Edited by: Waning_Crescents

---

After the Lester-case, Cal stayed at the hospital for the time being. He received emergency treatment just in the nick of time, any second later and the consequences could have been fatal. Only a few days later he regained consciousness and his vital signs stabilized.

He laid in the hospital bed and stared at the ceiling with one arm wrapped around his forehead. He sighed as he recalled the events on his first real field-assignment.

I’m so pathetic… He bit his lower lip. He will never acknowledge me as his partner like this, I really screwed up!

In the next moment, the door swung open, and a man in a white coat walked into the room. “Good morning, Mr. Vaughn.”

The investigator glanced at the man and took down his arm. “Good morning, doctor.”

“How are you feeling?”

Cal propped himself up into a sitting position with the support of his hands before he replied, “Better…”

Although he recovered without complications, the effect of the drug still lingered. It attacked his whole body after all, along with his organs. The fact that he even survived rendered the doctors speechless.

“I’ve got the results back. As you know, the drug you got injected with was a new type of substance, and we just started to analyze its properties. The only data we could gather so far were from the deceased victims. What we found out is that the victims must have died in a real short period of time after they got injected with the drug. We assume it was not more than 15 minutes. Even if they got brought here in that time period, the damage would have been irreparable, which brings me to your results,” the doctor explained, while Cal listened.

“It clearly showed that you were not as badly affected by the drug than the rest were. Meaning, your body has some kind of natural resistance against drugs in terms of delaying the process, perhaps even lessening the effects. However, I can’t say for certain that the outcome would have been the same if the drug had circulated through your body longer than it did. Thus, you were lucky that Mr. Crawford brought you here when he did.” The doctor paused for a second before he continued. “Mr. Vaughn, concerning how your body reacted to the drug, is there anything I should know?”

Cal eyed the doctor in silence for a moment, but then said, “No, I am sure you already know enough from my results, but I ask you to please keep this to yourself. I don’t want anyone to know about this.”

“Of course, we are bound by medical confidentiality, no need to worry,” the doctor stated. Cal’s condition raised many questions, thus, the doctor hoped he would explain this further. However, if the patient refused to talk, it was not his place to urge him.

“Thanks, doctor.”

“Alright, you need to get some more rest. Lesser effect doesn’t mean you are fine. Your body is still weak and needs to recover its strength. We also still don’t know enough about this drug to be certain that there won’t be any side effects later on, so please take it easy for a while Mr. Vaughn,” he said and walked towards the door but before he left, he turned around one more time. “Oh, by the way, I let your boss know that your condition is stable now, but that you still need to stay here a little while longer. Is there anyone else you want us to call for you?”

Cal shook his head. “No, there is no one…”

The doctor glanced a little concerned at the young man, but eventually nodded and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Cal’s expression turned grim, and he dug his nails into the blanket.

To think that this actually saved me. He gritted his teeth. That’s too ridiculous... 

Then, however, he took a deep breath and relaxed his hands again.

But that wasn’t the only factor that saved me...if it wasn’t for Sigal getting me quickly out of there and in here, I still could have died, I guess…

Then his gaze swept to the window to his right, and he squinted his eyes as the sun dazzled him.

I wonder what is going on right now at the Conciliators headquarters…will I even be able to return?

He blinked twice as his eyelids grew heavy, thus, he slid back under the blanket and drifted off into a deep slumber.

 

***

 

While Cal recovered at the hospital, Sigal handed in his written report about what transpired during their last assignment.

“I see...” the Chief, Vince Harland, said, who just finished reading through the details. “Well, even with some complications, I’m glad you and Cal made it out of there alive.”

Sigal sat down on a couch to the right of the chief’s desk and gazed at Vince with a stern expression. “I’d say more barely than anything. Why did you even assign him as my partner? He has no real experience in such things as hunting criminals down, he is good at minor stuff, but the dangerous ones, risky ones like the last case are too tough for a newbie like him.”

Vince smiled as he put the report down on his desk. “But good enough to save your ass, right? If it’s true what you wrote in there, then Cal shot Lester dead.”

“That doesn’t matter at all! Don’t you see that you will get him killed if you let him be in Section 2? I’m not taking responsibility for that…not again,” the investigator stated.

“I do know you have issues with that and that you would like to work alone. Certainly, you are an experienced fighter and one of the best of Section 2 as well, but no one can work alone forever, Sigal. I am not letting you, and you know that.” Vince declared with a serious tone in his voice.

Sigal leaned back. “Fine, but why him? I told you that—“

“You don’t have to repeat yourself, but it won’t be me who will get him killed if I leave him in Section 2, it’s your behavior that may get him killed one day. You have to relearn how to team up, think about it”— Vince paused for a second before he continued— “And for why him? Do you remember how many people tried to work with you in the past and gave up in the long run because it was impossible to get you to cooperate with them?”

Sigal remained silent as the chief explained the matter, well aware of those facts.

“However, I believe that Cal is different, his attitude and willpower won’t make him quit so easily. Even you might have realized that by now; thus, I hope that he will be able to change your views little by little.”

Sigal frowned as he stared at Vince in silence. He witnessed his partner’s willpower and stubbornness firsthand. Until now, everyone who got assigned as his partner quit in a short period of time. He only needed to annoy them enough, and they resigned their post without a second thought, but not Cal. The young man refused to quit, no, he even declared that he would never quit no matter what and that bothered Sigal.

The investigator rose from the couch and said, “I’ll get some rest.”

Vince nodded. “By the way, I got notified that Cal regained consciousness and that his condition is stable. I thought you should know that.”

Sigal stopped in his tracks for a brief moment, remained silent and then exited the room.

Vince sighed and glanced at the report again. This might be hard for you, but you must get through this, Sigal.

