Chapter 1: Anacrusis
Adriel woke up to the shrill sound of his phone ringing. He fumbled for it, room pitch black and still half asleep. Only through habit and instinct was he able to swipe his thumb across the screen and bring it to his ear.
“Hmgh?” he said, intelligently.
“Genesis struck again last night and we need you at the scene now.”
“Ah…alright…”
“Good, I’ll text you the address. Get here as soon as possible.” There was a long pause. “And don’t forget your gun.” With that, the line went dead leaving only empty silence. Adriel sighed in response and let his hand drop. He squinted his eyes and checked the time.
3:03am
“…Shit.”
The rest of his morning was a blur; he tore out of bed, dunked his head under the shower before the water could even warm up, and shoved still sleeping limbs into his button up and slacks. Before he could dash from the bedroom, the wooden box that sat on his dresser stopped him with its accusing stare. With a huff he pulled out the key and unlocked it. He picked up the silver pistol inside, the cold metal stinging his palm and nose twitching at its metallic scent. Adriel closed his eyes and bowed his head with a murmur.
“God forgive me.” He stuffed the pistol into the holster on his side and headed out the door. He stumbled into his car with his jacket half on and tie clutched in his free hand. An exasperated grunt pressed through his teeth and he barely checked his mirrors before reversing out of the driveway. It wasn’t like it was his car anyway, just a rental his bosses paid for so he could get to crime scenes on time.
The skies were still dark as he sped through empty streets. He zipped past houses with darkened windows and shops full of trinkets made to catch a tourist’s eye. Every available surface he passed was dotted with cheery looking posters. And banners were strung from each light pole, little colorful triangles that fluttered in the wind high above the ground. Each of these details came together to paint the deceptively quiet coastal city, Margarite. Adriel’s home until the next murderer struck and whisked him away to the next big case. With his fingers clutching the steering wheel, he turned his mind away from such thoughts and told himself to be grateful. Father Asaph had always done his best to teach him the importance of gratitude. His heart ached at the reminder but he kept his eyes straight ahead on the road. This wasn’t the time for grief or irritations. It was time to use the skills God gave him. To wield them like a blade. Not to harm others but to protect them. His fingers turned white against the wheel. He would protect them.
The address took him to a small apartment complex closer to Margarite’s docks than not. Stepping out of the car hit him with a great rush of wind. Air and salt whipped past him, burning his nose with the distinct scent of the sea. It ran through his shaggy, still semi-wet hair before dancing up to the nearby trees. Shaking branches to rustle leaves, which blended with the far-off sound of waves as they lapped against sand. It would’ve been peaceful if it weren’t for the police hurrying to contain the crime scene. Cops shouting, the tearing of police tape, and the bright glare of blue and red lights didn’t quite create a relaxing setting. Adriel took a moment to squeeze the bridge of his nose and sigh. Then he shook out his limbs and stepped forward.
He had his badge up before they could ask and ducked under the tape without a word. All while ignoring their scoffs, glares, and mutters as he walked by. It wasn’t anything new. The wariness and criticism was all part of being a member of Pierce’s infamous “reconstruction crew.” He followed the chaos to one of the apartments on the top floor, all while passing what felt like a dozen other grizzly crime scenes. Cameras flashed and notes were being scribbled down, all while forensics and profilers did their thing. With every white outline of a life stolen and dark red stain he saw, his stomach curled and heart sunk. Adriel couldn’t help but to bear his teeth at the sight of such cruelty.
“Adriel!” a voice called, pulling him out of thoughts. A familiar figure stood in the doorway of the last apartment. Her expression remained calm despite the circumstances. Whether that was due to her experience as a psychologist or this being far from the first crime scene she’s seen, Adriel didn’t know. All he knew was that she’d seen almost as much as he has. Because where Adriel went, Maria followed.
“Maria,” he greeted with a slight nod, “anything new?”
She shrugged, “I got here a little bit ago. Haven’t had the chance to talk with Pierce or see the crime scenes.” She stepped aside to let him into the room and kept pace with him as they entered.
