Florida Suicides Mystery Take 2 (Veil, Woof)

On The 6 o'clock News

The TV briefly comes to life. The headline goes: "Students charged in Fraternity rape case found dead 2 days after acquittal."

"In local news, Spring Break has turned to Spring Horror, as the community is reeling tonight from the incredibly shocking and tragic deaths of four Harvard students on Spring Break at a local convenience store. The bodies of Kyle and Leon Hawthorne, Jacob Smith and Edward Carpenter  were found in the liquor aisle of the store by the cashier at around 2am Florida time."

"It was horrible... there was blood everywhere, they were lying in pools of their blood... I think one of them looked at me." Said a distraught cashier being interviewed at the scene, her eyes red from tears, voice hoarse from crying.

Back to the anchor. "The network has obtain footage of the event... and we'd like to warn viewers that the CCTV footage is highly graphic and disturbing."

The footage switches from the anchor to an overhead view of the convenience store where indeed four well-off looking young men in pastel long sleeves and rich kid shorts stood talking and laughing in the liquor isle when suddenly one of them grabs a bottle off the shelf, smashes it open and cuts his own throat with it. He falls to the floor dead, blood spilling onto the floor.

One by one the young men did the same, until all four lay dead on the spot.

"There is currently an investigation going on into the young men's families and backgrounds. Kyle Hawthorne is notable because he was recently acquitted of rape allegations of a freshman at his Fraternity's house on campus. The identity of the girl is not being released because she is a minor."

"But judging from the footage obtained, as well as the testimony of witnesses, this senseless tragedy may have to be ruled as a mass suicide. The bodies of the men are being kept in state at the St. Andrew Memorial Home until their families come to claim them. This is Channel 7 News, we'll be back after a break. Michael Hawthorne, father of Kyle and Leon, is in Florida but has declined to make a comment. In other news..."

THE BAR

The news was a shock to the people who sat at the counter, but few others paid it heed throughout the rest of the bar. People were busy with drinks, playing pool and making the most out of their wretched life. One quiet figure at the counter though, refrained from alcohol consumption and instead was dining on a nice, tall glass of a strawberry sundae as she watched the news.

She seemed a bit young to be in here, the girl. Her black hair only reached to just under her jaw, and a scar ran vertically down her right eye. She wore a fitting new-age fabric grey shirt and legging shorts than only reached her knees. It was comfortable, practical attire, and her pump shoes distinguished her further from all the boots wearing, leather jacket toting, Southern folk in the bar. A nice, juicy plate of the house's special spicy ribs was sent her way, as she worked on eating dinner after dessert... no sense in starting trouble on an empty stomach.

As it happens, the bar was a dive for the local villains, metahumans and supervillains. Over at one counter were a trio of costumed characters, though they were more invested in their beer and their arm candy for the night than trouble. One was a man in a suit with lots of lights and wires; another was a big, ugly fellow made of fat, and the third was a shirtless Luchador... such characters.

There were a few things off at this new Bar Val had found, maybe it was a air, the three buffoons in costumes, the smell of the fat bastard or the shirtless guy. Maybe it was the fact Mercy wasn't here, Val missed Mercy, her sarcastic nature to everything, it had no end. But Valkyrie was contempt to sit back and relax for the day, she hadn't much going on for her at the moment but then again, plans took time and for Val, she had time. Sitting in her own corner of the bar, Val was playing with the edge of the counter when her eyes looked to the news report and the first few words caught her attention quickly. Rape. A horrible yet all to familiar word to Val and she gripped the corner hard as she listened on. "one thousand take seven equals nine hundred and three." Val would whisper the words to herself as the sound of splintered wood came across, her fingers digging into the wood and carving little holes for them to fit.  

Yet a sharp smile crept onto her face as the news report ended, seemed the boys responsible had met a suitable end yet how? Did they simply just die? Val would have thought nothing of it but the murders were so strange, mainly because of the dating. Just days after charges, someone had indeed killed them but was it drugs? Or technology. Val shook her head as she adjusted the long sleeve's of her shirt that hid most of her arm scar's to reveal one which she began to rub as she finally had another look at the bar.

