City of the Damned:

Simone’s Notes:

"Date rape", often referred to as “acquaintance rape”, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent. The term "date rape" is widely used. But most experts prefer the term "drug-facilitated sexual assault." These drugs also are used to help people commit other crimes, like robbery and physical assault. They are used on both men and women. The term "date rape" also can be misleading because the person who commits the crime might not be dating the victim. Rather, it could be an acquaintance or stranger.

The early morning body count was growing quickly. Mustang and Hughes got different calls to tend to. Despite being separate, the pieces slowly began to fit together. The answer floated to the surface all before sunrise.

*Mustang’s End*

Mustang came out to Hunter’s Groove. Fuery stood by the entry, waiting. He saluted his boss when he caught sight of Mustang.

“Sir! The body’s inside!”

“As you were.” The master sergeant relaxed. Mustang went through the gates.

“His name was Carlos Rodriguez. The victim was answering a house call in this apartment complex,” Fuery explained. “When he got here, no one was there.” Mustang looked over at him.

“How do you know all of this?”

“His tools, sir.” Mustang raised an eyebrow at him.

“His tools?”

“Yes sir.” Mustang took that into consideration. They came to the crime scene door. The boss turned back to master sergeant.

“Who found him?”

“Security guard, sir.” They came to the front door. Roy slowly pushed it open and death hit them in the face. The men had to take in deep breaths before entering. They found the body slumped over on the hard wood floor. Mustang saw what Fuery was talking about.

“Oh, plumber!” he said. Fuery nodded.

“Yes sir. And look at this.” He pointed to a small black box in the corpse’s hand. Mustang walked over for a better look. Good thing he still had on rubber gloves this morning. He walked forward and took the box out of his hand.

“It looks like… a tape player.”

“Is there a tape inside of it?”

“Yes there is, Fuery.” Mustang hit play. The tape quality was a bit scratchy but this was what they got from it:

“Gold van, black roses!!! No, no please!” A wooden bat hinting flesh. And then silence.

Both men looked at each other. At first, it didn’t make sense. Then, Fuery began to remember something.

“Hey sir.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t that the van described in the Day rape-murder case?” Mustang thought about this for a moment.

“You’re right!” They looked over at the DB.

“In fact,” Mustang went on. “Rodriguez was one of the witnesses we questioned at the apartment.”

“But, he said that he saw nothing,” Fuery replied.

“I guess that wasn’t so true after all,” the general mumbled. But wait, it just does not end there.

*Hughes’ End*

Hughes came back to the crime lab. (Actually, it isn’t called that just yet. They really haven’t found a name for it just yet. But for our sake, let’s call it a crime lab.) Mike looked up at him with a puzzled look on his face.

“Oh sir,” he said with a salute. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“As you were,” Maes ordered. Mike did so and turned back to the lab results. Hughes looked over his shoulder.

“So what do you have here?” Mike made a puzzled face at the evidence.

“The blood on the tower doesn’t belong to the officers.” Hughes became puzzled as well.

“Okay, who does it belong to then?” Mike turned around to the colonel.

“Harry Hardening.” That really threw Hughes for a surprise.

“That’s the victim at Mangrove Apartment Circle.”

“Exactly. And looked at this.” Mike handed the colonel a small black box. Maes studied it for a moment.

“A tape player?” he asked. “With a tape inside?” Hughes hit play. He and Mike took a listen. The tape quality was a bit scratchy but this was what they got from it:

“V1709! No, please, don’t!” Then, a sound like a needle piercing skin followed. Next, came a sucking/draining noise.

Hughes stopped the tape in disgust. Something about that caught his attention.

“Thomas.”

“Yes?”

“Is that a license plate number to a flower delivery truck?” Mike thought about that for a moment.

“I believe so.” Right then, Hughes’s cell phone rang.

“Excuse me.” He quickly answered the phone. Mike tried to listen to the short conversation on the other line. After about ten minutes, Hughes slowly hung up the phone and turned around to the lt. col.

“That was Mustang.” Mike raised an eyebrow at him.

“What did he say?” Hughes looked really pale now.

“He and Fuery found another body in the Hunter’s Grove Apartment complex. With another tape.” Mike looked intrigued now.

“What did this one say?”

“Gold van, black roses.” Both went quiet from there. Mike quickly ran over to the computer and booted it up. Hughes hurried behind him. Thomas typed in all of the new data. The van came up as a match to Lolita’s Flowers and the driver was named Darius Chris. The men both looked at each other.

“That truck makes deliveries to Hotel Aphrodite,” Mike spoke up. “The same hotel where Day worked before her death.” Hughes tried to piece it all together.

“So you’re saying that both men were witness to Eliza’s rape and murder?”

“Seems that way.”

“So, Pharrell and Stewart were just there at the wrong place and wrong time?”

“Yeah.” Hughes went quiet for a moment. He remembered Chris. That creep was a regular at the hotel bar and delivered flowers to the place. But yet, the military didn’t have any proof and the case went cold. That was until a few days ago Eliza’s best friend, Grace, came forth and told the dogs that Chris constantly harassed Eliza and tried to sleep with her before her death. Now with these two descriptions of Chris’ van, they had Day’s killer. He might have killed the witnesses, Pharrell, and Stewart. But yet, one thing just didn’t make any sense.

“Hey Hughes,” Mike spoke up. Hughes looked over at him.

“Yeah?”

“Why would Chris make the victims give up information about himself and then kill them? Would it make sense to kill them just to keep them quiet?” Hughes didn’t have to think about that all.

“You’re suggesting that someone else killed them?” Mike nodded. We’re almost there. Now to bring it all in place and wrap it up.

Back at the Mangrove Apartment Circle, Riza and Havoc received updates about the case. Hawkeye-Riis just hung up the phone. Mrs. Ashcroft looked up at her.

“Any news?”

“Yeah, my boss said they arrested Darius Chris at Hotel Aphrodite. He was stalking Grace while she was working at the bar.” The old lady smiled at her.

“That’s good. Justice has been served to that poor angel.” Havoc put out his cigarette.

“What I don’t understand is who killed Hardening, Rodriguez, Pharrell, and Stewart?”

“I know,” Hawkeye-Riis replied. Mrs. Ashcroft kept herself quiet. But yet, a little snicker escaped their lips. Both Havoc and Hawkeye-Riis caught it.

“Something funny?” the captain asked. The old lady couldn’t hold back anymore. She looked up at them with sunken eyes of madness. Havoc and Hawkeye-Riis prepared to defend themselves.

“Mrs. Ashcroft?” Havoc asked. “What’s going on?”

“Those two cowards deserved to die!” she snapped. Riza looked at her oddly.

“Why is that?”

“Hardening always works at night and passes that street where poor Eliza was attacked. Rodriguez always sits on his balcony every night watching the street. He too saw that pervert’s van. But yet they said nothing!” Havoc looked her slightly nervous.

“Who was going to be the third victim?”

“Grace!!!” The dogs looked shocked. Mrs. Ashcroft looked at them smiling.

“That’s right. She was Eliza’s own best friend and saw the whole thing. And none of them spoke up. You guys should be thanking me! I led you to Eliza’s killer! CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?!? CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?!?” Havoc rushed forward and tackled her to the ground.

“Yes!” Riza replied. “We can see you perfectly clear!” Pretty bizarre, don’t you think?