It was a well-known secret that Maria was his “keeper” of sorts. She’d been hired right before him and had helped to bring him into the fold alongside Pierce. Adriel side-eyed her as they came to a stop behind the detective. He didn’t have anything against her, but wouldn’t consider her a friend in any shape or form. Whatever relationship they had was strictly business and she wouldn’t take his side in any argument. Pierce, currently, was arguing with the chief of police in low stern tones. Most likely trying to get him and his crew to clear out so they could begin. Eventually the chief let out an exasperated sigh and flicked his wrist.
“We’re not done here,” the chief spat, “we’ll come back whenever you and your bunch are done.” He tilted his head back and boomed, “Move out!” Like a colony of bugs, almost everyone in the room scurried to clean up and file out. The chief gave Pierce a firm nod and left the apartment, shutting the door behind him. Pierce let out a huff of his own before turning to face them.
“Adriel! What the hell took you so long? We needed you here hours ago!” he scolded. Adriel frowned.
“You called me half an hour ago,” he drawled. Pierce ignored him, as usual, and turned to the rest of the room. In total, only six people remained. The meek, Noel. The eccentric, Mica. The mysterious, Silas. The keeper, Maria. The leader, Pierce. Lastly, Adriel himself. The crew put together for this case.
“Alright everyone, we’re working on a limited amount of time. There’s no time to waste. Get started.” With that final order they dispersed. Adriel wandered towards the back of the room to look over the crime scene in full and watch his coworkers.
The apartment wasn’t too big. Standing in the living room, he could see a kitchen stretching across the opposite wall, along with an open doorway where he assumed the bedroom and bathroom was. Directly across from him stood a set of sliding glass doors with a rug that led to a balcony. A TV sat against the opposite wall on a stand, with only a scratched table and couch across from it. A few photos were pinned sporadically on the walls.
The couch lay pushed out of the place, faint scuff marks on the wood floor like the tire marks of a wrecked car. Wide, messy streaks of dried blood covered the floor and rug, dragging up towards where he stood. Beside him laid the dreaded white body outline.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” Adriel muttered, sparing a quick prayer for the unfortunate soul. “May God be with you on your journey.” He lifted his head and opened his eyes, taking the room back in. Silas sat in the middle of the room, head tilted back to the ceiling and lips moving underneath his scarf. A strange person to say the least, not that being strange was anything unique within this group. Adriel had worked with him only a few other times, seeing as Pierce usually had him on the more higher paced, time sensitive cases.
He had dark brown skin and long black dreads filled with accessories that glinted and clicked as he moved. Adriel had only ever seen him in long sleeved, high collared jackets and platform boots. And he never went anywhere without the long wool scarf wrapped around his neck and mouth. Silas rarely spoke unless he was spoken to and never spoke about himself. Due to this, he’d earned a reputation as one of the most mysterious members of Pierce’s reconstruction crew. Adriel thought it was a shame that they didn’t work together more often.
Mica walked heel-to-toe across the room, head tilted down and humming idly. He was more familiar with them and their quirks than anyone else on the team, besides Maria. Well-known as a chatterbox and notoriously air-headed. Mica bounced from crime scene to crime scene, seemingly unaffected by any of the gruesome sights they were exposed to. They had tan skin from vacations on the beach between cases and often had their yellow-blond hair pulled back into tiny pig-tails.
Noel lingered near the balcony door, head down and fidgeting with her gloves. Shy and timid, easily flustered, and delicate in constitution. Adriel hadn’t worked with her since he’d started, as she was often put on low-stake cases due to her tendency to stress easily. But the Genesis murders were extreme enough to pull her into the field. He doubted she would last long before being dismissed. Noel dyed her long hair white, matching her extremely pale skin. He’d heard rumors that she was albino but didn’t care enough to wonder if they were true.
Maria and Pierce stood together away from the gore, heads bowed down over case files and not-so-subtly shooting glances at him and the others.
Maria had darker skin, though not nearly as dark as Silas’ and curly black hair pulled back into its usual ponytail. Always calm and cool-headed. The most palatable in a sense. He knew she’d been a psychologist before joining the organization and that she’d been fired to cover up some sort of scandal. Much like most of the others in the reconstruction crew, this was her redemption from her previous life. Because as much as people liked to hum and haw, they always pulled results.
Pierce, or Detective Roy Pierce, was the ringleader of the circus. The one who assigned them to cases, who pointed his finger and told them where to go, directing them in the world’s most macabre stage play. At the same time he was also the one who protected them against the harshest critics and backlash. With his graying hair, constant scruff, and sharp eyes, he had a look that would put the most disobedient subordinate in their place. Demanding and rational, he’d get results if he had to rake them over the coals to get them.
