Steel Sapphires and Shattered Emeralds
Chapter 3
Two weeks passed and Kayleigh began to hope that it was the end of the serial killer’s run, that he’d been killed by someone, gotten bored, or even moved to another city. As much as she chided herself for wishing this on anybody else, the fear that clutched at her every time she got a female body on the table and every time she walked home alone still made her wish it desperately sometimes. She’d even taken to waiting until some of the techs got of work and walking part way home with them. It was uncomfortable, but to her estimation, worth it.
“Please let there not be another one.” Kayleigh uttered the familiar prayer as she walked in the staff door of the lab. Seeing Sage stood there was like a physical blow, the knowledge that there was another young mutant woman on the table making her feel physically sick. She could feel her hair shifting to match her distress, heading further towards the white of fear than the grey-black of depression.
She walked towards where Sage was standing talking to a tall, well built black man. ‘This must be her partner…’ Kayleigh thought to herself. ‘Lucky bastard,’ she added.
She overheard the last of their conversation as she went to make her presence known.
“She was taken in broad daylight again,” the man Kayleigh was assuming to be Lucas said. “But this time from right outside her own home.”
Kayleigh’s thoughts ballooned at this. Now the bastard was taking them from right outside their homes, right near families, friends, safety. It was only a matter of time before…
“Kayleigh?” Sage’s voice cut through her thought pattern, neatly disrupting the chain of thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her. “It’s good to see you again. I’d like you to meet Lucas Bishop. My partner.”
Responding to the usual social conventions, Kayleigh reached for the hand that was offered and shook it, using the few seconds as a reprieve to pull herself together. “Nice to meet you,” she managed to stammer.
“You too miss Del’Cairn. Sage has complemented your skill at your profession.”
Kayleigh took a closer look at Bishop as he talked, taking in the non-threatening face with its interesting tattoo, and the bulk of the man underneath the leather. Oddly, she wasn’t afraid of him.
“Well, I’d best go down and start scrubbing up. Got an autopsy to do if you’re going to catch this guy…” she said with false brightness. “I’ll be waiting when you get down Sage.”
“It’s alright I’ll take the elevator with you. Bishop has other things to be doing.” She turned briefly back to Lucas. “I’ll see you later Lucas.”
“You too Sage,” came Bishop’s reply. “Nice to meet you Kayleigh.”
“And you. Bye,” said Kayleigh, forcing a smile. ‘Fucking lucky bastard…’ she thought.
The ride down in the elevator was silent and Kayleigh kept expecting Sage to ask her about her hair or talk to her about the case, but the silence remained between them.
“He was friendly.” Kayleigh said, trying again to make conversation as she scrubbed. Sage nodded but was otherwise quiet as if although she was still taking in data she was preoccupied with processing it.
Kayleigh sighed and went to pick up her equipment tray. As she did she caught another glimpse of the body on the table, causing her fears to pour back in, and her body to shake. She dropped the tray.
“Fucking shite.” She swore vehemently, cursing both the extra work she’d made herself, her clumsiness and the way she just made herself look in front of Sage. So much for being professional. And to make matters worse, no matter hard she tried, she couldn’t make her hands stop shaking.
“Are you ok?” Sage’s voice from behind her as she bent down to pick up the mess caused her to jump, and again the instruments clattered to the floor. Kayleigh sat down on the floor in defeat. “Something has got you spooked.” Sage stated, not even bothering to ask the question when the answer was right in front of her.
“Aye. It’s this fucking serial killer.” Kayleigh shook her head. She still couldn’t stop shaking. Sake knelt down beside her and took Kayleigh's hands in her own.
“Go on,” she urged softly. “It might help if you tell me.”
“It’s not like I'm not used to seeing dead bodies. I’ve seen them in as many different stages of death and from as many different causes as have been invented. But, the way this bastard kills, it’s personal. It’s beyond personal. He stares into their fucking eyes as he kills them. He watches as they slip away and he fucking well enjoys it.”
“Is there anything else?” said asked softly.
“The people he targets. All young female mutants. People like her…” she trailed off, pointing at the autopsy table.
“People like you.” Sage finished for her.
“No. I’m probably just being paranoid.” Kayleigh shook her head, “in fact, I know I’m being bloody paranoid, just like the other night.”
“Oh?” Sage asked, not taking her eyes from Kayleigh’s face.
“Yeah. I was on my way home and I tripped over. It made my hair change, and then I thought I saw some guy following me. I ran all the way home. And then I go out the next evening to run to work and I see him 3 doors down waving goodbye to his wife. I was just being paranoid.”
“I’m sure you were,” Sage said gently “is there anything that I can do to help?”
“Well… erm, I was thinking that I could do with a little help in self defence.” Said Kayleigh, figuring that it couldn’t hurt to ask.
“Here. Take this.” Said Sage, unholstering a small gun from her hip and offering it to Kayleigh. “I have several more.”
“I’m not taking that!” Kayleigh said indignantly. She’d thought better of Sage. “I’ve seen the harm that guns can do, up close and personal. Do you know how many victims of not only gun crime but gun accidents I get in here? Do you?” she raged, slamming Sage’s open hand away.
