by Skye Knizley
“Detectives! It is so good to see you!” he said, his arms wide like he was hugging them. “I have much to show you. Let us start with this poor man here.”
Raven exhaled and tried to keep the ancient smell of blood and rotten flesh out of her nose. “Whatever you say, Ming.”
Ming Zhu straightened and looked at Raven with concern in his eyes. “Detective, are we going to have another incident?”
“Not if you hurry up!” Raven growled.
Zhu motioned for the detectives to come closer. When they were next to him he tilted the victim’s head to the side revealing three jagged wounds that ran below his skull from back to front, tearing the artery.
“This is the wound that killed Mr. Franks. Based on the tearing I would say it was done very swiftly and with three very sharp bone instruments.”
“Bone?” Levac asked.
Zhu nodded. “Bone. I found bone fragments in the wounds when I cleaned them. They match bone weapons found in the ruins of Native American settlements across the country, but most especially the bone claws used by renegades in the 1860s. Based on the wounds, body temperature when found and ambient temperature, I am putting his death at two a.m.”
Raven looked more closely at the wounds, swallowing the bile trying to rise in the back of her throat. “So you’re telling me this guy was killed by a hundred and fifty year old Native American who thinks he’s a comic book character.”
Ming frowned. “I doubt that. Harvey made a mold of the wounds and we’re trying to match the patterns up to any known modern weapon. Meanwhile…”
Zhu moved down the body and pointed out a variety of discolorations. “These bruises suggest this man was beaten. And I mean beaten badly before he died.”
The doctor raised a pectoral muscle out of the way making Raven gag at the stench. “He has three broken ribs on this side, two more on the other. Detective, don’t you dare throw up on my cadaver!”
Raven held up a hand and shook her head. She felt Zhu’s eyes on her and forced herself to meet them. His eyes were filled with concern, but he proceeded down the corpse to the victim’s feet.
“The victim also had his hamstrings cut at some point, based on the condition of the tendons I would say it was shortly before he died,” he said. “Damage to the surrounding soft tissue of the ankle indicates a similar bone weapon was used.”
Levac made notes in his pad. “Our victim was beaten, hamstrung and finally killed before being salted down and left for us to find, is that about right?”
“Approximately, Detective, approximately,” Zhu said. “I cannot stress, however, the trauma this man went through before his death. Were his skin intact I have no doubt he would be missing fingernails and look like he’d gone ten rounds with George Forman while blindfolded. Many of his smaller bones are broken, muscles are torn…he didn’t take his fate easily.”
Raven uncovered her mouth and pointed at several deep lacerations in the muscle and bone. “What are these? Part of the fight or torture or whatever?”
“I would definitely say he was in a fight not torture, based on the tissue damage. But those, my dear Raven were made by one of the tools used to skin Mr. Franks. The Native Americans had a special knife that scraped along the inside of large game, removing the skin and upper layer of fat while leaving everything else relatively unscathed. A similar tool is still used today. No one cares if their steak has a couple scratches.”
“Can you get me a picture of this thing?” Raven asked.
Zhu grinned. “I don’t have to, you collected one of the tools yesterday.”
“I thought so,” Raven said. “Is there anything else or can I go get fresh air?”
Zhu smiled, his eyes crinkling with a sort of mad excitement. “Detective, this isn’t what was so urgent. You must see this, please come to the next room.”
He stripped off his gloves and pulled on a fresh pair while he led the two detectives across the hall to another exam room. He snapped on the light and walked into the room. This lab was virtually identical to the first save that there were two floor drains drooling the noisome smell of blood and offal. Raven gagged and turned away, leaning against the door frame. She felt Levac’s hands on her shoulders and she drew strength from him. When she felt better she turned and smiled her thanks.
“I’m okay. Let’s look at whatever Zhu has and get the hell out of here.”
Levac smiled and made an ‘after you’ motion. Raven turned and led Levac into the next lab where Zhu was waiting next to the grey-skinned giant.