There were many bright and interesting characters, were they all going to a Dress party? Val could only assume such, yet there was one or two that caught her eye as being different, a young looking girl with a plate of food, she had a scar along her right eye but besides that she looked fairly normal compared to these part goers. Shrugging, Val slipped her fingers from their wooden caves and moved the sleeve to cover up her arms again before looking back to the tv, seeing if reports of these dead boys would come back up.

To one hell of a week Ben groaned sarcastically, lifting a double shot of whiskey to his lips. Wearing a nice blue button up shirt, dark jeans and a well kept pair of water proof boots he did anything but fit in to this dark and grungy environment. Tossing back his head, the liquid burned in his throat for a moment as he took the entire thing in one gulp. As the whiskey warmed his innards, a throbbing in his leg reminded him that he had no business drinking right now. Pulling up his left pant leg, he would touch his hand to the bandaging on the outer part of his calf. Through the bandaging, he could feel a small amount of blood. Nothing to worry about he told himself, repeating it mentally a few times for good measure. Fucking bitch... he grumbled through another shock of pain. Just one week ago he had been on top, feeling fine and living his double life with little consequence. But that all changed with the meeting of a certain nameless metahuman mercenary. Not only had he not brought her to justice, but she'd left him with a nasty few reminders of their conflict. The uncharacteristically fast time at getting drunk was one of those reminders. A recovering concussion will do that to you Ben. He had to chide himself. That particular injury from her had been mostly his fault.

Pain however was in no way the most of his worries. No, thanks to that woman he'd lost the Veil suit as well, ditched in order to avoid arrest from the encroaching police. Now he had nothing more than his wrist lasers. They'd even taken Elysium in to custody as evidence and until he recoverd from the concussion and other potentially more debilitating injury in his leg, he couldn't do anything about it. Well, that wasn't entirely true. While he was neutered of his vigilante identity for now, he could still do some looking. While in the hospital, he had scoured the internet for any evidence he could find on the mystery mercenary. In the modern world, death by arrow was not a common form of death. He was confident that he had a decent list of a few of her victims and when the assassinations happened. But she was good at covering her tracks, and without The Veil, he had no way of further digging.

And that was why he was currently drowning his cares away in a shitty little bar. The thick smell of smoke and booze finally pulled him out of his self-loathing. Well, that and a rather disturbing news program. The warning issued would prepare no one in the bar for what they were about to see. Watching in horror, Ben's anger grew. When I get the suit back, that news station is first on my list. The audacity of those people to show human lives taken on public television was abhorrent. Another shot please, same thing. he yelled at the bartender over the noise of the bar, eyes still glued to the screen. The anger at the newsmen turned quickly towards suspicion about the event. All those killed were acquitted of heinous acts. But that did not mean they were innocent. And if that were the case, The Veil would have done something similar to assure that justice was served. That had to be what was going on here, misguided justice led to murder. But how would someone get four free willed men to willingly kill themselves? That was the question on Ben's mind as another shot made its way across the bar and in to Ben's hand.

NEWS

"In relation to the suicides, we wanted to reach Judge James Jeffreys, the one who handled the Hawthorne case." The blonde reporter in the blue blazer said. To her side on the screen, they were dialing up the judge, his bald old portrait wearing the black.

After two beeps, there was the click of an answered call. "Judge Jeffreys?"

"Yes, Hello? " The Judge took the call. The slower, more tired voice of a man in his 70's was on the other side.

"Judge Jeffreys? Samantha Taylor, Channel 13 news. Do you have anything to say about this shocking turn events just days after you delivered an acquittal?"

"Yes I heard from the Hawthorne boys' family. It... it's a completely senseless tragedy, those boys being framed for such a heinous... heinous act. I am very sorry about the girl and I pray for her health, but there was just no forensic evidence to link that these four were responsible. It's possible they were just framed by... fraternity members."

"You and Michael Hawthorne have been pillars of the community for years, not to mention close friends. Will you be speaking to the family after this?"

