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  Knowing full well what lay before his team tonight; his tension now had nowhere to hide. ‘We’ve found two killers, this we know for sure. We will reach their house on top of the hill, with our entire task force, and SWAT. We don’t know if they are hiding out there or have left to another city. Let’s be prepared for whatever might await us. This city has seen enough, it’s time to clean up and get things straightened out. Tonight might be that one break that we’ve been waiting for. Leave nothing to chance, once we’re in, secure and tag everything. Remember whatever we find there is important, if we get lucky and find the couple in there, hold your fire and don’t engage; we want them alive and not dead. Leave negotiations to our experts. Under no circumstances do I want a gun fight, so don’t engage under any situation, unless your life’s in danger. Stand down on matter what; hold your fire, until I give the command. Remember our mission is to take them alive, we need information and for that, they need to talk. I hope all of you’ll have been though your individual portfolios for tonight. We start from here at 7 pm.’

  With that he left, and the team began to prepare for what could become the adventure of their lives.

  7 pm was very tense as the team left the police precinct right on time. They slowly made their way to the base of the hill, and once the climb began, all lights were turned off. While they were a short distance away from the house, the team sprang into action with all vehicles gaining speed and momentum. They reached the house and in a few minutes and had it completely surrounded. Brian with gun drawn made his way to the front door and waited. No lights were on and everything was pitch-black. He pounded on the door and with a loud voice, ‘Police, open up,’ waited for a few seconds before nodding for the door to be broken open. Two officers with a handheld ram pummeled the door as it flew open. The unit entered and began making their way through the house. The team located at the back of the home did not enter, so as not to create a crossfire kind of situation, but were waiting outside to apprehend any fugitives as they might try to flee. Brian and the team had gained entry through the front door and had now made their way through the house, securing the entire place. Lights were switched on and the door under the staircase was pointed out the Brain. The place had begun to smell, with those three dirty decomposing bodies at the center of the basement room. Brain was now standing at the entrance and peering into the dark room. He also noticed the key to the door on the show-shelf beside the door, the key that I had very kindly left for him to find. He switched on his torch and looking inside, a grimace began to appear on his face, seeing as the light from the torch fell on the bodies. The smell was also overpowering. He pulled out his handkerchief to cover his nose as he cautiously walked down the steps to reach the bottom. Finding the light on top of the table, he turned it on. There… spread out on the floor, were the three bodies, each with a knife through the throat. There was an eerie silence as Jackie now stepped-up beside Brian. The silence of death was hanging heavy, spreading its appalling arms all around the kill room.

  He ordered for all the lights to get turned on, as he knelt beside the bodies and asked Jackie to see if the faces were that of the couple. She had the photographs of them in her hand and upon careful examination, nodded that these were indeed the bodies of the couple and another as yet unidentified individual.

  He got on the radio to update Lieutenant Ellen about the gruesome discovery. It was decided that the team would need to leave the scene, in order for forensics to complete their investigation.

  I had hidden myself carefully further up the hill, from where I could watch the entire proceedings in complete anonymity, through the powerful lens of my night vision binoculars. I saw the entire raid and knew that by this time they had found the bodies with the knives stuck in their throats. I was sincerely hoping that Brian would appreciate the gift I had left for him. This was however going to lead to more questions than answers.

  I had taken enough precautions to work this place like a cat, confident in my skills, as I lay down; watching through the binoculars, a lightning bug or firefly could be seen gleaming in the darkness. This was coming from the other side of the hill. I adjusted my eyes and adjusted my sights, taking a moment to think. ‘Fuck this, fireflies are not loners.’ How the fuck did it find its way here? This was fucking strange and unusual, as though there was not enough going around already, this was positively intriguing. My Kill Instinct started picking up on something unusual that warranted a little closer attention. Straining my eyes and focusing my lens on the spot, tried to see if that bug was still around. The tree cover was heavy and it was difficult to observe clearly. My brain had now started racing, having forgotten about everything that was going on below me. It was then that I saw that glint again. It was really close to the ground and I was pretty sure by this time, that there was someone else there. The fucker had brought binoculars that had a small piece of metal on it. This had inadvertently been reflecting the moonlight and my piece of equipment had picked it up. So there was someone else who had been watching all along. Maybe he had seen me and all the shit I had been up to. This was scary - did he know where I lived? Had he followed me all this while and knew perfectly well, what I had been up to or who I was? Maybe he had someone looking at me right now.

  I was supposed to be in charge of everything, now another entity had entered the scene. I packed up and immediately left to pick-up this party crasher. Almost running through the darkness, tried to reach the place where I’d seen the lightning bug. He was on the same hill that I was on, and as I lay on the ground looking at the police operation happening below me, he had been on my left. About 200 meters or so away – was now slowing down my pace in order to approach the intruder in silence, carrying a gun in my right hand and a knife in my left. I had marked the spot with a mental note. The reflection had come from between two large trees. These trees I always had in my sights as I made my way across to pick up whoever was crashing my soiree. Searching around in silence was when I found a piece of paper. Like a page torn out of a book, on which was scribbled ‘Fuck you, motherfucker.’