Pierce cleared his throat to gather the wandering attentions of the crew.
“Alright team, Silas’ predictions were on the money. We had a couple cops stationed in the area but Genesis managed to sneak in anyways. We need to know where they’re going to strike next and what to expect.” He turned to Silas expectantly. The man adjusted his scarf, pulling it down and away from his face so he could be understood.
“I saw…gray walls…concrete…shadows…buildings that all looked the same…” Silas started. The more he spoke, the more his eyes slowly glazed over. He even began to gently sway side to side. “Grove…Grove something…Only one victim this time I think…” Silas stayed silent for a long moment. Eyes wide and empty and body completely still, he didn’t even breathe. No one dared to move or speak. Waiting. Silas returned all at once. His fingers and eyes twitched erratically, his chest seizing with a rugged gasp. He dragged in a few more deeper, calmer breaths before bringing his scarf back up to his mouth. The blank but not empty expression he usually wore slotted back in place.
Pierce scribbled down the details in his notepad and muttered under his breath. When he looked back up, he turned his attention onto Mica. Who immediately perked up. They straightened up, bouncing on the balls of their feet, before dancing back towards the balcony doors.
“Miss Genesis entered through here. Probably climbed up and over the railing like a super secret ninja! Victim was also standing over here, pretty sure she let her in herself. Then they fought ‘cause all the prints get all jumbled and the energy spikes way, way up!” Mica rambled, twisting and stepping over an invisible path. “Then the victim’s aura wavers right here, probably ‘cause they got stabbed. Aura’s almost completely faded by now, but Genesis’s prints walk right past and out the door!” Mica pointed to the floor right next to a rather large puddle of blood before skipping past the smears and to the entrance. Where they kicked open the door and leaned out of it. They took an exaggerated sweep on the hallway, clinging to the frame with one arm while the other came up to shield their eyes.
“Good work, Mica,” Pierce grumbled, visibly struggling to turn their account into a set of legible notes, “but we don’t know if Genesis is a woman or not, please defer from using a specific set of pronouns.”
Mica didn’t respond, still dangling out the doorway. Pierce looked up with furrowed brows. Historically, any sort of silence from Mica was a sign for trouble.
“Mica! Did you hear me?” he barked. Mica jolted, tossing a look over their shoulder.
“Huh? Whatever, she’s totally a girl. She’s got a girly aura,” Mica whined. They turned away as Pierce puffed up with indignance. Before he could begin his tirade, however, Mica’s free arm shot outward, pointing as stiff and true as an arrow. “She’s nearby, by the way.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yeah, she’s hanging around I think. Her prints are still bright and I can kinda…feel her.” Mica tilted their head like a dog trying to locate a sound. “Somewhere over there maybe? Her aura’s reaching out but I can’t get a read.”
“Dammit, Mica! You should’ve said something sooner!” Pierce continued to swear under his breath, bringing his radio to his mouth to snap a few demands. Mica shrugged their shoulders and wandered back into the room.
After he finally convinced the officers to do a more thorough sweep of the area, he took a moment to recenter himself. He put his face in his hands and let out a long sigh. Then he glanced back up.
“Noel,” he said, slightly muffled. The woman jumped. “What are you feeling?” Noel flinched, shoulders visibly hunching as all eyes turned onto her. Her eyes flicked downward and when she spoke it was barely above a whisper.
“N-Not much from the, the uh, the apartment itself. Some resent—resentment and uh sadness I suppose…” Noel visibly swallowed. “And you know, the fear and p-panic that’s always in these crime scenes.” Pierce nodded, waving a hand impatiently to hurry her along.
“Have you touched the calling card yet?” he asked. Noel cringed and slowly shook her head.
“N-Not yet,” she said. Pierce clicked his tongue and made a vague gesture towards Maria. She started sorting through the nearby evidence before pulling out a thin plastic baggie and handing it over to Pierce. Who hurriedly held it out for Noel to take. She stared at it for a moment, eyes wide with hesitation. But then she stripped off her gloves, revealing a thinner pair beneath, and took the card with trembling fingers. Immediately, her pupils dilated and she let out a gasp.
