A/N: I don't own anyone but poor Alex…Wished I owned some of the HR characters…..

Okay just to forewarn all of you this is going to go forward and pick up three days after the start of the story. Flashbacks will be used to fill in the blanks kiddies!

Snow Day = Writing Day!


72 hours later…..

The edge between the living and the dead was frayed like a noose that had seen better days.

The shuffling of bare bloody feet softly whispered upon the city walls.

Canyons of rich crimson lined with veins of ivory lay open to the callousness of the season.

The sensations of cold had long faded away from the surface, retreating from the crippling tendrils of ice that invaded the weakened defenses.

Her legs wouldn't break from the agonizing cycle of one crimson painted foot before the other. She had to get away; somewhere, anywhere but back to that Hell.

Bone and marrow was invaded by the drilling needles of the harsh Pennsylvania winds.

Streams of scarlet iron trickled between knuckle and tip, solidifying the instant they were kissed by the cold, caking under nail and cuticle. Her hair was brittle from the brief dance with the Delaware.

Her voice depressed from the absence of heat to stimulate blood and nerve alike.

The Darkness was draped across her body and soul, continuing to tear down her will to live.

The bright lights of the city offered nothing.

She felt her knees wobble and knock together, waving her debilitated being against the soot coated mortar and brick. Her head cracked against the solid coat of ice that bathed the aging support of the fire escape. Funny, she couldn't feel the pain but knew her body had acknowledged the latest affliction. Her hearing deafened, failing to detect the deep thud vibrating between her skull and ice.

Maybe she should just sit here, for a while, until she could feel again.

Yes, that would be nice. He couldn't hurt her there.

NO! No she couldn't give in! She wouldn't give in!

With her free arm shoved against the filth for leverage, she forced her body to bow to her demands. Rivers of crimson gushed from the cuts gashes and stab wounds that adorned her slender frame as she trudged through the shallow bank. The jagged grate lay in wait with rows of razor teeth resting open beneath the mound of white.

They punctured the few pristine patches of bluish grey, tasting the chilled liquid copper for their efforts. But all she felt was pressure; deceptively gentle pressure which no pain accompanied.

Brazen beams of white obstructed her waning vision but temporarily chasing the blackness away.

Cars! Cars meant people!

The surviving cognitive functions associated the growing tracks with help and commanded the frostbitten toes and feet to move.

With a pathetic inhale, the paralyzing cold choked her lungs and trachea as her feet exited the bank of concrete and into the raging torrent of vehicle and humanity. Her life was now at the mercy of the rapids.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The cabbie slammed on his brakes as the nude figure tripped and collapsed from between the Ford F-150 and Cavalier. He felt the rear of his cab lurching right as the coating of ice and snow reeked Hell on them both. His hands firmly commanded the wild auto, correcting it with a few well calculated turns of the wheel.

"Hey what the fuck?"

His fare, an upper class business douche bag, bitched from the back. Son of a bitch had just left his secretary's apartment and was now on the way home to his naïve loving wife and two children. His forehead smacked the Plexiglas dividing the two worlds. His fingers lightly dabbed the right corner of his forehead, wincing at the tenderness that was evolving into a bruise.

"Where the Hell did you learn to drive asshole? I should have your medallion revoked!"

The driver ignored the overpaid man's shallow arrogant threats as he threw the door open and charged for the woman lying in the middle of the road. The suit, incensed over this, angrily stomped out into the screaming winds, prepared to rip him a new asshole for his callous behavior.

"Just what the FUCK-"

The suit's mouth froze in mid rant, seeing the reason for the cabbie's behavior. His face was erased of any rage or superficial concerns as they turned irrelevant.

"Call 9-1-1!" The cabbie unleashed urgency that was braided with anger at the suit. He ripped his winter coat from his bulky frame and hurriedly created a black cocoon of polyester. Thank god he knew where to check for a pulse as his gloved fingers picked up a faint rhythm tapping his index and middle fingers. She was alive but wouldn't be for much longer in this shit storm!

"Thank you…."

The men didn't hear the meek whisper from the muffled layer. Their ears pricked up at the increasing high pitched cries of police fire and the EMT vehicles barreling towards them.


Ash and Blake marched through the gliding doors of Jefferson University Hospital. The call had come in about one hour prior but the shit conditions of the roads outside added a whole new level of frustration and difficulty for the pair.

It was unusually calm despite the chaos that dominated just beyond the double doors. Perhaps with the bad weather strangling the city most had the common sense to say inside.

