The Lion's Den (18 page)

***

“
Fuck, I’m tired as hell right now,” Gabriel said, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hands.

Barry chuckled. “Should have taken your ass to sleep instead of getting your rocks off.”

“
You just had to bring that up, didn’t you?”

Barry looked at him. “Why don’t you break up with Melinda instead of sneaking around with random broads?”

“
It’s complicated, Barry. Melinda and I have been going through a rough patch right now. We haven’t slept in the same bed in over six months. She doesn’t even want me to touch her,” Gabriel said, finally confiding in his friend.

“
Maybe you two need to talk to a therapist, it worked wonders for Leanne and me. Here, let me give you the number of our therapist, Dr. Amelia Watson … you’ll love her, trust me.”

Barry wrote down his therapist’s number on a piece of paper and handed it to Gabriel, who took the paper, looked at it and slipped it into his front side pocket.

“
I’ll try anything right now. I really want to open the lines of communication with my wife.” Gabriel took a sip of his mocha cappuccino.

“
What do you think caused the riff?” Barry returned his attention back to the little children who were playing in the park, swinging on swings and sliding down slides.

“
She hasn’t been the same since … .” Gabriel’s voice trailed off.

Barry finished his sentence for him. “Since the car accident?”

Gabriel nodded. “I don’t think she believes I still find her desirable. She’s been pushing me away ever since. Hell, for all I know, she might resent the fact that I walked away virtually unharmed when she didn’t. I even think she blames me for the accident. I keep going over all of these reasons why my wife has grown so cold towards me … any one could be an answer or all of the above, ya know?”

Two years ago, Gabriel had been driving that rainy night, when he swerved to avoid a drunk driver and ending up ramming their SUV into a tree. While he survived the accident with only a few cuts and bruises, his wife suffered broken bones in her face and torso so severe, it required multiple plastic surgeries to restore her features and limbs as close to their natural state as possible. In the end, her confidence was not so easily restored.

Barry turned back toward his partner and best friend. “Do you?”

“
Do I what?”

“
Still find her desirable?”

“
I love her.”

“
That may be, but do you still find her desirable. I mean, I saw your piece of ass on the side, she looks like a poster pinup model, and that’s even without the fake tits.”

“
She was easy, she scratched an itch, and most importantly, she’s old news. I broke it off today.”

“
Got too clingy?” Barry chuckled softly.

Gabriel chortled. “Yeah. She wanted me to leave my family for her.”

“
You still didn’t answer my question?”

“
Oh, I thought I did. Yes, I find her desirable. Every time I try to get intimate, she comes up with an excuse to put distance between us. This has been going on for almost two years, to the point now, we don’t sleep in the same bed, like I said.”

“
Call the therapist, it’s worth a shot. I know you don’t want a divorce.”

Gabriel shook his head. “The kids would be devastated. But shit, enough about my problems. I’m more interested in catching these killers. What they did to those people, especially the last two children … fucking sick sons of bitches.”

Barry nodded. “Truer words … While you were in the john, I called Davis and Eric, everything’s quiet on their end as well.”

“
They’ll slip up soon enough, we’ll catch them, I’m sure. I’m kind of happy the captain put us on this case, too. It gives us a chance to prove that we’re just as good as her ‘Golden Boys’.”

“
You’ve got to admit, Gabe, Warren and Matthew are excellent detectives.”

Gabriel shot a glance at him. “Whose side are you on?”

Barry snorted. “I’m merely stating a fact. It’s not like they haven’t earned the right to be considered two of the best, Gabe. Besides, we’re on this case because we’re just as good; our record is second only to theirs in the department. I’m just giving credit to where credit is due. I’m sure there are others who complain about us, like those assholes Ronen and Wilson.”

“
Kyle and Lance can kiss my ass, for all I care. Worst fucking cops on the S.U.I.T., if you ask me. I don’t know why they’re still there.”

“
Because they fly under the radar low enough to escape disciplinary action.” Barry leaned forward, peering more closely through his window. “Look at this guy right here, watch him. He came from that car over there which has been parked there for thirty minutes.”

Gabriel leaned over, watching a man dressed in a white t-shirt with a black windbreaker jacket with a sport’s team emblem on the back. His dark blue jeans were frayed at the cuffs and his black work boots were a bit worn at the toe. “Yeah I’ve got him in my vision. Do we wait for him to make a move, or approach him now?”

“
If this is the guy, we don’t want to get him without allowing him a chance to give us the evidence we need to nail his balls to the ground. If he goes for one of these kids, we take him down fast,” Barry said. “You better call the others just to tell them we have someone suspicious lurking about the playground.”

Gabriel did just that, notifying the other two teams of their current status. The two detectives continued to watch the mysterious man who was watching the children. After another twenty minutes, the man decided to make his move, making his way into the frenzied group of playful children. The two officers watched as the man pulled money out of his pocket, handing each of the five children who were still gathered around him a dollar. He offered to buy them all ice cream. Once each of the children had their popsicles, he continued to seduce the children with more goodies. The two officers climbed out of their car, making their way over to the man from behind. They heard him offer the children more candy. Two of the children decided to go with him. He took their hands and turned, coming face to face with the two detectives, badges bared, which stopped him dead in his tracks. He let the two children go as he dashed to the side, feet hitting the pavement at top speed, running as fast as he could with both detectives hot on his trail.