“Are you all right, Raven?” Zhu asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
“I’m fine, Ming. What’s up with the jolly grey giant?”
Zhu looked down at the body and pulled apart the skin over the chest cavity revealing a ribcage built like armor. He lifted that off to expose the organs beneath. Raven recognized the heart and lungs, but not much else, especially since it was all covered in what, to her, looked like lace cheese.
“Heart, lungs, cheese, what’s the big deal?” she asked as seriously as she could.
Zhu threw up his hands in disgust. “How does a detective fail basic anatomy? Detective, that ‘cheese’ as you call it is some kind of connective tissue I have never seen before. This man is also missing several important organs including a liver, gallbladder and kidneys. In short, he shouldn’t have been alive.”
“Could he be some kind of mutant? Birth defects or something?” Levac asked.
Raven rolled her eyes. “Can we get away from super hero theories please?”
“No, no!” Zhu said excitedly. “I believe Detective Levac is correct. I found a related case in the files. A similar man was found on October 9th, 1871 during the great fire. He was largely dismissed due to the ongoing insanity at the time however the physical description fits this man perfectly.”
Raven frowned. “You’re saying this guy is a member of a family that has bizarre birth defects?”
Zhu grinned again. “Exactly, yes. I am not done dissecting him, that will have to wait until after your investigation, but I am excited about the possibilities. This could be a whole new species!”
“Do you think our perp is a member of the same family as the one from the fire?” Levac asked.
“If you mean do I think he or she looks similar, I doubt it,” Zhu replied. “Based on the size of this man’s brain, which is a rival for perhaps an intelligent dog, he couldn’t do much more than follow instructions. An entire family like that would never be able to remain hidden in the city.”
“Any other weirdness you want to lay on me?” Raven asked.
“Just one more thing,” Zhu said, winking at Levac.
With some effort, he rolled the large man onto one side and showed the detectives a symbol burned into the man’s shoulder: A circle with a cross through the middle.
“This was burned into his flesh years ago,” Zhu said.
Levac ran a hand over it then took a photo with his phone. “Any idea what it means?”
Zhu let the cadaver down and shook his head. “There was nothing mentioned in the old file. The closest Harvey has found so far is a gang sign from the twenties. We will keep digging and let you know if we find anything useful.”
“Thanks, Ming,” Raven said. “We’ll catch you later.”
Raven turned to leave, followed by Levac who also thanked the doctor.
“You’re quite welcome, Detectives,” Zhu called after them. “Raven, good job not tossing your cookies!”
Raven covered her mouth with one hand and hurried outside where she gulped air in great lung-fulls, trying to get the scent of blood out of her nose. Levac put his hand on her back stood beside her until she stopped panting.
“Are you going to make it, Ray?” he asked.
Raven nodded and straightened, cracking her back. “Yeah. It’s just the smell of all that old blood. You’re lucky you can’t smell it.”
Levac grinned. “Just admit you hate autopsies.”
“Anyone who
doesn’t hate autopsies needs to see a therapist. Let’s get back on the road, I need to clear my head,” Raven replied.
Levac walked around the Shelby and grabbed the door handle. “Where are we going?”
Raven looked at him over the roof of the car. “To get a burger. Then I thought we’d head to Club Black and see if anyone there noticed anything unusual with Franks. They should be open for tea by then.”
Levac blinked at Raven. “A burger? After seeing that?”
Raven swallowed hard. “Seeing what?”
Without another word she slid behind the wheel and brought the behemoth to life. Levac joined her, his eyes on Raven, his hand on his stomach. Raven glanced at him then nosed the Shelby toward a burger stand she knew and loved.
A SHORT TIME LATER, RAVEN parked the Shelby in an almost empty lot on the edge of The Dark, a part of the city that had been abandoned several years previously. Scientists had given up trying to figure out why electricity, especially lights, failed to work within the zone. Almost everyone had moved out of the Dark after Xavier’s coup a few months before; only the criminal and the desperate ventured there now.