"Excuse me," Blake addressed the nurse on duty at the triage station. She was stout woman with cocoa skin and cutting dark chocolate eyes that seemed to make the younger men slightly uneasy. "I'm Lieutenant Blake and this is Lieutenant Ash with Philly PD. We're here about the vic that was brought in an hour ago."

"Have a seat over there and Doctor Teague will be with you." Her tone and manner told the two that this wasn't her first rodeo.

"Thanks," Ash surrendered a polite smile and took the seat beside his partner. The air was sticky with the stench of sterilized instruments, industrial cleaners, and death. He loathed the smells confined in the walls of any hospital. The morgues were always the worst. Formaldehyde was acrid against his nose throat and lungs forcing him to breathe through a damned mask. Death didn't make him flinch as it was a spoke in the wheel of crime that rolled through the city of Brotherly Love.

Ash found himself snorting quietly at the irony of it.

This wasn't what William Penn had envisioned.

"You want some coffee Carter?"

"Sure," the older man shrugged with indifference. Like he was going anywhere any time soon.

Ash pushed off the surprisingly comfortable chair and started for the cafeteria knowing it was open 24 hours.

Blake settled in the supportive cushion and back cushion, finding this more comfortable than his rolling chair in the office. But then again when having to be stationed at a fucking hospital waiting for the damned doctor…..

"Lieutenant Blake?" A light British accent clipped a few feet from his head. Blake looked up to see a middle aged woman of about 6 foot with strong skin and intelligent bronze rings staring down at him.

"Doctor Teague," he didn't have to ask.

"Yes, Doctor Cassie Teague," she nodded. "I apologize to keep you waiting-"

"No we just got here a few minutes ago."

"Well your victim is in surgery at this moment. Her injuries…." Dr. Teague paused to uncover the right words. "She'll be lucky if she makes it from surgery."

"What do you mean 'lucky'?" Blake's face darkened.

"When she was brought in she had on laceration that was 4 inches deep on her right side and that was the tip of the iceberg. Her feet look like they were ran through a cheese grater, there are multiple puncture points across her arms particularly around her veins, track marks on the top sides of her forearms, and then there was the sexual assault."

Blake mentally prepared himself.

"She was sodomized with a foreign object and based on the extent of the tearing of the tissue around the sphincter muscle and anus regions I would have to say it was multiple times. There was no semen recovered from the vaginal areas indicating she was either cleaned up post assault or he used a condom."

"Christ!" Ash appeared with two cups of steaming brew. His hands lightly shook from catching the end of the conversation.

"She was also tortured. Her back, buttocks, and thighs were shredded. But that wasn't all. She had been drugged with Percocet, Vicodin, and Ultram."

"Definitely our boy," Blake muttered.

"Once she's out of surgery she'll be taken to ICU. And I know that if she wakes up you will want to talk to her so I am going to tell you this now: If you do anything and I mean anything to upset my patient I will ban you from the premises. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am," both answered in tandem.

"Now that's been established," she crossed her arms and continued to watch the pair. "If and when she comes around you gentlemen will be notified; both you and the FBI agent."

"Wait," Blake growled. "You said FBI Agent."

"Yes you heard me correctly Lieutenant. He left approximately an hour before your arrival."

Doctor Teague suppressed the pencil thin smile threatening to emerge. Clearly mentioning the FBI agent was akin to telling the lieutenant the donuts in the break room were gone. The bureaucrat, what was his name? Oh yes! Agent Norman Jayden. He possessed a quiet gentile that was obviously lacking in Lieutenant Blake. The sympathetic tone was genuine as he cared about what was transpiring. He had been a little shy and awkward in the beginning but it retreated like a wave exposing a confidence that was submerged.

"Doctor Teague, when she wakes up please let me know."

"Of course Agent Jayden, anything to help catch this bastard!"

She had paused before speaking.

"Her injuries were brutal. I've seen thousands of assaults and injuries cross through this ER but never on the scale that the victim-"

"Do we know her name?"

"No, no I'm afraid not. She was nude with no identification or other means to establish who she is. But she did have a tattoo on her right shoulder."

"A tattoo?" His interest piqued.

"Nothing like I've seen before. It looked something like this-"

Snatching a pen and paper from the nurses' station, Doctor Teague attempted to recall the design from memory. Jayden tilted his head to obtain a better view as the series of curves breathed life into the shaky symbol. It was of three identical curls that resembled the shells of snails. When taken in as a whole it echoed a triangle.

"Here," she extended her hand with paper offered outward. "I hope this helps."

"Right now any information no matter how small it seems may be what we need."

