Log:Rituals II

Guilt Complex 2013/08/11 	 Bee

13

Champions Mush - Sunday, August 11, 2013, 2:49 PM

Bee slides forward and looks down through the skylight to the scene below.

The skylight is obscured by what seems like decades of accumulated grime but there is a small gap that allows a view inside, he cavernous interior of the warehouse is dark and still. There is some sort of large crater in the floor and inside the crater the remnants of some sort of structure. Inside the structure are five distorted figures, still and unmoving, in poses simply impossible for the human body to achieve.

Bee slips open the skylight as silently as possible and glides to the floor in a silent, wide, circular arc that traverses the entirety of the room before descending.

During her descent Bee confirms the interior of the warehouse is in a state of decay and disrepair, there are no signs that the lights would work, much less of a security system or any form of defenses. One way to judge the level of desertion are the rats who scurry across the floor, deserting the corpses on which they had been feeding and rushing for cover. To one side a yellow eyed cat watches wide-eyed, edging skitterishly toward a gap in the paneling that will allow it to escape should need arise.

Bee activates her wings and flies back out the way she came. Pulling Raskmika's phone out of a pouch, she unclips the 'buzzer' from her throat and dials 911. "May I be forwarded to Detective Kendrick, please?" she says when the operator answers. "I'm afraid it is an emergency."

Once closer Bee can discern that the hole in the floor of the warehouse was freshly excavated, the concrete flooring having been dug aside as though it were plaster. Within the hole the bodies are of five young women,. They lie in the midst of some sort excavated wooden structure, quite small and simple in design.

Kendrick is soon on the line. "Hello?"

Bee says, "Detective Kendrick, this is Rashmika Ghandi, Bee's assistant. I'm afraid she's found some more bodies."

There is a pause before Kendrick asks simply. "Do not interfere with the scene, get to some place where you are safe and then give me the location."

Bee says, "The first body is at... then another one can be found at ... If you add that to the three bodies you already have, it is not hard to draw a circle. The center of the circle is a deserted warehouse at .... and there are five dead women there. Bee is on the roof." Then, without waiting for a reply, she hangs up and pulls the battery out of the phone before putting it away and securing her cowl back in place. By calling 911, she guaranteed the call would be recorded. Let him ask the operator if he needs directions."

Within a few minutes the high-pitched ululations of police sirens rippl over the city skyline. Flashing lights in the distance converging on the two peripheral sites while two more sets focus on the warehouse. Uniformed officers arrive and secure the scene which they do with extreme caution. They are followed by a bevy of other vehicles, detectives, medical examiners, even the bomb squad has been called in. Several federal agencies are represented, including the FBI and FEMA. Detective Kendrick is on-site but seems now to be only one of the junior investigators, the investigation leader now Commander Lescarmontier.

Bee flies down from the roof when the Commander and Kendrick are together. "I opened the skylight roof and did a flyby inside, but didn't touch anything inside. The scene is as pristine as possible."

Commander Lescarmontier is a stern looking blonde woman in her early thirties or perhaps well-preserved early forties. On her arrival on scene she is inundated with reports, requests, introductions. She deals with each decisively and efficiently, directing where the press corps forensics, communications centre and command post should be set up, setting up a time for a press conference soon enough the press don't get impatient but still leaving herself enough time to get up to speed. With that all done she is in a position to talk to Bee. "And your friend... Rashmika Gandhi... she's safe?"

Bee says, "She was well away. I have a communicator for personal use, but cannot call the police on it directly and had to relay through her."

Lescarmontier nods. "So this has all the hallmarks of some sort weird ass cult thing." She turns to a subordinate. "Get on the phone to serial crimes, someone somewhere must know about this sort of satanism rubbish. Let me know the instant the forensics people will let me walk the scene."

Bee says, "As far as my research shows, the crux of the ritual is durability. Jade, blood, and pain are primary ingredients. Also, from the first scene - after forensics was through - it looks like a team of at least ten are behind this."

The forensics team take their sweet time, starting with the entry-ways into the warehouse they check them thoroughly for footprints, fingerprints and the like. They display similar patience working their way across the warehouse floor and it is several hours before Bee, in the company, of Lescarmontier is permitted into a set of protective coveralls to walk the scene which is now bathed in brilliant white illumination from portable lamps. It is now possible to see that the bodies are all contained in or around the remains of a modest wooden structure that has long lain forgotten and buried.

Bee sighs, "I have skills, but magic is not among them. Do you mind if I get a few copies of the crime scene photos so I can consult some?

The bodies are lain with their heads pointing toward the centre of the circle, their limbs and entrails carefully arranged in a series of abstract patterns that are indecipherable. The same general pattern seems to have been followed as with the previous sacrifices with some refinement. The identities of the victims is not long a mystery. They are university students who were supposedly on a weekend retreat but they never arrived.

Lescarmontier looks from the bodies to Bee. "Ok, we'll grant you access to what we get but if any of it hits the press there'll be trouble. I appreciate you bringing us in early and not messing up the scene and being patient while we do our thing. So, the way I see it, you've earnt some credit, I don't see any reason to mess with you in any way, you want to help and I'm fine with that, we'll just have to both work at being constructive."

Despite the cowl, it is obvious Bee is crushed. "I don't know how much help I can be. I was too late to prevent this. With their ritual complete, there is no reason for them to remain in Colonial Bay. We've lost this one."

Lescarmontier shrugs. "They've got a big hard on for killing people on a large scele here in the Bay, whatever this is..." she nods in the direction of the ceremony. "My gut is they're not moving on till they get to follow through."

Bee smirks and says, "'Don't worry, they aren't done killing' is the oddest attempt at a mood lifter I have ever heard."

Commander Lescarmontier shakes her head, "It's not a mood lifter, it's a warning, doom and gloom and we've already lost only makes us easier patsies for whatever they've got planned next. So far twenty or so people have died but it could easily have been in the hundreds of thousands. We're winning, that's why they're scurrying around in the dark like rats. Also, they're operating at a significant disadavantage. They're nuts, we'll get them."

Bee nods and lifts her wrist to her mouth. "Base, one to port home," she says. While she waits for the system to lock onto her, she says to the commander, "I'll do what I can."