When they finally closed the distance between them, Gabriel lunged forward, tackling the man to the ground in the middle of the parking lot of a grocery store.

Barry came around, gun pointed at the assailant. “Stay down! Don’t fucking move! Now, slowly, put your hands

palms down on the ground … I said slowly!”

The man did as he was told. He dared not move as the other officer locked a silver cuff around one wrist, then wrenching his other arm around his back, doing the same to that wrist. Gabriel pressed the barrel of his gun against the man’s spine, jabbing him slightly, causing a bit of pain.

Gabriel wasn’t sure if this guy was a part of the gang of killers they were chasing, he knew he was human; a shape-shifter was often too fast for them to catch on foot. Not to mention, the silver handcuff were having no effect on him. Nonetheless, it was time to ask a few questions. For all he knew, this guy might be their human servant, if they had one, out collecting victims for them.

“
What were you doing at the park? What were you planning on doing with those kids?”

“
Nothing,” the man lied. “I was just buying them some treats, that’s all? I swear.”

“
Cut the bullshit, don’t fucking play with me, I do have a license to kill on the spot.” Gabriel poked him with the barrel once more.

“
You can’t do that, Police can’t kill on the spot! You have to find me guilty of something, and you didn’t!” The man shot back, certain that he was correct in his understanding of standard law and police procedures.

“
Police can’t. S.U.I.T. can. All I have to do is suspect you’re a supernatural up to no good, and I’m already at that point. Now, do you want to help your case by answering my questions, or are you going to continue to piss me the fuck off?”

Barry watched his partner’s interrogation. He looked around, making sure no one interfered.

The man on the ground swallowed hard, then nodded. “Don’t kill me, I’ll corporate, I promise. Please let me up,” he begged.

“
I’m still waiting for an answer.” Gabriel was thankful that the procedures that govern the S.U.I.T. allowed him a great deal of leeway, since they were the judge, jury and executioner in certain matters dealing with various suspects. Humans however were a trickier matter entirely. In the past, humans suspected of being supernaturals have been killed on the spot. As long as it was proven that S.U.I.T. officers were justified, no disciplinary action were taken. Knowing he was bluffing somewhat, Gabriel chose to keep the man under duress, hoping he’ll be more willing to answer his questions honestly.

The man beneath him began to mumble and sob profusely.

“
Speak up, I can’t hear you,” Gabriel ordered. Apparently, his plan was working better then even he had anticipated.

“
I’m a bad man. I’m a sick man … I need help,” the man sobbed. “I wanted those kids … I … I wanted to touch them. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry!” He sobbed even more, snot running freely from his nose.

Gabriel looked up at Barry; neither man said anything to the other. They knew that they hadn’t caught their target, but they had caught a predator none the less. Gabriel climbed off the man then hoisted him to his feet. They escorted the suspected child molester back to the squad car, shoving him in the back seat.

“
Call the PD, tell them we’ve got one of theirs,” Gabriel told Barry, who did just that. Gabriel called Warren and told him what had transpired.

“
Well, at least you took down one scumbag, keep your eyes open,” Warren said.

“
Yeah, same to you,” Gabriel replied, before ending the call.

The two S.U.I.T. officers waited for the police to come get their suspect. Once the exchange took place, Gabriel and Barry drove to another location, believing that their current stakeout was now compromised. If the killer was there, chances were, he wasn’t going to attack. They parked outside the After-School Community Center where kids of all ages congregated for activities and tutoring.

“
The quest continues … ” Gabriel mumbled, watching the center.

“
You did good back there, I just wanted to tell you that,” Barry complimented.

Gabriel smiled. The two detectives continued to search for their killers, hoping to get a break sooner than later.

C
hapter
E
leven

Kiren devoured as much of his victims as he could eat, and now he sat in the back of the ice cream truck in his half beast form, licking their bloodfrom the palms of his hands. Finally, he transformed back into his human appearance, burping loudly. He smiled down at the bloody, gnarled and grotesque remains of his meal, relishing the memory of their fears, their cries and screams and how no one could have helped them by stopping him. He made certain to leave little pieces of flesh attached to each mutilated corpse so that the S.U.I.T. would be able to identify the bodies of each kid, but he didn’t make it easy.

One corpse had half a face. One, the tip of a finger still had a piece of skin attached. Another had an eyeball still in the socket, and the last had its full face, but the skull was completely shattered, disfiguring the features of the child. What was left of the remains were piled high inside the freezer. Dressing quickly, he exited the truck, smiling to himself. His lover would be proud of him. He would delight in recounting how he managed to sway the children to him. It was easy, he’d tell him. The cheerful tunes from an ice cream truck always bring out the children. Once he found his victim, he snatched the child inside; making sure no one saw him. Then he would drive to another location and do it all over again. He made certain to let many children go away happy, with their ice cream cones. He did notice the increase in police and S.U.I.T. patrol and he found it hilarious. No matter how many cops they put on the street, he was certain none would be able to stop him. He was right. Once he had captured the children he wanted, he parked his truck in front of a church. It was at that moment he indulged himself, savoring his “meal”.
Yes, his lover would be so very pleased.