“Oh—Genesis is—was—very ah, excited and frantic maybe?” Noel shook her head, as if to shake herself out of a trance. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment. She sucked in another breath. “She was definite—definitely in a rush.” Pierce looked utterly intrigued with the information.
“That’s a stark difference from the last cases,” he muttered. Noel let out a vaguely affirming hum before holding out the card for someone to take. Adriel readjusted his gloves and reached out to take it for himself.
Genesis’ calling cards were the only clue that distinguished her murders from any others. They killed however they pleased, rarely ever using the same method. No known motive, no specific targets or victims. Utterly unpredictable. She killed like an animal; without discrimination nor mercy. Without the calling cards, nothing linked the cases together. Besides the sheer cruelty of the acts.
Adriel glanced over the card. The front remained the same as always. A simple depiction of a dove flying sat in the middle of the card, carrying an olive branch in its mouth. Below it sat the words, And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
It was the dove that eventually inspired Genesis’ name, as “John” didn’t exactly strike fear into the heart of the men. And, if Mica was to be believed, John wasn’t the most fitting name for a female killer.
He turned the card over to see the back. Completely blank. There had been a couple calling cards with small messages on the back. Usually mocking them for not being able to catch her or nonsense about the rush of killing. Luckily, that didn’t seem to be the case for this particular card. He held the card back out for Maria to take, who put it back with the rest of the evidence to be analyzed.
“Alright, Adriel and Maria, what are you guys thinking?” Pierce asked. They shared a glance. Maria cleared her voice and stepped forward.
“So far, this seems to fit in with her profile, strange occurrences aside,” she said, “Genesis is egotistical, impulsive, and stark in their cruelty. Even if they felt panicked for whatever reason, that didn’t stop them from calmly climbing through the balcony and killing their victim. This is no different from any of their other killings, according to those perspectives.” Pierce listened intently, giving an approving hum when she finished. Then those keen eyes fell on him.
“Adriel?” he prompted. Adriel nodded, letting his eyes slide shut.
He didn’t have any spectacular abilities like Silas, Mica, or Noel. Or like many of the others part of the reconstruction crew. He couldn’t predict the future and scry for locations. Or know what paths strangers had taken and be able to identify them solely on their energy. He definitely didn’t pick up on the emotions and psychic impressions left in rooms or on objects. Those kinds of things were thought to be fantasy up till his involvement in this group. He’d struggled to believe in it at first, but one by one, case after case, his perspective forcibly changed. What else could he think? Those abilities solved cases and brought criminals to justice. Adriel hadn’t been blessed or gifted in the same way. But he had his own set of skills, ones that made him invaluable to the reconstruction crew.
With his eyes closed, he shut everything else out. He forced anything unrelated and insignificant down, down, down into the depths of his mind. Adriel imagined a chest, like the one Father Asaph had had at the end of his bed. He carefully folded details like blankets and put them away. Everything he knew about his coworkers, his own past, the world outside the crime scene. The chest shut and disappeared, taking everything but the details of this case and Genesis’ previous murders, with it. He was glass, he was a mirror. He would look over every detail and leave no stone unturned. He would see and reflect only reality. He was objective. He was the truth. Adriel reopened his eyes, feeling nothing.
“There’s something different with this case,” he said, voice flat as the undisturbed surface of a lake. And much like a lake, seemingly calm on the surface, many things moved within the depths. “Genesis doesn’t see murder the same way other people or even other murderers do. She receives no excitement, no rush, that comes with committing a taboo action. Instead only the deep satisfaction of doing what she was meant to do.”
Eyes pressed in on him on all sides. They dug at him, clawing at him, suffocating him— no, he wasn’t thinking about that. He kept his eyes on one of the clean spots on the floor and waited until choppy waves settled once more.
“Yet in this case, she’s been struck with a sense of urgency. A killer who luxuriates in her freedom and ability to do as she pleases. But she wasn’t caught, there were no close calls or pressure from authority. There’s something else outside this specific victim. Something different or new.”
Adriel blinked and let the chest unlock, certain he had discerned what he needed. That mirror still stayed inside his mind, as always, pointed outward and reflecting light towards the outside world. He frowned and turned to Pierce sharply.
