The Guardians of Light

The Blood

Now, I had to come to the Earth to deliver the message again. So I slept.

Finally, when I opened my eyes, I found myself in the Orpheus.

' Damn. It didn't work this time. Maybe there's a limit to how many times I can go back and forth. '

Anyway, I had to collect my paraphernalia of L1 today. So, this probably happened for my own good.

I went to the L1 lair and showed my ID at the reinforced door and waited for Mr. Reynolds.

After a while, he arrived.

' I hope you have not waited long enough. '

' It's okay, sir I just got here. '

' Follow me, Mr. Gloom. '

 He took me to another room, which opened after scanning his ID. And when I went inside, I could see so many types of equipment. It looked like a den of firearms and other stuff.

Mr. Reynolds handed me a bag and said, ' These are all yours. You can also keep the equipment of L0. '

' I have a favour to ask you, Mr. R R. '

' What's that? '

' I want you to put me on Evelyn's team. I talked to them, and they are fine with it. '

' Well then, if you insist. '

He opened his mobile and touched the screen a few times, and after a few minutes, Evelyn showed up.

' Good morning, Eve. Mr. Gloom is an L1 protector and also a member of your team effective immediately. Escort him to his residence, will you? '

' Sure thing, sir. Come on, Mr. Gloom, let me show you your new residence. '

When we walked out of that room, I asked, ' Mr. Gloom? Since when did you start addressing me with my surname? '

' Let me remind you, Ryan. I'm not as friendly with everyone as I'm with you. That is how I originally behave with everyone. Since you are my team now, you'll have a taste of the real me. '

' Looking forward to that. So is my residence closer to yours? '

' Our whole team has a shared residency. '

' I'll have my own room right? With a door? '

' Ooh, looks like someone jerks off a lot. '

' No, it's not that. So gross, Evelyn. I have no problem with sharing a house. It's just that I need a little privacy. '

' Chillax. Everyone has their own room with a door. So, this is it. How does it look? '

' Anything is definitely an upgrade when compared to my previous cabin. Also, this is nice. '

' Only nice? Whatever. Let's go inside and meet your new crew. '

As I went inside, it felt more like home. Justin was watching TV, and Bob was working out.

Evelyn: You have already met them, remember? Bob and Justin.

Ryan: Sure. Hey guys.

Justin: You made it real quick to L1. I must say I'm impressed.

Bob just left the room with a cold look.

Ryan: I guess someone doesn't like me being here.

Evelyn: No, it's not about you. One of the members of our squad left to L2 recently. We all are a bit disappointed by it. In fact, you are replacing him.

Ryan: Who is he?

Justin: His name is Leonard, a great guy. We used to call him Leo. A hot head but made a good friend and a hell of a teammate.

Ryan: I'm sorry about that. I'll try to be a good teammate too.

Bob, who was standing afar, suddenly stumped towards me. He grabbed my hand and looked at the tat.

Bob: You are tagged. What's your room number?

Ryan: I don't know what that means, and it's 720.

Justin: Holy s**t. You are tagged and from 720. It did not end well for the last guy.

Ryan: Can someone please me what this is about?

Evelyn: We used to know a guy who was tagged just like you. He was good too. After he got promoted to L3, we heard that he got killed. It's just a coincidence. You have nothing to worry about.

I sighed.

Justin: So how did you get to L1 so fast?

Ryan: Well, since I was tagged, they put me in Innovative Ones. I gave some pretty good insights about Kent, the crusader, and the others. My combat training was also good.

Justin: Woah Woah, Kent? That's the guy who I was killing, when you witnessed me. He got what he deserved.

Ryan: I guess so.

Evelyn: I'm glad you guys are getting along well.

Bob: Chop chop. We got a new fish to catch.  

Bob opened his laptop and started to brief us about the target.

Bob: The guy calls himself " The Blood. " Till now, he committed two murders. The first one is a white male, age 45, and the second one is a white male, age 48. He killed both of them in the same way, a knife to the heart. The case has been reassigned to us after the second murder.

Evelyn: Looks like we got ourselves another serial killer. Let's go and check out the crime scene. And Ryan, welcome to the team.

We reached the crime scene, and there was a CSI on the spot already. 

Evelyn: Tell me what you got, Shereen.