The lot was surrounded by a chain link fence lined with wrecked and burned out cars. Anyone trying to enter by any way other than the gate was going to find themselves standing on razor sharp steel, melted glass and anything else Hartwin Ainsworth could find.
In the middle of the lot was a large diesel generator and a camp trailer originally designed for two cozy campers and maybe a dog. It had been converted into a kitchen that served a variety of food, as long as it was burgers, dogs, fries, chips and fried fish.
A dozen picnic tables chained to old lampposts hosted a handful of diners from nearby businesses. It may have looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic video game, but Jeezburgers made some of the best lunches on this side of the city. Ainsworth made your order when you ordered it and nothing ever went to waste.
Raven walked past the other diners, took a seat at the small bar outside the trailer and smiled at Hartwin. “Hey, Hart, you can smell this place from two blocks away. What’s cooking?”
Hartwin Ainsworth, dressed in black pants and a pristine white shirt pushed his long black hair behind his ears and leaned on the counter. “I trust it’s a good smell, Ms. Storm. Can I get you and your friend something?”
Raven grinned at Ainsworth’s cockney accent and said, “I’ll take one of your famous Jeezburgers with everything, a side of chips and a water. Rupe?”
Levac was still looking around the strange fenced-in lot. “What? Oh! Um…fish and chips sounds good, with a cherry coke.”
“Right you are, sir!” Ainsworth replied. “I’ll have your lunch ready in a jiffy.”
Ainsworth set about making their meals and Raven sat listening to the sizzle of fresh meat on the grill and the burble of the deep fryers while Levac sipped a cherry coke and flipped through his notepad. After a time she became aware of a strange tingle on the back of her neck. She picked up her water and turned on her stool, her eyes surveying the crowd of diners. None of them were paying her or Levac any mind. She raised her eyes and looked out the gate. A delivery van was parked in front of Harrison Bank, one of the few branches still operating near The Dark. Two men were loading boxes into the back of the truck while a third sat behind the wheel of the truck, his eyes hidden behind aviator glasses.
“Hey Rupe, don’t delivery trucks usually deliver things?” Raven asked.
Levac followed her gaze to the van. “They pick up, too. Why? What’s up?”
Raven took a swig of her water then stood and started walking. “Bad guys doing bad things. Stay here and call in a 033 at Harrison Bank.”
“What about your lunch?” Levac asked.
“Hart, keep my burger warm, I will be right back.”
“Aye, Miss Ravenel,” Ainsworth replied.
Raven walked across the street toward the parked delivery van. One of the men outside stopped loading boxes to face her while his partner kept working.
“Can I help you?” the delivery man asked.
“Do you think you could put your hands on the side of the van and admit you and your buddies are robbing the bank?” Raven asked. “That would make my life a lot easier.”
“What?” the delivery man asked.
Behind him the other man had loaded the last box and pulled out a sawed-off shotgun he was trying to hide by his leg.
“Forget it,” Raven said.
She lashed out and punched the first man in the stomach with her left fist. He doubled over and her knee caught him in the face, knocking him out while she drew her Automag and pointed it at the second thief’s head.
“Drop the shotgun and put your hands on your head, you’re under arrest!” Raven said.
The thief’s eyes crossed as he tried to focus on the cannon covering his nose and he dropped the shotgun to the ground with a clatter. He raised his hands and made a grab for Raven’s pistol, pushing it aside.
“Go, Rico, go!” he yelled.
Raven kicked out with her foot, burying the pointed toe of her boot deep in the thief’s crotch. He crumpled around his own personal slice of pain as the delivery van began to move.
“Not a smart move, bub,” Raven said.