“You’re hiding something,” he accused. The others moved to protest but he continued on before they could, “you kept an important detail from us.”
Pierce raised a graying brow, his expression almost challenging. But beneath that, Adriel innately knew, he only felt smug, proud, and impressed in a twisted way. Adriel didn’t drop that stare, refusing to give in even through his discomfort.
“Yes,” Pierce eventually admitted. He turned around and started towards the door, “follow me, there’s another crime scene you all need to see.” He left the room in a brisk stride, leaving the rest of them scrambling to catch up. Adriel was hot on the detective’s heels. He hated the way Pierce would tug him around like a dog on a leash sometimes. Constantly pushing and prodding, testing him in a way no one else had in his entire life. He closed his eyes and prayed for patience.
Pierce led them down to the floor below them, to the apartment directly below the room they were just in. It was the only apartment that wasn’t currently swarming with police or forensics. When Pierce pushed the door open, many things immediately caught Adriel’s attention.
There were no blood stains, no white body outline. Not even the slightest sign of struggle. The apartment looked well-loved and lived in. A plush couch with a few throw pillows and a blanket tossed over the back of it. All sorts of decor; paintings, pictures, and hangings lined the walls. A guitar sat in its stand against the wall. The lighting, low but warm, and he even saw some sort of terrarium pressed against the wall. Mica squealed and ran to it.
“Is that a leopard gecko!? Oh my God, hi! You’re so so cute!” they pressed their face and hands to the glass.
“Mica! No prints! You’re contaminating the crime scene!” Pierce barked. Mica huffed but obligingly stepped back.
“It doesn’t look like a crime scene to me,” Adriel muttered under his breath. His eyes flicked over every detail, committing them to his memory. Pierce gave a sort-of shrug with his shoulders.
“It’s the biggest lead in the entire case so far,” he grunted before clearing his throat. The others stopped their exploration to listen. “Everyone in this complex was murdered somewhere between 10pm and 1am tonight. A three floor, 12 apartment complex’s worth of people gone.” He paused to let that sink in. “Everyone…except the person who lives in this apartment.” Adriel froze before whipping around to face him.
“What?” he hissed. Pierce merely nodded.
“She’s the only one spared from Genesis’ bloody red path,” he said, “so far anyway.”
“Where is she?” Adriel asked without pause.
“Currently being held and questioned at the Margarite police station.”
“Then why the fuck am I here?” he seethed, “instead of doing my actual job.” Pierce hummed.
“Your job is to do whatever you’re told,” Pierce huffed, “and right now I want you here.” He looked down at him, eyes cold but lips pressed into a thin smile. “Your insights are always invaluable.” Adriel kept his face blank, refusing to flinch. Pierce turned away to face the rest of the group.
“What are we seeing?” he asked them. No one jumped to respond. Eventually, Mica shuffled, keeping their head down and eyes on the terrarium.
“Well none of Genesis’ footsteps around here,” they murmured, “but whoever lives here definitely wasn’t asleep. Her steps are still pretty bright and her aura was active.” Mica limply lifted a finger to point at the balcony doors. “But I can feel some of Genesis’ aura out there.” Pierce nodded before jerking his head to Noel.
“Go out and see if you can feel anything,” he ordered. Noel visibly drooped, but obediently shuffled to the balcony doors. She wrapped her gloved hand around the handle and easily pulled them open. But as she did, something small and thin fluttered down to the floor.
“Oh!” She leaned down to pick the mystery item up. “I think something—” Her fingers tapped against the item’s surface. Noel let out a shrill gasp. She clutched her hands to her chest and backed away.
“What? What is it?” Pierce asked, voice filled with urgency. Noel shook her head, skin tinged gray as she paled. One hand came up to cover her mouth.
“I’ve never felt so, so, so…” she stammered. She tucked her head into her shoulder and visibly swallowed. “So fascinated.” Her eyes closed and she swayed to one side. “Obsessive. Like, like noth-nothing else in the world mattered, had ever mattered!” Her voice steadily raised in volume, bringing her to barely below a shout. Then she tilted even further and only just caught herself on the balcony’s door frame.
Noel shrieked, leaping away like a startled cat. She stumbled over her own feet in a rush to get away, falling against a nearby table.
“I can’t! I can’t! I can’t!” she cried, clutching her face in her hands.