Shereen: The victim's name is Edward. We ID'd him using his driver's license. There was no struggle or any strangulation marks. The cause of death is the knife to the heart. We need to wait for the forensics for further information. Also, who's the new guy?

Ryan: My name is Ryan, and I am a new member of the team.

Shereen: Nice to meet you, Ryan. I wish we had met under different circumstances.

Ryan: Me too.

Evelyn: Enough chit-chat. Now check for any clues.

Justin: So, Ryan, you are a student of IO. What can you deduce from the scene?

Ryan: I guess I can give it a try.

I scrutinized the body from close for a while.

Ryan: He was killed somewhere else and then was dumped here. There is no blood splatter here. After stabbing, the killer completely cleaned the blood, and for some reason, he left the knife. He is trying to send a message.

Evelyn: I can smell alcohol. He might be partially or wholly drunk. Bob and Justin, check if the two victims had any connection. Ryan, let's go, talk to his family.

I and Evelyn went to Edward's house to talk with his family.

Evelyn: So, Mrs. Edward. Can you think of someone who might want to murder your husband?

Mrs. Edward: He didn't really share anything about his friends or colleagues with me. I know nothing.

Evelyn: Had he been acting any weird or out of ususal in the past couple of days?

Mrs. Edward: Not that I can think of. He is how he is.

When Evelyn was asking questions, I scanned the house.

Ryan: Tell me, Mrs. Edward. Does your husband beat you?

Evelyn: Ryan?

Ryan: It's okay. He's gone now. You can tell us.

She started crying out loud and said, ' He comes home drunk and beats me every day. I'm glad that he is gone. '

Evelyn: Thank you for your time, Mrs. Edward.

We walked out of the house.

Evelyn: How did you even know that?

Ryan: Didn't you see the look on her face. She was sad and also relieved. Also, there were no pictures of them together in the whole house, ergo not a happy marriage. They all pointed to domestic violence or such sorts.

Evelyn: That explains her overdressing. She might be trying to conceal the bruises.

Meanwhile, Evelyn gets a call from Justin asking to meet them in HQ.

Justin: The reports are out. The doctor didn't find traces of any drugs in the victim, and the alcohol content suggests that he was partially drunk at the time of the murder.

Evelyn: Did you find any connection between the victims?

Bob: Nope. They aren't related at all. No mutual friends, and different jobs.

Justin: We talked with the wife of the first victim, and she told us that she had filed a complaint against her husband twice for assault. As per what she said, he also has a drinking problem.

Ryan: I guess I'm starting to see a pattern here.

Evelyn: Yeah. There is no connection between the victims, but there are similarities. Both have a drinking problem, and both of them assaulted their wife.

Ryan: Where do we start looking?

Justin: I also found one more similarity. Both of them go to a bar called ' The Cocktail Lounge. '

Ryan: I guess it is the spot that the killer had used to pick up his victims.

Evelyn: I think we should pay a visit to this bar.

We all went to the bar and blended in with common people.

Evelyn: I'm going to talk to the bartender and see what I can get.

[Evelyn with the Bartender] 

' I'd like a bourbon, neat. '

' Here's your drink, lady. '

Evelyn showed him the photos of the victims and asked, ' Do you recognize these people? '

' Who are you? '

' I'm a Protector. '

' I figured. Yeah, I know them. These guys come here quite a lot. '

' Have you seen them talking to anyone? '

' Usually, they drink alone. But once in a while, they talk to some stranger for a really long time. I didn't get a good look at his face. I wish I could help you more. '

' Thank you for the information. '

Evelyn: He said that some guy was talking to them for a long time. He didn't get a chance to look at his face, though.

Bob: It's useless to stay here and keep a watch cause the killer might pick his victims at any bar.

Justin: He's got a point. The killer is so clean, didn't leave any clues or trails to follow. I hate to say this, but we have to wait for more murders.

Evelyn: Damn it.

So this is my first case as an L1 Protector. It's quite challenging.

Justin: God, I hate being stuck. I wish Leo were here.

Every time they mentioned Leo, I felt like he is better than me, and I'm not enough to be in this team.

I thought very hard to come up with something and boom, an idea struck my mind.

All the killers that are here were previously from the earth. So if I could find anything about the killer there, it might help us catch The Blood.

Ryan: Alright, guys. I need to take a nap before I can think of anything else. See you.

I went to my room and shut the door, and started napping.