  The reality of the situation had now begun to slowly sink in - there was someone who had been tracking me and following my movements. I was only grateful that I had been using an apartment in the city that was owned by my parents, over the last few days. I had to find this person and off him, there was no other way around this situation. I did not know if he had trekked from someplace else, or like me - had hid his car somewhere on the hill and had come here. Knowing these kinds of people, I knew for sure that he had a car hidden somewhere. I had to find it and get him.

  The cops had begun moving away and this was my chance. After the last car had gone, I began my descent. There would be at least two cops guarding the house, I would have to avoid them and safely reach my car. Once on the road; began a slow jog back to the car. Upon reaching the car, the first noticeable thing was that there was no air in the tires and the windshields had been smashed-in, the car had been totally wrecked with probably a baseball bat. This had been a huge miscalculation on my part, not having bargained that there would be anyone else who could have known of all my ingenious doings.

  There was only one reason for the destruction of my car. Whoever this person was, wanted me to get caught. If I left the car and fled, the cops would eventually find it and trace it back to me. All the evidence would then point to me and everything would be over. I would get jailed and probably strapped into ‘Old Sparky’ the old electric chair. The person or persons were actually very cleaver and this move would eventually finish me off. There was a need now to get rid of all the evidence and hopefully escape from this place unscathed. I had to burn the car, but it could not burn slowly. This would alert the cops, who would then call in fire services to put it out. No, it had to go up in a fireball. I tore a small piece of cloth from my shirt and using the lighter I always carry, lit the cloth and opening the gas tank, placed the burning cloth in the opening. I had a few seconds to run and dive to safety, before the car lit u
p like a bomb. It was now a huge round ball of fire, reaching up to the skies. Bidding farewell to my very trusty car now started trekking through the undergrowth to reach the road on the far side of the hill. I took a long walk around and then got into an intercity bus to reach the city safely.

  Reaching my apartment and unlocking the door, noticed that nothing had been touched. This was also a cleaver part played by my rival. I had only one computer in the place and it had a Kill Switch. There was no point in taking my computer, as I would then be able to track it and find its location. I did not know, how much this new individual knew about me, but I needed to find out. It was apparent that if he really knew, there was a lot more he could have done. Maybe it was someone who had been permanently placed near that house, to track who was coming and going. Maybe they did not know where I lived, or who I was, that's why the thrashing of the car, let the police find me and that would then lead them to me. Perhaps the son-of-a-bitch was after the money. I had all of it - this was my bounty and I was not really ready to part with any of it. For the moment I felt safe, but for how long? I needed to bait this person and drag him or her out. I wasn’t sure about anything, as things had started to take a very strange turn and from being the hunter I had now become the hunted. The hunt was now on; there was no sweet escape this time. Hunt or be hunted, kill or be killed. My killer instinct however had been supercharged and this chase had started to invigorate me.

  9. Confusion

  Brian was sitting with Lieutenant Ellen, as she gave him her take and reading of the circumstances the police had now found themselves under.

  ‘We have three bodies,’ she said. ‘This cannot get out to the public; vigilante justice is not part of our civil society. If the public gets to hear about this, there’s no saying if it's going to lead to riots. We have failed; the cops have been beaten once again. I will hold a press conference later today to announce the discovery of the killers. Letting people know that we’ve found The Butcher and his accomplices. Let’s keep all this under wraps, no one needs to know that there is another killer roaming around free. This is going to push the city into an outward spiral. Why did we let this happen Brian? We need to find the person who did this. Tell the team to keep a lid on it. There’s no way the press can get a hold of this story, and before there’s any further damages I need you to sort this out. Get that vigilante, we cannot allow this. Use every available option we have to fix it, and fix it fast. The lab reports should be in later this evening. Meet me here as soon as everything is ready; let’s decide how we go about this. This is a disaster… I swear, how did this fucking happen. What the fuck are my cops doing? Go now and sort this mess out. We don’t want the feds to come calling…’

  ‘Will do boss,’ he said as he got up and took his leave.

  Later that evening he was able to piece together the mystery, bit-by-bit, as each report started to come in. Trace elements from the blood showed that each knife had separately been used in the killing of different prostitutes. Three of the knives had been found, which meant that there were still three others out there, or perhaps even more. Someone had found the killers before the cops had, and had finished them off. This was a major headache for the police. Vigilante justice was uncalled for, as the government was supposed to take care of crime, but here was someone trying to bring criminal justice.