“Noel!” Pierce shouted. He took one authoritative step forward, face stark with intrigue. “What. Did. You. Feel.” She curled in on herself, trying to hide away.
“Euphoric! She’s euphoric!” She outright yelled now. Adriel couldn’t help but to stare at her with wide eyes. In all the time he’s known her, in the entire time he’d worked with her, Noel had never ever yelled. She would shake and stutter. She would cry, letting the tears drip down her cheeks, carefully orating every emotion between sobs. But not once had she’d ever shouted. That realization that shocked him out of his daze. Adriel’s lip curled and he moved to block Pierce. He pushed a hand against his chest and looked him right in the eyes.
“Enough! That’s enough!” he snarled, “she’s done enough!” The detective seemed shocked that he dared to stand up to him. Adriel took the rare opportunity to turn his attention onto Noel, who sobbed and was speaking pure gibberish. He walked forward, slow and cautious, and dropped onto his knees.
“It’s okay,” he tried to soothe, hit with a wave of awkwardness. He wasn’t the one for emotional support. But he bit the feeling down and tried to focus on her. “You don’t have to talk anymore.” He looked at her hands, seeing that she only had her thin pair of gloves on. The thicker ones would be in her pocket. Adriel started to reach forward to grab them but paused. He withdrew his hands and looked over his shoulder.
“Silas, come help Noel put her gloves on,” he said. Silas blinked, eyes relaxing as he too was brought back to reality. He stepped forward without hesitation and kneeled by her other side.
“Try to think calm thoughts,” Adriel murmured, watching as the man found the gloves and carefully slipped them over her stiff fingers. He let out a sigh of relief as the tears slowed. Though Noel still continued to sniffle, keeping her head down. A knock came from the front door. Adriel’s eyes snapped over to see a few concerned looking officers.
“Is there an…issue here?” one of them asked. Adriel rolled his eyes internally but spoke neutrally.
“One of ours isn’t feeling well, could one of you take her downstairs?” he replied. He slipped an arm under one of her armpits, encouraging the woman to stand. She did so on wobbly legs. “There’s also a calling card you missed, by the balcony door.” They stood confused for a moment but sprung into action at the same time. One officer came over to them, holding an arm out for her to take. Noel wrapped her arm around it with her fists squeezed into tight fists. The other officer quickly scooped up the card and put it into an evidence bag. Adriel made sure to briefly catch the officer’s eyes. “Make sure no one takes her gloves off.”
The officer looked bewildered at the request but gave a stuttered nod. Adriel gave a firm one back. He watched both officers leave the room and didn’t move until their footsteps faded. Then, with a sigh, he turned to face the heated glare beating into his back.
Pierce, predictably, looked furious. His face scrunched with it, eyes crinkled and teeth bared. Adriel could almost hear the sound of his teeth squeaking as he ground them together. Maria’s own face was plastered with a cool neutrality, barely dipping into a bit of disappointment. Mica shuffled in the background, fists clenched and cheeks pink. And Silas was still by the table, face blank but eyes kept on where Noel was sitting.
“Adriel. Maria,” Pierce spat, “downstairs now, we’re going to the station.” He glanced between the others. “You two. Stay here and see what else you can sense. Sum it up in a report, a very detailed report.” Neither Mica or Silas dared to speak. Giving a few shaky nods each. He huffed and stomped out of the room, barely avoiding clipping his shoulder as he did. Adriel rolled his eyes but turned around and followed the detective out. Maria followed him, barely keeping off his heels. It gave him the illusion of a prisoner being escorted to their cell. A snort left him without permission.
In front of him, Pierce’s shoulders stiffened and he actually began to shake with rage. Well, Adriel definitely wasn’t being promoted anytime soon. He barely managed to keep his amusement in at that thought. They left the complex in silence, not being stopped or questioned as they did. He started to move towards his own car, only to be stopped by a cough.
“Adriel. Here. Now.” Pierce jerked his head towards his car. Adriel suppressed a sigh, figuring he’d gotten himself into enough hot water for one night. He slipped into the backseat without protest. Pierce slid into the driver’s seat and Maria into the passenger seat. The detective reached up the rearview mirror, tilting it until it was pointed directly onto Adriel and his own gaze.
