Requiem of May
Chapter 3
They arrived at the house and Meilin went to the door to open it with her key while Ryusuke unloaded the luggage from the car and they both started getting everything into the entrance hall. The house was empty, Eriol had decided that since it was a sunny Sunday, he would take his whole family out for a picnic and left instructions to Ryusuke to stay with Meilin to keep her company. As if any such instructions were needed to make him stay!
When everything was entered, Meilin went to the kitchen to start fixing some food for her man. She felt that if she didn't, he'd faint for lack of food. He went with her to the kitchen and she started cooking while recounting her experiences.
"So how's the serial killer case going? Or is it two killers now?" Meilin asked when she finished telling him of her trip.
"Oh, darn! I thought we had kept that out of the press. Where did you read about it?" He asked, angry at whoever might've worried her stay with the details of the case. The press had been having quite a field day, what with bodies showing up in various states of decaying or eating in different park areas all over London and the added fact that there were two distinctive modus operandi to the killings. The police had been going through all kinds of theories as to who or what might've done that but the pieces still didn't add up to make a profile of what they were looking for. Moreover, there were already 2 victims found in suburbs and the police had kept that fact quiet so as not to alarm the people.
"Then I won't tell you if you get like that. Any clues as to who might be?"
"You know, the question right now is a 'what' rather than a who. Yeah, I know," he answered to Meilin's wide open eyes. "It's just an idea, a hunch. No one would believe me if I told them, anyway."
"Have you talked to Eriol?"
"That's the first thing I did, as a matter of fact. He has no idea what or who might've done... all that..." He trailed off remembering the gruesome scenes.
Meilin heard the tone of his voice, went over the counter to where he was sitting and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He took her up in his arms and kissed her tenderly.
"I know you'll catch whoever did it. You always do." She said confidently as soon as she could speak again.
"Of course I will! Nobody does that kind of things while I'm around! But first, I'm starving." This was the cue for Meilin to go back and finish preparing the meal.
She finished cooking in a few minutes and they both sat down to eat. They were silent at first, until Ryusuke was full enough to take a break from eating. Then Meilin put down her fork and started.
"Now, tell me everything about it. And don't spare the details." She ordered him.
"Can't you wait until after the desert?" He moaned.
She shook her head. "You've been avoiding the subject. If it was a common murder case, you wouldn't have any reason not to talk about it, except hurting sensibilities, which it isn't the case here. I want to know what's so important when you can't even tell who did it." She looked straight into his eyes. "You know my background. You can't surprise me that easily."
"You're a Nosy Parker, you know that." He said grimly.
"Yes! Now start talking."
He sighed and, seeing no way out of it, began the tale.
"You know that two days before you left I got a call from HQ for a body found in Battersea." Meilin nodded. "After the coroner's autopsy, it was stated that the body had been slashed open by a sharp object, possibly some kind of large blade, and that those wounds were the cause o death. There were also marks of animal activity. The corpse had been eaten quite considerably by small animals most likely.
"What wasn't said at the inquest by orders from above was that the man had been gutted from inside out with some kind of blade. This fact was kept silent because of its bizarre nature. I mean, it was a sharp metal object after all. How do you cut someone from inside out with a metal object? And the public would go up in a smoke, not to mention the media if they got their hands into that information.
"After that, 5 more bodies were found in other park areas all over London with similar wounds and the same cause of death. All also partly eaten by small animals. The times of death all vary and there's no pattern in any of the victims' deaths to follow. At first, we thought it might be animals, but the metal object wouldn't fit in with that. Besides, the attack area's so largely spread it'd have to be a species that lived in all those places and there's none that fits the description. Then if it was a human, he'd have to have a pattern to choose his victims, he'd have to be seen in too many places to be missed that easily, but there's no lead on anyone that's been in all those places, not even a salesman travelling the country or a vagabond. Then you have to consider the state of decomposition of the bodies and you'd note that they haven't been lying in the earth for long, yet they are eaten by animals to a very advanced degree, which also hinders the identification of the time of death. I didn't even know they had such wild animals loose in England as to do that kind of damage so fast! Wildlife has been informed and they are making a sweep of the whole of each area to see what they can find.
"Then, a few days ago, we had a call from a neighbour in the area of Clapham saying that they'd found a body lying in an alley in the middle of Spencer Road. When we saw the body, it was slashed and gutted like the others but there were no indications of animal activity. What's more, when the coroner performed the autopsy, it was discovered that the same kind of weapon had been used to cut the body, but that this had been done from the outside, unlike the rest of the bodies. The second body like this was found over at Hampton Hill. Slashed from the outside, no signs of animals, thrown in the street. This new victims seem to be the doings of a copycat killer who is trying to imitate the original Park Killer, as the media calls him. But this new person doesn't know about the weapon cutting from inside the body, so this one we're tracking down first. We'll probably find him soon and get information from him to help us catch the original killer. I don't think they've had any contact with each other but it seems this new one at least knows about the weapon, and we need that to help us track others of the kind.
"That's where we are right now. Is that what you wanted to know?" He asked after finishing the story.
"Yes, thank you." She answered calmly. "Give me a minute."
She got up and went to the stove. She lifted the teapot and poured 2 cups of tea which he brought back with pieces of black forest pie. She placed them in front of herself and Ryusuke and sat down again.
