clay's place then two cops. It was a slam dunk end all be all. The pattern was undeniable he'd all but drawn a map. Now they would have to take him out. Normally cop killers didn't live long. He laughed to himself as he drove away. The witnesses would see Torens car leaving the scene of the crime it was no way out now.

[tolow47]

Tak had received a tip from his buddies at CPD that Crusinski's place had been blown 2 pieces. The fire department was there putting out the fire, and sealing off the area at the same time. Tak flashed his credentials and started to get an inventory of the area. He waited for Sabin to show up. His talents would be needed. Tak wasn't going to call Cord or Chance until he had his facts right. This was going to be huge.

[sales]

Mykael sat at the Green Dolphin sipping his port. It was destined to be a long night a few of the lesser orders had gotten into a territorial dispute. They'd each escalated their actions over a minor node of essence. It was a simple matter to decide however as the node had popped up at the crux of their domains more mind more feelings became involved.

It was amazing how such minor issues could spiral into an assault on every station of the society of Orders. The logical thing would be for all parties to back off then share the much vaunted mana. However the orders no matter how small did not share well. He sat and allowed them to each speak longwindedly. It passed the time as well as gave each a chance to stroke their egos. the city was falling down around their ears and they'd quibble over who had the most time to say goodbyes.

Mykael looked deeply into his glass. the ripples and eddies forming were not from his rocksteady hand.Glancing around him he watched as each face betrayed a glimmer of recognition. They'd felt it too. Violent death was in the wind. Fire and pain. Innocent blood called out to heaven. Mykael waited as patiently as he could for one of the two sides to ask for a continuance but as they were so embroiled in their own issues neither would relent.

They would continue until they had their multiple pounds of flesh. The idiots. Standing Mykale walked out without passing judgment. If they wanted to play it this way so could he. Whispering a word in the true language of things he placed a banon them. they would literally continue talking until he returned. they could neither retreat nor move beyond this point until judgment was passed by him.

He hoped he would remember to return tonight. If not they would be really horse come tomorrow or next week when he returned. He tried to not abuse his station but sometimes the orders hubric pettiness was too much for him. He needed to find Cord and see what was a foot. Looking directly from afar would more than likely be too much as with that much death their would be quite a few angry and maligned spirits involved. So the mundane path was what had to be trod in this case. Judging by the number of fires happening it seemed the spirit of fire had not continued its slumber as it should have...

[Deleted]

Cord was working his way through the second half of his six pack of Warsteiners as he looked over the open but seemingly case files. As his phone vibrated he habitually checked the number. It was D'arcangelo. That couldn't mean anything good. he only called when things really hit the fan. He generally waited for Cord to exhaust every angle before popping up. Damn there goes the night he thought as he was instantly sober.

Answering with no preamble," How bad is it...?" Before Mykael could speak his other line rang through it was the first district. Damn the brass was calling. This was bad. "One second..." He said and switched over. As the Chief of Detectives began bringing him u to speed Cord was already headed out the door as the text for man down came through from central dispatch. He was worked up before he made it down the three stairs to the sidewalk and was in a dead run by the time he switched over to D'arcangelo.

"... Okay give it to me straight I don't have any time for the mumbo jumbo you usually pull. Who did it and why?"

As usual Cord was unhappy with the information D'arcangelo provided. If he wasn't always right He'd pull the plug on his status as civilian consultant. Hanging up from D'arcangelo Cord was sure Mayhew, Wolfbaen, and the others had received the message and would meet him there. Damn this could not come at a worse time they were getting things together for frikkin once.

[rayvan]

The call had come as Rayvan and Chance were headed back to the RPIT offices. For some strange reason Chance had actually let her drive today and was sitting in the passenger's seat. Rayvan didn't hesitate, she flipped a vicious u-turn in the middle of the street and hit the siren's. She flew through town at an almost dangerous speed.

While she didn't know Crusinski well, he was still part of the team and part of the department, that meant all hands on deck and no holds barred. There was already a growing crowd of cops from precincts all over the city on site when they arrived. Rayvan pulled up and with a look at her partner that held many things she popped open her door and slid free of the vehicle.

She noticed that Tak was already on scene and she headed straight for him. "Tak, what's the word?" For once there was no distrust or anger behind her words, it was time to work as a team. Whether she liked the man or not, one of theirs was down and they would have to pull together to figure it all out. The city was in the grip of a madman and now this. She scanned the area taking in all the cops and the destruction that had been wrought, and she noticed something peculiar. "Isn't that Lt. Connor's car over there?"

[chance]

Chance barely had time to brace himself before Rayvan's turn had him slamming painfully into the car door, even with his seatbelt buckled. His mind flew to the file he had started on the cases that Crusinski had worked and the possible implications of those cases in the current mess. His gut said that there had to be some sort of connection, especially if his growing suspicion that there was something off about Crusinski was correct.