He tucked the neatly folded sheet in his jacket pocket and exchanged a card with her. With a small smile he turned and quietly retreated towards the waiting storm outside.

"He will be the first one I call," she affirmed to herself before tending to her rounds.


Jayden returned to the police station eager to get started. He hoped the woman would make it through as it would be a tremendous break. But then no one deserved what the Ripper's victims were put through; his latest victim included. Just the Origami Killer's young innocent victims, these women were no different. Their lifestyles were tragic but they didn't earn the fate forced upon each of them. Blake could've given two shits less about the stories of each victim as all he saw was some poor whore who got cut up. Perry's priorities were on the image of the department and how they were perceived by the public.

Same fucking MO as with the Origami Killer! Find a suspect! Innocence or guilt to be determined after the fact if at all!

They had done that with Ethan Mars; making him public enemy number one. Well fuck Blake! He was going to go this alone!

Retrieving the shades nestled comfortably in the top right jacket pocket he adjusted them on the bridge of his nose, content they would remain. The glove slid on his right hand, stretched from countless use.

ARI had committed the drawing to its database and had the image identified:

Triskele or Triskelion: Symbol of Celtic origin; meanings vary.

Comprised of three protrusions which can hold different ideas or symbolisms; could represent the three Celtic worlds: Otherworld, Mortal World, and Celestial World.

"Well that doesn't help." Jayden sighed with hints of defeat but wasn't deflated. Pulling up the Geoanalysis map he pulled up the tattoo parlors in the immediate vicinity.

"Shit, there has to be at least 30! There has to be a better way!"

Jayden attempted to cross check the image with the tattoo parlors highlighted on the map in the hope he would get a hit.

"Damn," he growled as ARI highlighted all locations. "If she doesn't wake up we'll be back at square one."

Pulling up the information available on the Ripper and his MO, Jayden knew he was grasping straws but time wasn't a luxury none of them could afford. A woman was fighting for her life, 11 others were six feet under, and one was on a slab in the city morgue.

Ripper: Modus Operandi

"He targets women; prostitutes and drug users to be exact. All exhibit injuries that correlate with torture or methods of torture. No one sees anything or anyone suspicious when the victims go missing. Average length of time between abduction and body being discovered in Kensington area of the city….."

Jayden's voice drawled when the notion struck him.

"He's making a statement by dumping the bodies in that area."

Quickly he pulled the geoanalysis map down and cross checked it with the locations of the victims' bodies being recovered. Every single dot lit up the Kensington area of Philadelphia.

But he wasn't going to stop there.

"I need to talk to that cab driver and rider."

Norman rolled the two dimensional map up then summoned the police report from the hospital, finding it was available for his eyes. He noted the time and other statistics but that wasn't what he was searching for.

Driver, Mr. Rashid, reported seeing victim stumbling out from between two parked cars at approximately 11:53 PM along East Girard Avenue parallel to Delaware Expressway. His passenger, Mr. JP Ford, offered a description of the victim's injuries: Various deep cuts noted on arms, legs and back.

Victim rushed to Jefferson University Hospital.

"Wait…." The agent paused and decided to attempt a new direction.

Taking the symbol he decided to cross check it with any known prostitutes, drug dealers, and drug pushers/users whom were in the system; rather the ones still alive. ARI took a few moments as it ran through the several thousand active records for the entire city then the surrounding county.

"Shit," he slumped in the seat. Well that lead was six feet under.

His phone suddenly went off instantly severing his ties to ARI.

"Jayden," he wearily greeted the caller.

"Agent Jayden this is Doctor Teague."

"Doctor Teague," he was surprised to hear from the doctor so soon. "How can I help you? Has the victim-"

"No she's in surgery still but someone arrived here and identified the victim; a family member. He described the tattoo and identified the victim through a photo."

"I'm on my way. Don't let that man leave."

Jayden found his feet skidding across the exposed patches of ice and snow. The white death was releasing its chokehold over the city but Nature wasn't finished yet.

First it's rain now it's snow! Why can't I catch a case where it's warmer and sunny?

The agent miserably mused upon entry through the sliding glass doors. Upon setting one foot across the threshold the furnace level blast melted the invisible layer of cold from his body. Behind him was the converging pack of the media, waiting for the latest piece of meat like a swarm of hungry hyenas.


Inside the steel and concrete layers the hurried pitch of voices and feet were easier to digest. Norman proceeded for the triage station where a different nurse was stationed.

"I'm looking for Doctor Teague."

The slender olive skinned woman cast a brief upward glance at the dark haired visitor.

