Perhaps waiting a night before beginning our investigation wasn’t the best course. To be certain Ken’s assistance will prove invaluable moving forward. And, of course, I am happy that she’s here. But the morning paper revealed that there’d been another, fatal, attack over the course of the night. And it’s…I know we can’t save everything, even if we’re capable of things that mortals could only dream of. But knowing that someone died while we waited is still a bit difficult to swallow.
Anyway, we decided we’d split up. Andrew had figured out that Kline and Krieger were going to be meeting each other later today. So we ultimately decided that Cindy, Claire, Ken, and Lexi would go check that out while Andrew, my Einherjar, and myself would go see what we could find at the scene of the newest attack. The only problem is that none of the girls speak German…even if all of us guys do. I wanted to send an Einherjar along with them in case they needed a translator but Odin’s Beard did Claire throw a fit as soon as I brought that up. Cindy yesterday, now Claire…maybe they’re both going through that time of month.
So…we ended up sending out the groups as is. Ken was not at all happy about that. She thought Claire’s insistence, and the way the rest of the girls went along with it, displayed a…lack of sense, to say the least. It’s hard to disagree with the sentiment. Our little band doesn’t really have a clear cut leader. Usually I don’t mind all that much…but if it let’s stubbornness and pride override better judgment like this…
Anyway, on the drive over to the farm where the attack occurred I let slip my lingering distrust of the Yazata to Andrew. He was a bit concerned about that, given what the group of dissidents within M.I.S.T. is trying to do. I know he means well…but I can’t expect him to understand why I feel the way I do. I’m not holding some ancient grudge, or some staged gaffe or misunderstanding. Vayu stole what childhood I should have had, destroyed what family I should have had, and I haven’t seen the last of him. I can feel that in my bones. I can’t just forget, or forgive, that because someone’s trying to stir up tensions. Vayu I can never forgive, the rest of the Yazata…I just can’t risk giving them the benefit of the doubt right now.
Normally this is where I’d like to switch to a slightly more upbeat subject…but things simply stayed grim. Andrew was able to talk us past all the police officers at the scene, give us a chance to investigate. Or, I suppose, while he was talking I investigated and the Einherjar worked on how to be a film crew. What I found was…troubling. The site of the attack, and where the girl died, neither of which had any prints nearby at all that I could find. A long pounce wouldn’t be out of the question, if the attackers had divine strength. So that’s one more thing to worry about.
I did see some prints further away from the attack, nearer to the farmhouse. Those I could track, though I have a gnawing suspicion that the only reason I was able to pick up the trail there was because they wanted me to. It led to an old shed.
The girl’s body was inside; killed by mauling, that much I could tell at a glance. And it was grotesquely displayed like some hunting trophy. There was a message scratched into the wall, too. Her killers are laying claim to the town.
They’re going to be disappointed.
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