"Michael is very distraught yes... but I will have to wait until the burial this weekend. I checked into the hospital for my heart condition and will not be able to make the Wake."

"Well, get well soon then, Judge."

"Thank you. Good night miss Taylor."

The phone call ends and the pretty blonde reporter flips her prop papers around on the Anchor's table.

"In other news, sightings of an ...Asian Cowgirl... battling alien monsters. A bad B-Movie Western in the making? or actual metahuman activity? More when we return from the break."

BAR

By sheer coincidence, Diana, Val and Ben were seated not so far from each other, and Diana had given each of them at least a glance. Val seemed like any normal gal who was out on a Thursday night for drinking. She looked at Ben and noticed his body language, wondering what happened to his leg... a bar full of goons was no place for injured men.

A trio of college girls was all that separated Diana from Ben and Val. Unusually for women their age, they were watching the news intently.

"Oh my god it really happened." The saddest of the lot said, putting her glass of Rum and Cola down.

Diana, minding her spicy ribs, overhears the girl suddenly exclaim at the mention of the college boys dying. "What happened? The suicides?" The comment was most unwelcome, and the girls gave Diana that "look".

"Let's get out of here." The sad girl said.

Diana looked at the trio of teenage girls leaving in a hurry, wondering what that sad looking girl meant. How could it have been remotely possible she'd known this would happen? Unless...

Diana's train of thought was interrupted when that big fat one from the table of costumed rejects came over.

"Hey... Hey Mal... another bottle of tequila!" The Big fat blob came over to the spot where the girls left, and frankly he couldn't have found a tighter spot to order up more liquor, his girth making Ben and Diana have to lean away.

"I'm cutting you off Lloyd. Get your friends to call you a cab." The bartender said, denying the large man any more drink.

"What?! I'm a paying customer!"

"Sorry bud. Ask around if anyone wants to share a shot."

Someone had to be the obligatory dumbass for the night. Lardmaster Lloyd looked at Ben's shot, and snatched it up. "Hey bud, looks like you had enough too."

He also took a look at Diana's ribs, taking "Hey I was gonna eat that." She protested feebly.

"Nobody likes a fat chick, kid. I'm doing you a favor. Man I love the ribs here." Lloyd devours the meat off the bone in a single loud, smacking gulp.

"You like hot sauce huh." Diana decided to oblige Lloyd. With Bruce Lee quick hands she snatches and replaces the shot glass in Lloyd's hand, in the time it took him to drunkenly blink.

Diana passes Ben's whiskey back to him with a smirk. "Cheers", she said, raising her strawberry sundae to Val and Ben, as they were going to watch the disaster waiting to happen with a very fat drunk about to imbibe a shot of the bar's infamously hot, hot sauce.

Val's hopes were answered when more information on the killings were divulged yet disappointed when it was just a phone call to the judge, yet even that was reveling of some knowledge such as the fact he was friends to the father of the boy who died and friendship she knew could affect ones thought and idea on there job, if the boys were to blame, then the fathers friendship to the judge would have come in use. Well, it didn't matter much, the boy was dead, his deed, worthy of the death or not would not go unpunished. Having one final look to a nearby seat, Val would down a shot of her drink as she had a look at someone else, mainly the second person of interest, well, not that much interest, just that he seemed different much like the girl wit the scar compared to the others in this bar.

Her attention was then taken to three girls who just suddenly left and she would have taken some more intrigue as to why if it were not for the fact the slab of meat called a man suddenly took there seats and ordered a drink. It was rather a hilarious scene, first he was not allowed and cut off, so in retaliation he decided to steal not only the drink of interesting person two but the food from interesting person one. Yet then something happened, Scar eyed girl moved her hands rather quickly, too quick for the average person, switching drinks.

She passed what Val thought to be the stolen whiskey back to the man yet Val kept her attention on the slab of meat. Her brain trying to think of what was inside before coming to a single conclusion and she had to stifle a childish giggle as she looked to the girl who spoke a cheers and brought forth her sundae to which Val rose her own half glass full drink towards the girl and the man before downing it, waiting for a fiery disaster that was about to happen.

