☣ oo9; [video]

[lucycoded]

[Kazuhiko is resting, with his NV at arm's length, as the feed turns on. There's a small bustling around him- a cafe, maybe. He's in a booth, the decor is warm, the lighting that comfortable low that makes people feel content to stay. The glasses perched on his nose, and the stoic, but softened expression relay who it is that's in control at the

Comments

voice;

[hexyoutotuesday]

I'm beginning to think the Core just likes pulling in crazies. I don't think there's much connection between the V-Day murders and the Plaster murders, but I'm not sure about the rest of it.

The only thing the Core seems to affect is dormant super powers in normal people.

voice;

[lucycoded]

[Pulling crazies here. Yes, that would make sense, wouldn't it?]

There could be a connection that is larger than motive or perpetrator. It is merely a theory, a feeling, nothing that I'm certain of.

That does seem to be its purpose. [A beat.] Oh- Your friends, did they... did they return to you? [Attempting to be sympathetic.]

voice;

[hexyoutotuesday]

Since when did you become mister conspiracy theorist? How do you suppose any of this is connected? I can't come up with anything between any of them.

[Jinx nods for a moment before she remembers he can't see her.] Yeah. They came back. After the murderer was taken care of. Something good came out of it all, but I'm never letting those boys leave my sight again.

voice;

[lucycoded]

[A stunned pause, before he makes a sound somewhere between a scoff and a chuckle, both being very soft.] I do sound like a conspiracy theorist, don't I? It's a habit.

I'm glad. [Though there's something more interesting:] Who was the murderer? What happened to him?

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

Well, detective, maybe if you tell me some of the connections you see, I might tell you a bit about what when on around Valentine's Day.

Fair trade?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[A small pause.] I'm still in the midst of organizing victimology for those who have fallen victim to the murderers that have been active, so I have yet to draw any conclusions. What interests me more is the timing, why suddenly so many have become active.

Trophy and message killers such as what I believe the killer prior to the one called Saint Valentine, and the Plaster Murderer, are looking for attention. It breaks basic motive to allow their actions to be blurred in with those of another, separate killer. Leads me to believe in something compelling.

The small and indiscriminate murders that have spanned around these all hold different characteristics, and thus seem to not be a serial killer, but rather a collection of one-time acts.

Coupled with what seemed to be an attack directed at the Core, and the hysteria that followed. And the increase in the frequency and strength of the monsters that are rumored to have been created by the Core itself... [A pause. He's babbling.]There's an influx of destruction, even in people who

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

I see what you're getting at now. There's no other reason for the new monsters popping up, or for the Plaster murderer to decide to crawl out of that alcoholic cave of his to create his pretty little masterpieces. Especially when someone's upstaged him already.

The Valentine's murders were all about the day itself, though. I don't think he would have done it any other time. The victims were too thematic for him to pull it off for Easter. Let's just say I'm never going to look at a box of chocolates again without gagging.

This could be a defense mechanism of the Core. I wouldn't put it past that thing to be an AI of some sort. We might as well call it Skynet. Now that I think about it... A while back, this is probably long before you got here, the companies were getting close to finding the Core. Very close. I got my hands on leaked files and went after it. The thing deep fried me with radiation and set of an earthquake that caused a lot more than just property damage. Definitely something saying: Back offYou might be onto something

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Kaz? Insert slight shock and awkward. Nicknames are something he's not at all used to. People using his first name even, other than those extremely close. But he doesn't speak out.]

I see what you mean in the instance of the Valentine-

Radiation? Are you alright? [Clearly this is more important.]

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[Pardon Jinx's incessantly American manners. You'll get used to her, or learn to tolerate it. Everyone does eventually.]

Oh, uh... yeah. I guess. It took a little science and a lot more magic, but this was about eight months ago. [She sounds a bit awkward talking about it. Why was this more important than murder? She clears her throat.]

Anyway, the Valentine's Day murders...

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[So many things to get used to in this world.]

This city and the capabilities of its people are astounding. [He sounds relieved. Of course, the health of the living is more important that the means that the dead became so. So that the living would not follow suit.]

A-Ah, yes. The murders...

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

Oh, stop. I'm not that good at potions.

[She laughs.] Anyway, this guy was a very unique case. He goes by the name Tom Hanniger, but Tom's not the murderer. The other guy who lives in his head and shares his brain is. That one's Harry. He's a dick. No one really saw the whole multiple personality thing coming, so I'm not sure how they're going to prosecute him. I just hope we got rid of Harry for good. A friend of mine tried doing something to his brain to keep Harry from taking over. We're not sure if he succeeded, but if crazy comes out to play again, I'm going to kill the host. One life for the lives of the many.

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[He's about to give a warm response, something about how potions are fairytales in his world, and thus amazing to him regardless of level. But everything stops at her explanation. Even his breathing hitches. He can't speak.

There's another with a situation so close to his own...?

One life for the lives of many...]

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[Jinx is talking. She pays no attention to your dramatic pauses.]

I mean, the guy slaughtered both of my roommates. He came into my apartment and took one of them. When I found Claudio? The body was still warm. He was mutilated. He tried to do that same thing to another friend of mine. Axe right in the chest. I don't even want to know what he was going to do to meSo it's this whole mess of philosophical crap. Keeping an innocent man in prison, killing an innocent man. But as someone who's been in prison more times than I can count? Innocent men are sentenced everyday. Murderers walk free in the streets. Meanwhile, there's enough hard evidence against this sicko to send him to the chair and people are busy arguing about the morality

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[That's good. It gives him time to collect himself. To debate on how much to tell her. He covers the mircophone of his NV to keep his bated breathing unheard. So much panic. He steels himself when she asks him directly. He speaks blankly:]

No, it's all very logical for someone in your situation. It is a hard moral call as well. As to whether the continued existence of that person is worth the risk of the lives that could be lost. As you said, the life of one, in exchange for the possibility of saving the lives of many. And yes, you're right. A truly good person would offer themselves to the proper punishment in the name of what their body has done...

What does Mr. Hanniger think should be done?

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[That gets a morbid chuckle out of her.]

Tom and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. His alter-ego nearly took my entire family away from me. Oh, and Tommy boy hit me across the face with a plank of wood. Granted, I probably looked like something that crawled out of the pits of Hell when he came to, so I can understand. But I'm still angry.

We caused so much commotion the cops came and grabbed him. We didn't stick around. I'm hoping that Tom's little psychosis only comes out to play every February 14th. Then it's controllable.

What would you do, detective?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Such a hard question. Hard because he's already done it. Twice.]

Were you on speaking terms with him prior to this incident?

[A pause, before he answers the question giving, as to stop evading.] It would be a difficult decision for me. Dangerous people should not be allowed to wander, I do agree with that. Psychiatric assistance would be insisted on at the very least.