“That was completely and utterly out of line,” Pierce hissed, “you undermined my authority, ignored what little sense you have, and absolutely derailed the investigation.” His hands were wrapped tight around the wheel. Probably to avoid reaching behind him and throttling Adriel himself. “I’ve had enough of your silly power struggles. You will fall in line or face the consequences.” A tense silence filled the car. “Am I understood?” Adriel kept his eyes on the movement outside and opened his mouth.
“Look at me.” He cringed but made deliberate eye contact with the eyes in the mirror. “Am. I. Understood?” Adriel’s nails dug into the meat of his palm, but he managed a smooth nod.
“Yes,” he said through grit teeth, “I understand.” Pierce stayed silent, staring him down even though he knew how he felt about eye contact. Eventually he broke their staredown with a huff of disgust.
“Good,” Pierce said, “Get out of my car and meet me at the station.” He didn’t even bother to turn to either of them. “Maria, you go with him.”
“Yes, sir,” they both intoned, opening their car doors and stepping out. The detective hardly waited for the doors to shut before backing out and shooting off into the darkness. Once his car had fully disappeared, Adriel let out a short, angry shout. His hands came up to grip and pull at his hair. He stomped and slammed the toes of his foot into the cement below.
“Adriel, get a hold of yourself,” Maria said softly. She always did that whenever Pierce wasn’t looking. Became all soft and warm. Friendly. She calmly walked up to him, grabbing his wrists in a firm but gentle grip. He cringed on the outside. On the outside he froze. And though he stopped yanking, he kept his fingers firmly enwrapped in his hair. Maria tutted and released one wrist to reach up and encourage his fingers to let go.
“Deep breaths Addy, remember your exercises,” she hummed. Adriel let out a grunt.
“Don’t call me that,” he snapped, voice low and gravely. She didn’t respond and he reluctantly began his breathing exercises.
In… 1, 2, 3, 4.
Hold… 1, 2, 3, 4.
Out… 1, 2, 3, 4.
Hold…1, 2, 3, 4.
Repeat.
In and out, everything is equal and perfect. Adriel opened eyes he didn’t remember shutting. Stiffly, he uncurled his fingers. Maria quickly stepped back, face a calm mask. Adriel turned his head down to murmur, “refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” Adriel ran through his exercise one last time before tilting his head back up. He set his gaze on one of her ears.
“Let’s go, I want this day to be over already,” he grumbled. Maria’s lips turned up into a thin smile and she dipped her head in agreement. They slipped into his car, him in the driver’s seat and her in the passenger’s seat. He buckled up and took off, knowing where the station was by heart by now. They began their trip in silence but Maria was not the type to let sleeping dogs lie. At least, not when it came to him.
“How are you feeling right now?” she asked out of the blue, voice low and soothing. Adriel clenched his jaw, briefly debating ignoring the question. But he knew he’d only get in more trouble if he did.
“Irritated,” he spat, “I can’t stand that man sometimes.” Maria’s face twisted into something between curiosity and encouragement.
“What do you mean by that?” she asked. Adriel couldn’t help the scoff that left him.
“He’s a tyrant and this case has only made him ten times worse,” Adriel’s shoulders hunched up to his ears, “Pierce has always been…stern, but lately he can’t seem to lighten up on the leash.” Maria let out a long hum.
“But isn’t Pierce’s job to hold the leash?” she pushed, “He’s not only our boss and lead detective on this case, he’s the head of the entire branch. It’s up to him to make the right decisions and when he doesn’t, he takes the brunt of the fall out.” She’d turned to face him fully. “Doesn’t it make sense to keep a tight leash?” Adriel determinedly kept his eyes on the road, not even sparing her a glance. He knew this song and dance and he’d known it from the first time she’d raised the baton. He also knew that Maria knew that he knew. She’d been well prepped about his abilities and quirks before they’d even met. Yet they always returned to the same form of interaction.
Adriel would give her an emotion, she would imply he was being unreasonable, he would be forced to defend himself until he finally gave a more palatable conclusion, then she’d grant him a small concession. Tit for tat in a way. Back and forth, round and round, the same routine. From the first time they’d spoken one on one, Maria perched beside his hospital bed, to where they were now. Driving with the sun barely peeking out of a darkened sky. But that was the sole reason why he always played along. It was the exact same every time. One of the few constants he had in his life. It brought him some twisted sort of peace. So he took a deep breath in and allowed himself to commit to the bit.