What a lumbering ass Ben thought to himself as his shot was unceremoniously swiped as it slid across the bar. A genuine revolting blob of a man stood over him. The smell alone coming from the unwashed rolls of fat on the man could choke a maggot. Instinct as The Veil forced its way just beneath the surface of Ben's otherwise calm demeanor. If he had his suit and weapons, he could drop this guy right here and now. But that was misguided. All this man had really done was steal a shot. Sure it was theft but not overtly horrible. Plus drawing too much attention to himself in a place like this would probably be against his best interest.

Having already gotten to his feet, Ben slowly began to lower himself into his seat before catching the ugly son-of-a-bitch in front of him snag the meal off of a small girl. Once more drawn to the strangeness of her being in a bar alone he was quickly drawn instead once more to the idiot who seemed hell bent on causing trouble. Stealing a shot, sure he could accept that, but now he was stealing from children. That Ben could not stand for.

Once more rising, he would roll up the sleeves of his button up to his elbows. Approaching the man though, Ben was in for some more surprises. The girl was fast, inhumanly fast as she switched out the shot in the man's hand for a shot of hot sauce. With his own eyes he had barely caught the movement. Were it not for the difference in color he may have actually missed the swap. Then as though nothing happened the girl slid the shot across the bar and back to Ben.

Raising it to her as if to say thank you, he downed the shot with ease, once more feeling its warmth worm down his throat. Now satisfied, he watched as the man lifted the shot of hot sauce to his lips. And while Ben may not have been the best person in hand to hand combat, he was nothing if not precise.

Just as the hot sauce drained from the glass and into the man's mouth, Ben struck out at him. With two fingers pointed from his fist he delivered a pointed haymaker to the man's carotid artery. Keeping pressure there for just a second he released. Blood instantly stopped flowing to the man's brain, knocking his lights clean out. As he fell, all of the hot sauce that had been traveling down his throat instead erupted through his nasal cavity, into his sinuses and out through his nose. With an earth shaking thud he toppled over, thick orange sauce dripping in a streak from his nose.

The entire bar stopped at the sudden quake, eyes drawn to the situation. Not your best move Renner he scolded himself, feeling the eyes of a bar full of thugs burning figurative holes in him. He was in trouble, he knew that, but shock of the situation gave him a slight edge. Throwing down a twenty on the bar top he glanced at the girl who had switched the shots, nodding his head as though to say "we should get out of here". On the inside he was sweating bullets, unsure of just what kind of reaction he could expect, but on the outside he was one tough customer, seeming unphased by what had just transpired. And throwing his hands in his pockets, he storde to the door of the bar with a calm air about him. He could only hope that his guess about the girl was right and that he would make it out of this place in one piece.

Some people laughed. Some people were outraged. Lloyd was an asshole, but he had asshole friends too. Like the Luchador built like a truck, and the guy in the Christmas tree with sparky hands. And few other toughies. The bartender gestured for them to leave... because he didn't want to lose customers or have property damage.

Diana wordlessly followed behind Ben and they leave the bar before tempers flared further. The bouncer gives them a word of advice and stay out of sight of this bar for... maybe a week.

"Nice shot. You know your pressure points. Myself, I'd just watch him suffer from the hotsauce first but that works too." Diana complimented Ben, seeing he had some skills, and likely a story too.

"... I'm Diana, by the way. What brings you here?" She extended a hand to shake, when she noticed the girls from the bar were still in the parking lot, arguing about something.

Val was interested in watching the tubby man in agony, but was treated with an equal interesting display of skill, yet, as these events happened, Val slithered away from her seat and made for exit before anything else could happen, while she didn't mind a good fight every once and a while, she didn't feel like it when the whole bar would explode with costumed idiots and with the two ninjas around... Anything could happen.

Yet upon exiting the simpleton bar, Val was met with a most curious situation, the girls from earlier were still arguing. Obviously over whatever they were talking about earlier and it tore Valkyrie to choose, sneak a little closer to listen in to these two or just walk away. That was the best choice, to walk away, but Val was to much a child to just let this mystery of an argument go without a little investigation. So with quiet grace, Val started to sneak closer, if they noticed her, it would have been obvious she was listening in but when you were in an argument your attention would be so little you would focus on those your talking too. That was all Val had going for her, that these little girls would be too distracted to notice her.