"And you are?" Her voice was flat and bored.

"I'm Agent Norman Jayden with the FBI. She called me about 30 minutes ago."

"Agent Jayden!"

Doctor Teague was racing towards him with renewed urgency in her stride.

"Come with me."

Before he could speak a single syllable he was being whisked down the hall away from the initial chaos of the ER. The grip on his bicep was firm and guided him through the maze of staff, beds, gurneys, and equipment which cluttered the halls.

"I had the man put in a room down here. It wasn't difficult as he refused to leave until she was out of surgery."

"What did he say?"

"I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Detectives Blake and Ash are in there now."

Isn't that just fucking lovely? Poor bastard is being grilled by one of the most unstable human beings on the planet! He's better off being in a room with a rabid dog!

Jayden hurried his gait with the doctor keeping pace with no effort. The end of the hallway was vacant of people and equipment as it was conference rooms and spare offices that staff used to sneak naps or quick meal breaks.

"Second door from end on the left; I need to tend to other patients but will keep you updated on the victim."

"Thanks Doc," Jayden offered a rare smile.

"Good luck with Mr. Hyde in there," she gestured to the door.

"Thanks," he sighed glumly. She was right: He was going to need all the help and luck he could acquire especially where Detective Carter Blake was concerned. Taking a deep breath he curled his fingers around the door and gave a sharp jerk to the right.

Blake and Ash both jolted their heads up to find the bureaucrat storming in.

"Jayden! What the fuck are you doing here? This is police business!" Blake instantly ignited his dickish mannerisms.

"In case you forgot Blake I am here working the same case as you and Ash." Jayden shoved past Blake who had his fists curled into a set of tight balls. Ash shook his head disapprovingly at his partner as the agent froze a foot from the latter.

Sitting in the chair with coffee loosely encircled around his hands was Ethan Mars. His light eyes were diverted to the cooling blend encapsulated in the cheap Styrofoam cup. The stump that had been his pink blared at Jayden as he took a seat beside the visibly shaking man.

He has a sister?

Ethan lifted his head and felt a spear of relief upon seeing a familiar and comforting face. He was beginning to feel as if he was being choked by occupying the same space as the man who had aimlessly accused him of being the Origami Killer. If the air had been comprised of rope or cloth he would've been cut off from air already.

"Agent Jayden," the sandy blonde looked to the younger man. "M-My sister, Alex..."

"Take your time," he gently reassured Ethan.

"She went missing four days ago after leaving a party for a coworker. Alex had texted me saying she was heading home because she had to be up early for a case she was a witness for. But when the city called saying she didn't show up for court I knew something was wrong. She never misses work and always remembers to be at court! Those kids look up to her!"

"What is it she does?"

Ethan took a feeble sip of the cheap watered down blend and took a ragged breath.

"She's a social worker for the city."

"Admirable," the agent noted. "Not too many people are willing to be placed in such a position."

"Alex worked with the youth, she loved it. I-I don't understand. Why anyone would want to hurt her?"

"Oh I can think of a few reasons," Blake muttered nastily under his breath. Ash narrowed his eyes at his partner who didn't sense the angered stare.

"Did Alex have enemies from work or perhaps from one of her cases?"

"N-No, no one I can think of." Ethan sadly shook his head as it drooped over the cup. "God why is this happening!? I lost Jason then Shaun was….."

His voice trailed off to a quiet whisper.

"No one deserves what those girls went through." Ash added with a hint of empathy. "That's why we need to know everything and anything that will help us find this sick fuck."

"She was a bit upset recently about someone she was seeing. Alex didn't say who it was and I didn't ask. He broke things off abruptly without a decent reason."

"Would the name be in her phone by chance?" Ash was hastily jotting notes in the slender pad.

"Maybe but her phone was lost, destroyed, stolen, or whatever you wanted to call it."

"We can access the phone records from the cellular provider," Blake grumbled. "Find out who she was in contact with up to the time she went missing."

Ethan continued to remain in a state of perpetual shock. His body and mind were detached from the trauma that was revolving around him. Blake's harsh tone and mannerism had been shut down with the only cue his was speaking was the twisting and snapping of his lips. He was beginning to wonder if someone was out to get him and his family. God, Shaun was going to bombard him with questions that he didn't have answers to. How does a father break to his son that his favorite and only aunt could die? It could send Shaun into a relapse. No, no he wasn't going to say that! Alex was going to pull through.

"Mr. Mars," Jayden snapped his fingers an inch from his eyes. Ethan blinked once but didn't accede his presence.