  Little did they know that I was not after justice, I needed to kill and see that crimson liquid flowing out of a human body. This gave me life meaning and purpose. Killing an innocent person as I have already experienced before, attracts way too much attention. Killing criminals was easier and attracted little or sometimes no attention at all. The only people, who get involved in these types of killings, were the police, which would eventually matter very little. I was already hungry again, thirsty for another kill. If the universe did not take care to provide me with another victim, I would definitely be interested in claiming Brian’s head. I was not some sort of Social Justice Warrior, being more of a Criminal Justice Leveler. Death was the great leveler and I was that Angel of Mercy that could bring justice and peace to all involved, I was truly a gift from the heavens.

  The entire proceedings of the previous night had now been completely covered-up by the cops. They were not going to let the public know the truth about the events that had transpired at the house on top of the hill. How could they inform the public; while there were still blindsided by the whole thing. This in turn had led to an aggravated tension among members of the PD.

  The Police Chief had a meeting with the mayor of the city, both of whom were personal buddies. The Chief was reassuring the Mayor that everything was going according to plan, while he himself did not know what exactly was happening. There was confusion everywhere; the press got some hogwash story that could stand-up to no scrutiny. All they were told was that the partially decomposing body of The Butcher was found, the person previously believed to be The Butcher was actually two individuals and not one. The press began to hold debates to debunk the story being given to them by the cops. No one was sure as to what actually happened that led to the recent turn of events.

  The scheduled protest had been put on hold indefinitely until the real story finally rolled out.

  ‘At least, he kills only bad people.’ Brian told Jackie as they got naked, in anticipation of a stress relieving fuck. They began to make passionate love, hoping to forget all the current tension and just enjoy the night together. Unknown to them, I was in the house listening to her sex sounds circulating around the place. This was exciting and not meaning to be a creep opened the door to the semi-dark room and began to record their lovemaking. Not that this excited me or anything like that, I just had a plan for this video. It was to be used one day, in the unlikely event that I might be forced to use it. They call themselves cops but they were most vulnerable. I could have walked in with a knife and switched them off. God knows, I was craving another kill. Perhaps one day a special knife would be reserved for this couple. Having never taken a couple before, it might turn out to be most exciting, but as yet however, there was no play. The murder of two cops involved in an active investigation in a case most sensational, would have fucked my whole game-plan up.

  The next day opened the door to my investigation into the case. Having upload all the information found on their phones to some web storage space owned by me. I had a domain name and space attached to it. If by accident someone reached my domain name, the front-page only showed coming soon and nothing else. The space attached however, was where I hid all the files. So they just lie there, hidden away in cyberspace. Not trusting the service offered by cloud storage companies, I had done this on my own. The company I was using to set this entire thing up was located somewhere in Sweden. Just a small obscure company selling server space, every single file had been encrypted with the latest and most expensive software. It would be months of hard work if the files were ever found and needed to be opened.

  I started looking over the phone records of all three killers. There was one number that was being contacted frequently. On Nick’s phone it was listed as Rosie, on Jen’s phone it was listed as Jack, and on the driver’s phone, the number was stored as Mason. All of them would usually be in touch with that number, one time or the other during the course of the day.

  ‘Hey,’ I thought, could this be something bigger than I had anticipated, having previously believed that this was all the work of those three killers acting out all on their own. Maybe this was deeper, darker, and murkier. It was important now to find out who the number belonged to. Using Google I began to use phone number lookup services to try and locate the owner of the phone. It was easy to find that the number belonged to someone in the same city. To find the exact geo-location of the number was a service that needed to be paid for. This I did and waited for the information. One service in particular was really fast and started to throw up information almost immediately. I was able to get the numbers’ location being pointed out to me on a map. This was very interesting
, as a phone always bounced its signal off of a cell phone tower, not the other way around. Cell towers never searched for a phone, it’s the phone that sends out the signal. Always letting the mobile service provide know where it was, to a radius of about 5 meters precisely. I paid a little extra and could now see every hour where the phone was being moved to. The name of the owner was listed as ‘Robert White,’ and he lived downtown in an apartment complex, which I could now reach very easily from my current position, needing to get a picture of this individual, began tracking his phone on my SmartPhone. By 11 pm that night the app was letting me know that he was in a strip club, armed with this latest information, I set out to find him. Flashing my ID at the door was let in and was presently seated, allowing the app to show me where the owner might be sitting. The app began telling me that the signal off his phone was coming from the back of the club. So that would mean, that he was either working here or was the owner of the joint.

  To find him right now would mean going to the office at the back, which was highly impossible with all these eyes surrounding me. Did he know what I looked like? If he did, he might have picked me up on the cameras by now. This was a dangerous position to be it. Using my better judgment decided that it was time to leave as getting caught now, would ruin all my plans. Could this be the person who fucked-up my car?

  ***

  Brian had some hard facts that he needed to contend with. Three people had been found murdered in the house. The identity of the third person had been traced, and it was now becoming more mysterious than ever. The Driver was actually a professional hitman, who had made a lot of money through his treacherous work. His name was Sean Johnson, and was a single individual having never been married. Yet, all three had managed to get themselves killed. The most startling fact was that all of their personal gadgets had gone missing.