Getting off on a warning was a relief. The bartender quickly ushered Ben and Dianna out of the bar, advising they not return. He was of course doing damage control on what would have become a very bad situation. With the group of people in the bar, they very well could have had a murder on their hands. Obviously that would be bad for business.

But now here Ben was, thankful to be alive and with all of his parts still firmly attached, mostly anyways. The adrenaline quickly drained from him as he and the girl exited the bar and he could feel the soreness throb throughout his body. Surgery had taken a significant toll on him and he was still feeling effects from his previous fight. He stumbled once as the blood pumped hard into his head making him dizzy.

Out stretching a hand to stabilize, he closed his eyes trying to make the world stop spinning. The alcohol had hit him fast. Concussions and elevated heart rate would do that. Fuck he muttered to himself as he finally started to come back to himself. He realized he was now standing facing the young girl. Dianna, she had introduced herself as, recognizing that he'd utilized a pressure point to put down the large man. This raised even more suspicion. The girl was something, super-child-soldier? Metahuman? He really wasn't sure. Maybe she wasn't even as young as she appeared. Regardless he knew there was certainly more to her than an innocent child facade. For now though she was on his side, that was good enough.

Dr. Renner he spoke plainly as he extended a hand to the young girl. But you can call me Ben his free hand rose to his throbbing head, running lightly through his matted blonde hair.

Apparently I'm here to get wasted way to fast and fight even more wasted jerks in bars. This was a joke, as indicated by his smile and a forced chuckle after he said it. Honestly he had really wished he hadn't punched the man out and was mentally berating himself for it. That very well could have blown his cover. But rage had over taken him.

Actually I was flown down here for surgery. Just my luck I got caught in the crossfire of a some sort of assassin up north and had to be life flighted down here. To corroborate his story Ben rolled up his pant leg, revealing a heavy bandage. Bleeding through was a hint of dark blood further permeated on the ridges by some sort of yellow discharge. Hurts like a bitch he confided, rolling his pant leg back down.

But it was right about then that he noticed the women from earlier, still arguing in the parking lot about whatever had troubles them on the TV. They knew something about these "suicides" that was certain. And while he was in no condition to be doing "Veil" work this case seemed to be open and shut for the lameman.

Listen Ben said to the girl, his tone becoming far more serious than earlier. You see those women over there? I think they know something about that suivude case on the news. I want to get a listen at what they're saying. But if I approach them on my own, it's gonna look suspicious. Any chance I could get some help from you? Maybe pretend to be my daughter as we walk over to our "car". Realizing that this probably sounded like the kind of thing a predator might say he quickly try to save face. It'll be quick and afterwards you can go on your marry way if you like. But I get the feeling that you're like me. Injustice eats at you and if you feel you can do something you do it. Straightening up, Ben then began walking, turning back to Dianna once more. I saw you watching that news package. You're just as curious as I am. Extending a hand, he hoped she take it as they walked just away from the woman, trying to get as close as possible to hear just what they were arguing about.

"Deal. I can't help but wonder why acquitted criminals would kill themselves, and so publicly either." Diana shook his hand as she listened through his long dialogue, then looked at Val. "So the other lady is my sister or my mother? Never mind, she's already moving in close."

Diana followed behind Ben, being small enough and Asian enough to be most people's adopted kid if nothing else. Diana had sharper hearing thanks to her ki focus, and listened in while Ben fiddled with their "car".

The girls spoke in hushed whispers, confident no one could hear them. Their redhead girl, the most disturbed of the lot, was anxious. "...I thought the revenge website was like, just some kind of sick joke!"


"No it ain't gurl, s'like it got all Death Note up in this shit with those white boys." A young lady from the hood responded, laying out the grim comparison.

"Still. Those frat boys won't be slippin anymore freshmen roofies, will they?" A Vietnamese friend said, struggling to lengthen her already short skirt.