"He's not responding; still in shock over everything."

"Well this isn't helping," Blake groaned while rolling his eyes. "We have a victim that may or may not make it and a brother who decided to turn mute!"

"Damn it Blake! He's been through Hell and you being a psychopathic asshole isn't helping matters!"

"Go fuck yourself Jayden!" The older man started for Norman but Ash intervened, placing his body between the men.

"Carter this isn't the time! You heard what Perry said."

His nostrils flared like an enraged bull's as the source of his rage stood feet away. An ugly twist to Blake's mouth and eyes cast a demonic darkness over the normally gruff features. Jayden wasn't standing down and held fast against his foe. He wasn't going to let this overcompensating bully push him around.

Ash felt the tension thickening in the room, constricting his body like a serpent. He knew Blake would kill Jayden if he had not jumped in. The intense hatred between the two men had grown to legendary status around the station. This would be another page to add to that story.

"Fine," Blake ripped the door open and stormed out leaving Ash behind.

"Asshole," he heard the agent snap under his breath. Ash spun around coming inches from Jayden's face.

"I don't know who you think you are coming in here like this is your case Jayden but you should watch your back."

"Is that a threat Detective Ash?" Norman's eyes hardened as his stance went rigid like ice. "I'm not scared of you or Blake. You intimidating me makes me think you're both scared; that my presence here may make your department look bad or incompetent."

Confidence surged in one as the other experienced a level of deflation.

"Fuck off," Ash sulked out of the room. Jayden felt the adrenaline fueling his body, leaving in a state of euphoria and anxiety. He knew Blake wouldn't hesitate to swing a fist but Ash had been unreadable. Now the agent knew where the latter stood.

"Agent Jayden," Ethan pulled out of his catatonia. His movements were rusted and clumsy as he straightened in the unforgiving seat. He looked up at the younger man with drained eyes.

"Please find who did this to my sister."

"I will," Norman quietly assured him.

"Thank you," he rested his forehead into his waiting hands.

Jayden knew he needed some time alone and quietly slipped from the room, closing the door part way to grant him some quiet. He debated his next move as it could be hours more until he receives word of Alex's condition; and that was if she pulled through. Doctor Teague had not disclosed the surgery or surgeries leaving him to speculate what would come over the horizon.

God I hope she comes through.

His eyes wandered to the right then to the left seeing the sign pointing the way for the cafeteria. Jayden hoped the coffee was better here than at the station. That cheap shit that passed as coffee was a joke and made a point of avoiding that damned dispenser altogether.

Here's to hoping the coffee is palatable.


"I didn't think that little fucker could piss me off any more…."

Blake clawed his fingers into the seat. Ash just calmly stared ahead, accustomed to the rants and ravings his partner would unleash. He didn't care for the arrogant bastard either and perceived Norman Jayden as a nosy, intrusive little prick. If Ethan Mars had not been in that room he would've let Blake pulverize that arrogant shit into the floor.

"Easy Carter," Ash maintained an even voice. "Don't need to see you lose your badge over him. He's not worth it."

"Well still! He strolls right in like he owns the place and takes over our case! This is our city!"

"I know that Carter but the orders came in from the Commissioner to have Jayden here. Apparently he was impressed with the Origami Killer case. You're lucky Ethan Mars didn't file charges and Perry hushed it all up."

Ash had always been the voice of reason for Carter. The sandy blonde had been his conscious in a manner of speaking, steadying the balance between his brash sometimes brutal tactics and Ash's calmer sensible approach to things.

"You're right," Blake conceded. "I can't let him get under my skin like that. He'd love to see my ass off this case and I REFUSE to acquiesce him."

Blake managed to take a breath before picking back up.

"So we know who the victim is now. Too bad the Ripper didn't finish her off."

Ash arched an eyebrow but kept silent.

"What do you have against her Carter? She wasn't a drug pusher or hooker."

"You came on after but Alexandra Koch and I have a rather colorful history." The added smirk confused him.

"No I didn't fuck her. God no!"

Contempt and disgust braided his tongue and words. Clearly his partner held no love for her. But he wasn't sure if he should kick the hornet's nest and earn a few stings for his folly. Ash decided it was best to let Carter come to him. There was no need to compound his burning anger with any more.


How could she have escaped!? He had everything secure!

No, he underestimated his prey.

Now she would need to suffer for her deception.

But the fucking cops had her barricaded in, keeping everyone out. Keeping him out.

Perhaps she wouldn't survive, that her body would finish what he started.

For now he would bide his time and wait…