 

After Sigal left the building, he strode along the streets, the exhaustion written all over his face. Everything that transpired on the last case with his partner took a toll on him, that’s also when the nightmares started. Old memories creeped their way back onto the surface, along with the image that imprinted itself into his mind in what condition Cal was as he found him.

It was too close, that shouldn’t have happened.

He put his hands into his pockets and knitted his brows.

I can’t believe Vince won’t consider taking him off his position…

After a short walk, he stopped at the Conciliator’s apartment-complex; a four-storey building with eight apartments on each floor.

Sigall clenched his right fist and slammed it into the wall. Dammit!

Then he drew in a deep breath and let it settle before he put a certain code into the security lock to gain access and entered. This code only given to authorized personnel prevented anyone outside of the Conciliators to set foot into the building. He walked up two flights of stairs and then to the left side, unlocked his apartment door and moved in.

 

***

 

The Crime Investigation Bureau obtained the information of the outcome of the Conciliator's last job; that they succeeded. However, while they didn’t disclose every little detail about the case, they got informed that their special forces department had to take over for the time being as the Conciliator’s manpower was cut short. The Conciliator’s remaining forces currently worked on different cases and, thus, they had to put the burden on the police.

“Vergil, did you hear? The Conciliators need us to take over for them, meaning we will get swarmed by new cases.” Elena said by delivering the news to her partner, who walked up and down in the middle of the room without replying.

Judging from that stance…I guess he was already notified…and now he is impatient. She shook her head. He is such a kid sometimes...

She looked at the pile of documents on his desk and sighed. How can he even be so excited when there is still so much work to do?

Right as Elena tried another attempt to get Vergil’s attention, the door of their office opened and none other than Kale Lenox walked in. “Mrs. Lanford, Mr. Rivera, the chief is sending me to— “

“How often do I have to repeat myself and tell you to stop addressing me in that way?” Elena interrupted him. “Seniority doesn’t matter, so drop the formalities and just call me Elena, will you?” She furrowed her brows and put her hands on her hips. “I have told you multiple times that I feel like an old woman like that.”

Kale scratched the back of his head. “Sorry, old habits.”

“You aren’t the youngest anymore anyway, 25 is the—“ Vergil said.

Elena’s gaze swept over to him in a manner someone regretted having said anything. “What was that?”

“Uh…nothing…forget it.” His mouth twitched. “You are young and beautiful.”

Kale chuckled as he listened to the two of them bicker. They are as lively as ever.

“Good, now that we made this clear, we can move on with what our cute information gatherer, Kale, wanted to tell us,” Elena said by smiling again as if nothing happened.

“Right!” Kale cleared his throat. “Just now we received a report about a supposed murder case. Two dead bodies were discovered, and the chief wants you two to check out the crime scenes and investigate that further. Reeve and I will have the details ready for you two shortly.”

“Woo~ nice news!” Vergil exclaimed in happiness.

“What is there to be happy about? People died…” Elena raised an eyebrow.

“Of course, but this could be finally an interesting case unlike the ones we usually deal with.” Then Vergil turned to Kale. “Good job our little Pup!”

Pup?...newbie...pup...what am I? Kale’s shoulders dropped in frustration. Two years ago, he transferred to this police station and since then no one else joined the ranks, therefore, the curse of the “new guy” still lingered over him.

“Vergil, why do you call him by that name? You know he doesn’t like it!” Elena admonished her partner.

Vergil just grinned innocently while he tousled Kales, short dark with a tint of red hair. “He knows I am not serious, right?”

“Yeah, but anyway…I hear such things every day from Reeve, and it slowly drives me crazy…”

“Sorry.” Vergil put his hand away, “I will try to better myself.”

Kale nodded. “Anyway, I’ll hurry to get everything ready for you two. Since you already got the approval from the chief himself, I’ll contact you as soon as you can move out.”

“Thanks.” Elena smiled after which Kale left the room.

 

When Vergil and Elena arrived at the crime scene, the crime scene investigators were already hard at work.

“How is it going?” Vergil asked.

“We are almost done here. Feel free to take a look for yourself,” one of the crime scene investigators said.

Vergil nodded and appointed Elena to go and check on the other victim.

Then he crouched down and scrutinized the young man, who laid at a corner near a garbage container. With his eyes wide open in fright and blood everywhere, one could only imagine what that man went through before he died.

Vergil narrowed his eyes as he caught a glimpse of something disturbing on the victim’s forehead. “This….” He frowned. “This is not good…”.

If excitement plastered his face before, then now his expression exhibited he’d rather wish that no such case appeared.

“Has the murder weapon been found?” Vergil eventually asked one of his colleagues, who nodded as he held a plastic bag in his right hand and showed it to his superior.

The plastic bag comprised a knife soaked in blood, without a doubt the item which ended that young man’s life. But why was it so easily discovered?

After Elena finished inspecting the other dead body, she approached her partner. “The other victim is now on the way to the coroner. How are things going on your end?”

“Did the other victim also have this mark?” Vergil pointed to the sign which was carved into the victim’s forehead.

She glanced over his shoulder and at the corpse. “Yeah.”

“This is really not good…”

Then he got back up and his gaze shifted to his partner, who instantly understood. “A copycat?”

Vergil grabbed his own chin with one hand and said, “I am not sure, could be, but what if it isn’t?”

“But how can that be?” Elena knitted her brows. “I thought all suspects had been detained or killed last time!?”

“Yeah, that’s what it looked like at that time and there was also no activity afterwards, so why now? Why after three years?” Vergil pondered over what they just discovered.

Then his gaze followed the corpse which his subordinates took away. Is it really just a copycat or did we all miss something last time? Did someone actually slip through?

“We have to report this immediately.” Elena stated and Vergil nodded in agreement.