A lot of RPIT cops came into the squads because they wanted a legal way to hunt preternaturals, and Chance was seeing some signs of this in Crusinski's work. It wasn't that the man's work on cases involving sup's was sloppy; rather that it was too slanted and maybe geared to put the preternaturals away, guilty or not.

He didn't like the implications. Had the preternatural community offed Crusinski? It was possible. The trouble was, Chance had none of his own connections in this town to be able to get straight answers out of the shifters and vamps here. He drummed his fingers on the dash as he considered this.

CPD was already there and he and Rayvan bailed out of the car to find Tak already there. He walked up, nodding to Tak, and his head swiveled to look at the car Rayvan indicated. It was Jay's car, and he was puzzzled and a bit worried at that.

[tolow47]

Tak took the time to try and keep the scene from being too chaotic. Word spread fast in Chicago. Evident by the fact that Rayvan, and Chance pulled up. For once Rayvan didn't have any resentment in her voice, and Chance did his nod signaling he was trying to take everything in.

"Guys I know this looks bad but we won't know anything until the fire is gone, and we can clear this scene without prying camera's. I have the area sealed off, fire department don't have any clues yet. Yes that looks like Jays car. I can only assume he got trapped in there because there is no sign of him or my partner. Chance what you want us to do now?"

[Deleted]

Arriving on scene just before his detectives Cord allowed them time to convene amongst themselves as he watched them arrive. He had managed to corner the Fire marshall what he was hearing was not good. Their were several adult corpses; And more children. It seemed as if someone had barricaded several doors trapping the residents in their apartments and condos. The windows had been sealed and thoroughly coated with what acted like an accelerant. The facts were adding up that this was not only arson but a hit. He could think of several reasons why someone would do so and they all ended and began with Crusinski. As he listened he scanned the milling faces looking for Blackstone. It was unlike him to not come running at the first sign of trouble. He and Crusinski were notorious for getting involved with as many cases as they could.

Cord didn't want to believe that one of his men could be involved with anything heinous but right at this moment it was all he could do to not send an APB...

[Deleted]

Victoria Sikorski was not a flashy woman she had learned through trial and error that often the best disguise was none at all. Merely being a concerned citizen loosened more tongues than a hefty bribe. Though in Chicago the one usually presaged the other. Having been the daughter of a beat cop had helped immensely when dealing with the police. She had managed to get more than one boy in blue to open up even when the code of silence was in place. As such when the blue curtain started going up over what appeared to be a simple arson she immediately dived through. hiding her press credentials and her recorder she removed her coat and milled around with the other gawkers.

She could see what looked like the First-On barking orders. She found it odd that the first responder was a homicide detective. Michael or Myron Takanashita. She had written several pieces on cases he was involved in. The old axiom of if it bleeds it leads was never more true than on the Metro beat. Her antennae went ballistic as a veritable who's who of the mid to upper brass began showing up. This was a major happening as far as they were concerned. She could tell by the fact that they hadn't started pissing all over each other.

They seemed to be genuinely working to get her to sort things out. that was never good. With the lack of lighting she couldn't read their lips accurately but she did catch 'Ten double zero and triple nine' both of which meant that their was an officer down. That would not sit well. This with the suspicious fires on the Westside made it appear that there might be a serial arsonist to match up with the spree killer on the loose.

She had enough information to run a piece. She would however push her luck. Waving to catch the homicide Detectives attention she all but bounced up and down to get him to at least come within yelling range...

[Deleted]

sabin was surprised to say the least that tak had called him and said it was an emergency. which in sabin's experience it normally meant blood. somebody was going to bleed or had already bled. so when he pulled up amist the barricade of police cars all running will their lights on. sabin figured that he should possibly hit the gas and haul. but his curious nature got the better of him and beside the car he stupidly chosen would be spotted well before he could get back to the city limits.

sabin parked at the far end of the barracked. and walked back to the line. he texted tak as he walked. he wanted to figure out the why's and the whats as quickly as possible so he could ditch the cops as quickly as possible. that was before the scent of heiro faint as it was drifted to his attention.

sabin holstered the phone in broke into a sprint. he got to the line of cops. he knew they were only there for one reason. to hold the containment. keep the line honest.
she walked to the line went the cop approached.

"officer i was called by a takanshita he requested that i got here quickly could you get him. thanks."

sabin beat the cop to the punch. which brought a nod and a wait here. the officer could have stepped away to get tak or just waisted sabin time. sabin went back to the phone to text tak

"here outside containment. "

sabin waited as patiently as possible while. he hoped that heiro was still alive. but why in the world would heiro be out here. sabin thought to himself.