She handcuffed the two men together, holstered her pistol and ran after the retreating van. She caught one of the swinging cargo doors and hung on to the top, gritting her teeth when the madly swaying door slammed into the frame, squashing her fingers. The world then went spinning as the truck rounded a corner and she swung out into the open air to slam into the side of the truck with a thud. She could feel blood coming from beneath her fingernails and she felt her vampiric side trying to take hold. She swallowed her pain and anger and hung on as the truck made another wild turn, trying to scrape her off on a passing eighteen wheeler. Raven ran along the side of the tractor’s trailer and pushed off to land on top of the delivery truck. She rolled and came up on one knee, blood streaming from beneath broken fingers. Ignoring the pain, Raven crept forward and slid down the windshield of the van. She pulled out her badge and slammed it against the glass, leaving a smear of blood from her injured fingers.
“Detective Raven Storm, Chicago Police! I’d like to see your license and proof of insurance!” she yelled.
Inside the truck was a muscular Hispanic man whose biceps threatened to split the arms of his stolen uniform shirt. He blinked in surprise at the detective clinging to the windshield visor, his surprise slowly becoming a look of malice. The truck came to a screeching halt throwing Raven through the air to land several yards down the street. She rolled to one knee, a bloody hand pressed to the pavement for balance. After a moment she raised her head and glared daggers at the driver who grinned and revved the truck’s engine. Raven stood and drew her pistol. Blood ran down her hand, along the barrel and dripped onto the pavement. She disregarded it and continued to glower at the driver. His grin faded and the truck lurched forward, accelerating toward Raven. She watched it come, her eyes still locked on the musclebound thug behind the wheel. With precision born from years of practice Raven raised the Automag and shot the driver through the forehead, his brains spraying against the stainless steel wall of the truck. She stepped aside and let the truck roll by to come to a safe stop against an old telephone pole. She then began walking back to where she knew a warm burger with sauce, extra pickles and a sesame seed bun was waiting. She would report the incident later; she was in no mood for one of Frost’s lectures about using her weapon.
Her fingers had started to heal by the time she dropped heavily onto her stool back at Jeezburgers. She grabbed a handful of napkins and wiped off as much blood as possible, nodding at Ainsworth who placed her burger, chips and a fresh bottle of water in front of her. Levac finished the piece of fish he’d been gnawing on and turned to look at Raven. She knew he was looking at her torn jacket and jeans, but she paid no attention to him, choosing to savor her burger instead. Ainsworth had managed to keep it warm, but ju
icy with a hint of blood and she could feel her fingers healing and her strength returning. After a few bites, she wiped her lips on a napkin and turned to Levac.
“What the hell happened?” he asked before she could say a word. “You look like you got hit by a truck!”
“The bank was being robbed, as the nice officers behind us are learning,” Raven replied. “I stopped them and was almost run over by a truck.”
“We heard a shot, Miss Ravenel,” Ainsworth added.
Raven shrugged and turned back to her meal. “The driver was less than cooperative.”
“You’re supposed to take me with you, not tell me to stay here,” Levac said.
“Don’t start that again!” Raven said around a mouthful of burger. “I thought I was just going across the street not four blocks!”
Levac sighed. “Which is why you take your partner with you, Ray.”
“He has a point, Miss Ravenel,” Ainsworth said.
Raven glanced in annoyance at Ainsworth and finished her burger, sopping up the bloody juice with a piece of bun. She then pulled a roll of cash out of her jacket’s breast pocket and tossed three bills on the bar, enough to cover both lunches.
“Thanks, Hart,” she said. “It was delicious as always.”
Ainsworth bowed from the waist. “You are welcome, Miss Ravenel. Do come again, maybe next time the bank won’t be robbed.”
Raven smiled and turned toward the gate. She heard Levac mutter something to Ainsworth and then his footsteps as he hurried to catch up.
Back in the Shelby Levac laid a hand on Raven’s before she could start the car.
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” Raven asked, not meeting his eyes.
“Treating me like a mushroom. I thought we were past this,” Levac said.