“I’m sorry. I misjudged this.” Sage said awkwardly, holstering the gun.
“Its ok.” Said Kayleigh, still fuming. “What I was thinking was more along the lines of some basic self defence moves. After all, you look like you know how to take care of yourself, without having to use those.” She glared at Sage’s guns again.
“Yes, I do. I carry them for more extreme circumstances,” replied Sage.
“So, will you teach me?” She asked; only half hoping Sage would say yes.
“Yes.” Said Sage. “Is after your shift a good time?”
“Sure, I mean, if you want to hang around that long.” Said Kayleigh, feeling drained and mildly embarrassed now that her anger had died down.
“It’s not a problem. Bishop can go out into the field and I’ll get all the information through these.” Sage patted the glasses hanging on her belt.
“So I’m guessing those aren’t ordinary glasses then.” Kayleigh grinned to show that she was being rhetorical. Feeling a lot better she moved back over to the autopsy table and looked adown at the body.
The woman was in her late twenties and showed no apparent signs of being a mutant. However, Kayleigh knew from her notes that she gave off minor electrical discharge. The distraught boyfriend who’d reported her missing had told them so. “She was a human tazer Sage, a fucking walking self-defence weapon. And the bastard still got her. What chance is there for anyone else?” Kayleigh looked at Sage hopelessly.
“It all depends on how much you know about protecting yourself, and I’m going to help you with that.”
“Alright.” She looked away from Sage and back at the body. As with the last victim this woman had dark hair and pale skin that was marred by light bruising and a split lip. This bastard was one sick fucker. She nodded to Sage and started the recorder.
This autopsy followed the same pattern as the others, with Kayleigh having to question Sage twice on things that could be, and were, parts of the woman’s mutation. As with the others she had been strangled, there was no sign of sexual assault and there was nothing of her attacker left on her.
Kayleigh frowned, frustrated with this lack of evidence. “Did you get anything about the attacker from any of the other victims?” she asked Sage as she removed her gloves and started to clean up.
“No.” said Sage, “I’ve got nothing, no DNA, no trace, nothing. If this guy were human, I would have caught him by now. It can only mean that he is a mutant and somehow his mutation is keeping him one step ahead of me.” Sage sounded as frustrated as Kayleigh was, and Kayleigh wasn’t sure what to say to that. Luckily, Sage took it out of her hands.
“I’m sure that you have plenty of other work to do, and I must meet with Bishop and fill him in on these developments. I’ll meet you upstairs at the end of your shift. Is that ok?”
“That’s fine. I’ll see you later.” Said Kayleigh.
The rest of the shift passed quickly with Kayleigh’s mind focusing more on the upcoming self-defence lesson. Thoughts such as ‘have I tidied up?’, ‘what will she think of my home?’ and ‘why am I feeling like this?’ flashing through her mind. Luckily she was able to keep the thoughts fairly quiet, and so keep her hair fairly calm.
Finally the end of her shift rolled around and Kayleigh made her way up to the entrance, feeling much more confident now that she knew she wasn’t going to be completely defenceless. Arriving there she saw Sage waiting patiently for her, not quite smiling at the way she hurried over.
“Hey,” said Kayleigh smiling, tensely, “so, um, are you ready to go?”
“Yes. I hope you don’t mind me taking us there on my bike.” Sage replied.
So that was the reason for all the leather Sage wears, Kayleigh thought. It finally made sense. However, she was slightly apprehensive about going on a motorbike, and told Sage as much.
“It’ll be ok.” Sage assured her, “I’m the safest person you could ride with. After all, I calculate everything.
“Alright,” said Kayleigh, hoping she wouldn’t embarrass herself. She hoped she wouldn’t regret saying yes.
A chirpy voice calling out “hey, ’Leigh? Is this nice detective bothering you?” broke through her nervous contemplation. The voice was followed by a bouncing blonde head over an awful Hawaiian shirt covered by a lab coat.
“Hey Greg.” Kayleigh cringed a little at the over exuberant labtech, “this is Sage. She’s going to teach me some self-defence. Sage, this hyperactive blonde hooligan of a lab tech here is Greg.”
“So, you’re the genius DNA technician.” Sage said quirking an eyebrow. Greg would have set off the gaydar in rocks.
“And you’re the XSE detective that everyone’s talking about for one reason or another. Now we’ve said who we are, ’Leigh, I guess you don’t need me to walk you home today.”
“No thanks Greg. I’ll see you tomorrow though.” Kayleigh waved goodbye to Greg and followed Sage out to where her bike was parked.
She gave Sage the directions to her apartment, reflecting that it was nice that she wouldn’t have to give them twice, and got on the back of the bike with her. The journey home was far faster than it had ever been, and she recognised few of the landmarks as they flew past. The thrill of the speed was both terrifying and exhilarating and Kayleigh found that she trusted Sage enough to relax behind her. The ride ended far too soon, although when Kayleigh got off the bike she found she was shaking slightly.