"...That's the thing. I didn't just put up the frat boys... the Judge too... and the police... and the jury..." She listed the people she felt she had inadvertently condemned.

"...Girl you a vengeful bitch, y'know that?" The sistah said.

"I... I don't really want to kill anyone..." She said, the remorse clear in her voice. She only then gets her car keys and starts the care remotely.

Yeah right. Diana scoffed mentally as she stared at her reflection in the car. She gently elbow nudged Ben. "They must be talking about the case's Judge. The old man is at the hospital."

Revenge website? That was something Val could think of applying too. Sadly however, it was investigative material now, and whoever ran it was her prime suspect. Yet as the girls spoke on, Val only learnt more, they had a list of yet to be dead governments officials that if they acted anything like those boys... Well, it would be a slaughter, a wonderful one at that.

Yet sadly, her thoughts were driven away when she remembered from the news, that the judge was currently in that hospital, it was something, a start. Taking a quick glance around, Val would only see the two ninja from the bar earlier for a second before moving to the road to flag a taxi, a reminder that she needed to get a car, legal or otherwise for while walking was good for the legs, it was far too slow and if this internet killer was efficient then she wanted to move quickly.

After catching a taxi, Val asked them to take her right to the hospital with the Judge of the Fraternity rape case and he obliged. Whisking away into traffic.

The girl decided to fall in step with him, good. That made both of them look less suspicious. The two walked about two cars over from the girls. As they got closer Ben pulled his phone and a pair of keys from his pocket. Both in his right hand he tapped away with the free one and stared intently at the screen. To the onlooker, he probably seemed to be deep into a text message or intent on reading his emails. Instead, he was pulling up a voice memo app. It was crude sure but it would at least provide some recording of the conversation going on beside him.

Now just two cars away Ben placed his phone on the hood of a dark blue mini van, the mouthpiece pointed at the women so as to better pick up their conversation. Then taking his keys, he quietly fumbled with them. He'd insert one into the keyhole as he listened intently. The words were a bit muffled but he was picking up bits and pieces. The website, Deathnote, additional victims, he caught enough to paint a picture in his mind. He'd then remove the key, obviously having had no luck in unlocking the car.

Dianna's voice broke his concentration for a moment. Immediately he stopped the recording and saved it. The judge yes, he had been mentioned in the news report and now mentioned by these women as another potential victim. That was certainly no coincidence. Lowering his eyes to Dianna's Ben would address her query. There's a good chance he's another target. Once I get what I want from this group he'll be our next stop. But if we don't get the info we need I'm afraid it's probably already too late to save him.

Swiping his phone from the dash of the van, he quickly shifted it to camera mode and held it up, pointing it at the girls in the group. Hey! he'd shout suddenly to draw their attention in his direction. Then as they turned to look, snapped a picture of all three of their faces.

So here's how this is gonna go down he began calmly, like a surgeon commanding his surgery room staff as he walked within just feet of them. He lifted his phone to show them the picture clearly showing each of their faces to assert that they were already had.You run or try any funny business, lie to me in any way, and this picture and the recording I just took of your conversation gets sent to the police. You'll be looking at manslaughter charges at the very least. His composure in the situation was almost frightening. What he was talking about was quite clearly not an empty threat but a promise that he felt no guilt or apprehension in fulfilling. I need the website URL, that's the thing you type in the top bar to travel directly to the site, any necessary login or password information and the name of the person who told you about the site. A friendly smile came across his face then, disturbing in its juxtaposition against the cold appearance he had just taken on. Give me that information and we act like this little encounter never even happened. Knowing full well that they may bolt, he prepared himself as he waited for their response. If they ran, he'd be right in their heels. If they went for the phone in his phone there would be worse consequences.

The girls were taken aback when suddenly confronted. They promptly launch into a defensive tirade at Ben's brazen violation of privacy.

"What? No! No way!"

"You were listening in on us?! What a total creep!"

"This is like, totally none of your business!"

