Down Goes Another One

Description

From 1994-1996, a spree of gruesome child killings known as the Hansel and Gretel Serial Murders struck terror into the hearts of parents across the West Coast of America. The killer was a genius at toying with the media for coverage and dangling the police on a string; he was no doubt always two steps ahead. He had his fun preying on the vulnerable, leaving death and the destruction of families in his wake for two years. After failing to complete his last job as the police were closing in, the killer disappeared without a trace.

Now, in 2016, a steady stream of frighteningly similar incidents have started to surface.

Two young officers, Sherridan Kane and Kaiya Valentine, have been put on the case for one simple reason: Nobody believes it can be cracked. To their chief, there is no point of using resources on a mission such as trying to outsmart a mastermind’s copycat, and he certainly isn’t going to put his better officers’ lives on the line. To keep the press and parents off of his back, he employs two scapegoats to take the fall when the inevitable happens.

 

Down Goes Another One
There is no happiness without tears, no life without death. Beware; I am going to make you cry.

Series
Original

Characters
Kaiya Valentine, Sherridan Kane, Others

Genre
Crime, Mystery, Police/Detective, Gallows Humour, Angst, Suspense, Psychological

Theme Songs
Who Will Save You Now - Les Friction
&
Fan - Epik High

Start Date
5th March 2013

End Date
--/--/--

Warnings
Swearing/Cursing, Graphic Violence/Gore, Substance Abuse, Sexual Themes, Mental Illness

Triggers
Child Abuse/Murder, Sexual/Mental/Physical Abuse, Self Destructive/Suicidal Behavior.

Kaiya 'Kai' Valentine
Detective, 24
 

Sherridan 'Danny' Kane
Detective, 23
 

Anthony 'Tony' Cardinelli
Detective, 28
 

Paulo 'Paulie' Cino
Detective, 39
 

Leon 'Leo' Rivera
Detective, 32
 

Jake Bailey
Student, 21
 

Benjamin 'Ben' Macintyre
Forensics, 25
 

Richard Harris
Commander In Chief, 67
 

Stanley Warren
Psychiatric Doctor, 49
 

Hayden Gallagher
Self Employed, 30
 

Foreword

The front of one of the busiest day nurseries in the area was cornered off as heavy rain fell from thick grey clouds. Crowds of parents wondering why they weren't allowed in and why yellow tape was up buzzed around the perimeter, asking questions anyone knew wouldn't be answered to civilians. Reporters had turned up, hounding everyone that might have a scrap of information, clicking at their fancy camera's and having no respect for the crime scene. The cleanup crew hadn't even got there yet due to an accident on junction exit, but thankfully, two detectives that had been posted to that area had arrived in a timely fashion.

Flashing their badges, the pair of young detectives advanced for the blockade and as he saw the I.D's, a low ranking cop raised the standard neon tape for them to duck under. Not a second passed before they were greeted by one of the forensic team.

"Thanks for making it so soon." A man appearing not much older than them with short brown hair held out his hand only to recoil the bloodied latex glove in realization. "Sorry." He shook his head with a small smile. "The name's Ben Macintyre, I've been reposted here so we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

Kaiya shot a disapproving look to the young man for his clumsy words while the redhead beside her blinked in disbelief at what he'd (most likely) unintentionally implied. "Detective Kaiya Valentine, and this is my partner." She gestured to the taller female beside her.

"Detective Sherridan Kane." Slipping her badge back into the inside pocket of her pastel blue suit jacket, the redhead asked as she and her partner followed the young man. "So what's the story?"

"It's quite horrific." He pulled back the flap of the white tent used to block prying eyes and both women stepped inside.

Both female's grimaced; the tall redhead covered her mouth and coughed to clear her throat as the blonde simply looked away and gritted her teeth.

Tiptoeing around the square number markers, Sherridan checked to see if there was anything obvious about the mess. “There’s been a rise in child murders lately.” She noted what she had heard around the office in thought as she craned her neck to inspect the slight blood smear near the edge of the glass patio doors. "They weren't killed here."

Continuing with what he had been doing previously, filling out the papers on his clipboard, the forensic leader conversed with the younger female with half of his attention. “The officer that found them first said that these two are brother and sister. The orphanage they were at left at missing persons claim two days ago.”

Catching sight of her crouching partner pulling a stranger expression, Sherridan furrowed her brows and lowered her tone. “Kaiya, you don’t look too good.”

“The blood is getting to the newbie.” Ben coughed a laugh.

“Blood doesn't bother me, and I'm not a newbie.” She bent down to take a closer look at the sprawled bodies lying next to each other before looking back over her shoulder at Ben and her partner. “It looks like the Hansel and Gretel serial murders."

“Oi-oi, lady~” Ben ducked and weaved his head in an odd motion as he watched the female. “Just how old are you? Those happened around seventeen years ago.”

Kaiya pointed at herself. “I’m twenty four, why?”

“I’m surprised you know about it.”

“I know more about it than most people.” She looked back to the boy and girl who couldn't be much older than seven or eight.

Leaning over the blonde, Ben watched the woman with intent interest. “How’s that? There wasn’t much to know anyway – The culprit was practically a phantom.”

“My Pa was also a detective.” Disregarding the figure looming over her at close proximity, Kaiya snatched a single glove peeking from Ben's jacket pocket and slipped it on her right hand. “He was the type to bring cases home and leave his stuff all over the table while we were eating dinner.”

“I bet your mother was really pleased with that.”

Ignoring the personal turn the conversation was taking, the blonde scrunched her nose and rested her left hand on the mud for support as she shifted forward. “My mother left when I was young. There was just me and my Pa..." She trailed off as she took the hem of the boy's once red and white stripy t-shirt and began peeling it up from the blood sopped body carefully.

"What the Hell is that?" Ben awed and leaned even closer from behind the detective.

Kaiya glanced back, an obvious expression of annoyance on her face. "That is being too close."

Holding his hands up in defence, Ben backed up and walked around to join the other two in crouching around the marred body like it was some sort of bonfire.

Sherridan huffed and pushed the few stray wisps of hair off her face. "It's the same MO, isn't it?" She looked to her partner who was just glaring at the methodical slashes across the boy's skin.