“Of course he has to be the boss,” he began, “but there’s a distinct difference between a boss and a tyrant. And Pierce has overstepped that balance.” Maria tilted her head in thought, pretending to thoroughly think over his response.
“Haven’t you overstepped your boundaries?” she asked. Though in truth it was more of an accusation. But she’d always managed to say such things in the calmest and neutral tones, so they never sounded like it. “I’ve known you for years now, Adriel. And while you may dig your heels, bare your teeth, and snap your jaws, you haven’t had an outburst at that level since you first started working. But today you really took the cake.” She let out a breathy sigh of admonishment. “Yelling, giving orders, even resorting to physical altercations. Doesn’t it make sense that Detective Pierce would be forced to exude a little more pressure? Why are you able to act irrationally and not him?”
“Are you joking?” he asked incredulously. Adriel let out a bitter snicker, shaking his head. “It’s not like I did all that all unprovoked, I did it so he would stop terrorizing Noel. We all know how fragile she is and that she shouldn’t have ever been brought onto this case in the first place.” He waved a hand, “I mean, it’s not like she’s going to stand up for herself. She’d piss herself even thinking about it.” He paused and his cheeks flushed, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love.”
“And no one else was doing anything except standing there and letting him drive her to tears. What kind of man, what kind of follower of God would I be if I just let that happen?” he asked rhetorically. “If you knew me so well, you’d know how important the Word and His teachings are to me.” He dipped his head, “yes, I may have gone too far, but I was pushed to that brink and the only person I’ll ask forgiveness from is the Lord.” Adriel side-eyed Maria as she opened her mouth to speak. “And before you bring up stress, yes I know he’s stressed and that I was stressed. But it’s his job and responsibility to set a good example, to take the higher road, as our superior.”
Maria sat back, her argument briefly derailed. Her lips turned down into a deep frown.
“He’s still human,” she pushed, “you can’t expect perfection from him.” They both fell silent. For a moment, only the rumble of the tires against the road and wind whispering past the car filled the space between them. Adriel let out a sigh, squeezing the bridge of his nose before dragging his hand down his face. Only when both hands were back on the wheel did he speak.
“Listen, I know he’s a good man,” he muttered, his voice barely loud enough to be heard. “I wouldn’t work for him otherwise. Pierce is just, he’s fair, and I’ve never met someone so determined to make the world a safer place.” Adriel paused to shake his head, “but the longer this case goes on, the less and less of that I see.” Maria straightened up, face set with determination.
“Then it’s up to you to bring that back,” she encouraged, “don’t add to the stress that’s turning him into that kind of man. I know we can solve this case, if everyone does their best and plays their part.” Adriel took a moment to take that in before nodding.
“You’re right, I’ll do my best.”
He pulled into the station’s parking lot, turning into an open parking spot in front of the building’s doors. When he turned off the ignition Maria reached over to squeeze his shoulder. She gave him a soft smile.
“Hey, I know Pierce has been tough on you lately. Not treating you the way you should be treated,” she said, “I’ll talk to him and try to calm him down. I’m sure he’s not aware of how he’s acting.” Adriel grimaced but gave her a nod.
“I’d appreciate that,” he murmured, reaching up to squeeze her hand, “thanks Maria.” She gave him a nod in return before dropping her hand, unbuckling her seatbelt, and leaving the car. Adriel stayed where he was and watched her go inside. Only when the door of the police station shut behind her did he relax.
He slumped back into his seat and let his head fall back with a mighty sigh. Adriel didn’t really get it. Why they played all these roles or danced this dance. He’d rather they all be honest with him rather than prodding him with verbal sticks. It wasn’t in his nature to be anything but blunt. But he wasn’t a stranger to being the odd one out, to being the only one who didn’t understand. He would have to do what he’s done since Father Asaph died.
Keep his head above the water and be the best man he could be.
Adriel nodded to himself, sending a brief prayer to God and hoping his father could hear him.
Am I doing it right? I’m trying my best, is that enough?
Then he shook out the leftover adrenaline in his limbs and slid out of the car. He locked the doors and walked into the building, prodding the mirror in his mind. He had a duty to fulfill and a suspect to interrogate.
Leave a Reply