Diana meanwhile, took it all in. The girl who was at the center of all this fiasco was visibly stressed, showing all the signs of a traumatized rape victim. "Look... I can get why you totally wanna waste those guys. But cold blooded revenge? Killing the judge, the jury? You're taking the law- and life into your own hands."

"Really? A lecture... A lecture." The victim's outrage outweighed whatever shock held her there. "Fuck you. FUCK YOU." The emphasis was towards Ben. "You're a white boy, you don't know what it's like! You'll never be raped! And You. You don't know what's it's. LIKE. Until it happens. TO YOU."

Diana for one, had absolutely nothing to defend against that.

"No. I do know. When the men came for me, I fought back. I refused to be a victim."
She started, deciding that being a female of a minority gave her a bit more leeway.

"...What? You... you too?"

"The world is messed up, especially for us. I know. But you're not making things better by just killing people... So please, we have to put a stop to this revenge killer. There are alot of things wrong in the world but we shouldn't add more."

"Fine." The girls relent at Diana's diplomatic approach, having salvaged the situation from Ben's methods. Once done, Diana showed the info to Ben. "The judge is next on the list. If we get to him first, maybe we'll find whatever or whoever is causing these deaths."

Getting her phone out, Valk would start doing more research on the case and the men involved but all she could learn was what she already knew, besides getting the names of the police and the jury who were active in the case, if the boys were target's and the judge one too, then it wasn't far fetched any number of men and woman connected to the case were fair game for the distant killer which all in all. Made this game of detective that much more fun, people were going to die and whoever was orchestrating the murder's... It was only a guess how, drugs? Meta powers? Magic? It could have been a limitless number of possibility's. If only she cou...

Val's body was flung forward, held back by the restraint of a seat belt but due to her strange way of seating, she lost her phone from the grip of her hands as it sailed to the bottom of the car. The taxi driver had stopped abruptly for kids who ran out on the road, while muttering his own insults. Val growl her own insult towards the driver as she reached down and grabbed her phone, inspecting it for any damages. "nine hundred and ninety three... minus seven... nine hundred and eighty six." Val would mutter louder, her mind whacked with tension, she had to remain calm, even if she wanted to take over the seat of driver of this taxi, and run over the current holder of that title.

"What was that mam?" The driver would ask, his eyes on the rear view mirror, to which Val would give a fake smile to him.

"Nothing. Just get me that faster." Val would say biting her tongue on saying anything else before the ride was complete, she didn't need a problem with law enforcement right now, no.. Not while this mystery was at hand.

Ben gritted his teeth as their voices called out simultaneously in objection to his intimidation tactic. Dumb it seemed could be added to reckless it seemed when describing these girls. Not his business? Was it their business to post the names of their killers on a website claiming to seek revenge on the names posted? He wanted desperately to just scream at them, rip them apart with words. But he held his tongue, agitating them further would do nothing for the current situation besides give him some kind of catharsis. Then the girl in the middle spoke up.

Twitchy and nervous as she had been Ben had not seen her outburst coming.

Yes you were a victim. he said flatly, clearly unamused with her sweeping generalities. You became just as bad as your tormentors when you put their names on that site. He let Dianna continue, the girls seeming to trust her more than him. Not that he could blame them. Based on appearance she was small and unintimidating, appealing to them on a level that he simply couldn't. For that he was grateful as they handed over to Dianna the site information and the list of victims-to-be.

I'd get out of here if I were you Ben said sternly to the girls, not so subtly threatening them. Before I change my mind on not turning you in. Then he turned back to Dianna and the site. She was right, as they had suspected the judge was next.

I don't know that it'll be that simple he questioned, twinges of doubt in his voice. But I suppose it couldn't hurt to be on the scene, might find some clues about how the killer is doing this on the judge. With that Ben screen captured the list on his phone and ushered for Dianna to follow him. At the far corner of the parking lot was slightly beat up 2002 Saturn. It's a rental he informed her as he opened up the driver's side door, his right hand already turning the ignition and resting on the shifter. We're gonna need to get there fast, buckle up. As soon as Dianna was seated and safely secured Ben threw the car into gear burned rubber out of the parking lot. The GPS on his phone said they should be there in a matter of minutes.