"Now tell me everything else you omitted." She said with her cup in her hands.
He started at that. "How do you know there's more?"
"If I hadn't, you just confirmed it." She answered with a smile. Then she explained, "You said you feel it's more of a 'what' than a who, yet you only explained it as if you're looking for a human being right now. And if you went to Eriol for help, it means there's something that makes you think it's not normal, other than lack of any clues. I think there are bits of information you omitted to mention. What else did you find?"
"You're right. In everything." He sighed. "You would make a fine detective. How could you tell so much?"
"I spent my childhood training and learning magic with Syaoran. Even if I can't use it, I still have all the theoretical knowledge I acquired. And the first thing you're taught when dealing with magic is to look for small bits of odds and ends of residual energy to tell you what kind of magic you're dealing with. If Eriol doesn't know what's killing those people and you still believe it's not human, then there must be something else you found about the murderer."
At this point, he could no longer hide it. "Alright. Inside the victims' bodies there was a fibrose substance in the abdomen, some kind of cocoon, and it was cut open from the inside by the same weapon that cut the body. It looked like something grew inside that cocoon in the abdomen and then cut through the cocoon first and then through the flesh and came out. Also, that same something ate through the body, starting with the liver from the inside before cutting its way out. The person must've undergone a tremendous agony while he was being eaten from inside before dying. The coroner couldn't determine the speed at which the thing ate the liver or how long did the person live, if any, before being cut open because of all the other bite marks all over the place since the body was attacked by other animals as well. It was impossible to tell if the person was still alive or just dead when he was cut open. All that the autopsy could tell was that it was at the same time." He was looking down, sickened by the thought of all that. "Most of this information is actually from Eriol. He went into the morgue and performed whatever he does and when he came out he told me there were no traces of magic but he could tell me how the person had died, in case it was of any use. As a matter of fact, I have no idea if it's of any use, except that now we have bodies being cut open from outside like it should be but the same cocoon cut open also from outside is there, smashed to bits and empty like the rest."
Meilin was silent throughout the entire time. She waited until he recovered enough to speak to him.
"This means you're looking for some kind of animal, not a human being." She stated.
"That would be so, if it wasn't for the blades. They were metallic blades they used for cutting open the bodies. That has been corroborated by Eriol as well. What animal has metallic parts in its body?"
"And Eriol said it wasn't magic?"
"Yes, he said there was no magic involved in it. It wasn't any magical creature or anything of the magical world. And I think that actually worried him."
She could believe that much. Eriol was the reincarnation of Clow Reed, the most powerful mage of all times, and there was nothing he hadn't known. She imagined that Eriol would be much annoyed by something he didn't know after having been the know-all for so long.
"So what now?" She asked. "What's the next step?"
"As far as I can see it, if we consider the street victims to have been killed by a human, then we go looking for a human. From then on, I don't know yet." He shrugged his shoulders. "But one thing I know. I will capture whatever is doing this and I will end it, no matter what it takes. I won't be beaten!" This statement seemed to revive his spirits and he lifted a fist against the invisible foe, showing his resolution.
"I know you will, definitely!" Meilin said, going over to hug him. "And I will help you!"
"What?!" He almost stumbled over. "What do you mean help me? You're not planning on trying to solve this case, are you?" He looked at her suspiciously.
"Well, why do you think I asked you so much about it? I can probably get information you might need to help you out. I can give you a hand--" She was still talking when he interrupted her.
"Oh, no! No and most certainly no! You are not going to poke around and put yourself in danger. This is a case of murder. Whoever or whatever is out there is killing people and I won't allow you to become the next victim for going where you've no business to be. You will stay out of it, you hear me?" He was standing now, holding her by the shoulders, completely serious.
"But you're going over everywhere looking for the killer. He might kill you and I'm not going to just sit around and watch it. I don't want to leave you alone if anything happens." She was trying to win him over to her point of view but he wouldn't budge.
"That is my job. I'm sworn to protect the people and that includes you. Now promise me you won't go poking about and getting yourself in danger."
"You're hurting me."
"Promise!"
"Alright," she gave in. "I won't get myself in danger." He was still looking at her, unconvinced. "I promise! Now could you please let me go?"
He let her go and relaxed.
"I'm sorry. I just can't bear the thought that something might happ--" His mobile phone was ringing and he picked it up. His face became alert as he listened and he moved away to talk more privately. He came back less than a minute later. "I'm sorry, Meilin, I have to go now."
"Was that a call from your work?"
"Yes, something happened and I have to go now. I'm sorry." He apologised. "I'll be back for dinner."
"But it's Sunday. Can't it wait until tomorrow? I just got back." She pleaded.
"I wish I could stay but it's urgent." He was unwilling to go also but he had to.
"OK. I guess it can't be helped." She sighed. "I'll have your dinner ready for when you return. New recipe, you'll love it."
"You're the best!" He brightened at this and gave her a long kiss before putting on his coat and leaving.
She watched him leave from the door until the car disappeared in the distance. Then she went in again to get a coat and bag and left the house, locking the door behind her. She consulted a map she had in her purse and went towards the bus stop.
"It's a bright Sunday afternoon, perfect for walking. What danger can there be in walking over some illuminated places? Besides, I've got plenty of time. I'll be back before dinner."
With this, she headed for a place Ryusuke had mentioned a victim had been found.