Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you might recognize from the manga/anime Saiyuki. Any traits that you do recognize belong to Tokyopop and the writers and artists on the team of Saiyuki. I also do not claim to own any of the poetry written by the great John Keats that you may or may not recognize in this fan fiction nor do I own any musical lyrics you might recognize from the band Evanescence in this particular chapter.
A/N: I was reading a novel of the crime/investigation and general horror genre where a man seeks out his victims and literally scares them to death. I thought this is terrible. Human beings can be such monsters. This thought connected to Saiyuki, and how the only monsters were actual demons somewhat forced into their mindless killing due to the affects of the minus wave. I know – as well as most of you – that there is always a glitch in one out of a hundred and fifty human brains. Whether it is due to a negative childhood or a natural case of psychosis. And then an idea suddenly hatched in my mind, what if Sanzo was an investigator in our day and age, dealing with the absolute inhumane murders of a crazed psychopath? Although this story may be rather different to others on offer in the Saiyuki genre, I hope you find it interesting at least. Although I am one for taking constructive criticism whole-heartedly, I do not appreciate flaming of my creations. So I will thank you to be polite and friendly while visiting this little world I have conjured.
Chapter one: Deep sleep, dreaming
Hakkai paced the room; he was not an impatient person. Not under normal circumstances. But a woman and her child could have possibly been murdered tonight. He wanted to act now. The first thing he had done was retrieving his notebook and record every exact detail from the dream. The colour of the carpet, the peeling wallpapers even the neon lights flashing outside the window.
Every single detail was essential to their case and essential to finding the killer. Hakkai walked over to the door and turned the handle. Sanzo stood there with a cigarette held between his lips.
"How did you know I was here?" he asked, little red veins crawling around his lilac coloured irises.
"Have you been drinking again Sanzo?" Hakkai asked, concerned. Though he knew the answer to his question before he had even asked it.
"What are you, my mother" Sanzo drawled and entered the small apartment.
Hakkai shook his head as he closed the door behind Sanzo and turned the lock.
"What do we have?" Sanzo asked quietly
"The aspect of the dream that stood out the most was the display of medieval weapons on the wall. The apartment looked cheap and sleazy. There was something as expensive as a German War Hammer made of gold, a dragon spear and a Black Ronin Tomahawk. The woman was killed by the murderer thrusting a broad sword into her lower abdomen." Hakkai suppressed a shudder at the sight of her intestines slipping onto the green carpet. "He knew that wounding her there would leave him time to visually torture her." Continued Hakkai.
"Who was the woman" Sanzo asked, "I'm not entirely sure. I drew a sketch of her and her daughter, here."
He handed his partner a beige coloured art pad and headed to his kitchen "Would you like some tea?" asked Hakkai, but the look that he received from Sanzo was more than enough of an answer.
"There's something else…I had another dream last night Sanzo." Hakkai said quietly.
"Was it another murder?" He asked watching Hakkai closely.
"No, but it was strange. You and I were in a Jeep with two other people. You were dressed as a priest and I had a monocle."
Sanzo blinked "Finally losing it are you?"
Hakkai smiled and took a seat near the television set.
"I am not quite sure what to make of the killer himself. He seems to be suffering from a case of Psychosis, his mention of the woman's sins and that the little girl was his gateway
There is relevance to Hakkai's dream in connection to the original Saiyuki story. It isn't - as one might assume – a cheap shot at a joke.
to heaven gave me that impression Sanzo."
Hakkai had known Sanzo for seven years now; he knew that he could not make any claims without backing up his statement with fact.
"You know Sanzo, the affect of psychosis can involve the individual with an obsessive attachment to a single concept and most of the time these concepts are religious beliefs." The pager on Sanzo's belt began to beep, he looked at the screen.
"Ok, we have a confirmed homicide" Sanzo said grimly.
Hakkai sighed and blew the surface of his tea watching the steam curl and seep like wisps of smoke in the air.
"Well, we best head off then." And the two left Hakkai's small apartment.
"Your car or mine?" Hakkai shrugged as they stepped down onto the flooded pavement outside.
"Yours is easier to access, mine is in the parking complex across the road." Sanzo nodded and unlocked the door of his car.
"I think I had better drive though," Hakkai said carefully, smiling as Sanzo glared at him. "It's my car, I'll drive"
The two slid into the front seats and Sanzo took the wheel.
/Oh dear/ thought Hakkai, looking at Sanzo start the engine up with great uncertainty. Sanzo wasn't really a good driver in the first place, but say that to his face and you'll be talking to the dark barrel of his gun.
Hakkai looked at his partner and studied his facial expression. He was stone faced all right, but sometimes when he looked at Hakkai…he shook such thoughts from his head before they got there.
"What did I say about pulling that empathy crap on me" demanded Sanzo with a growl. Hakkai answered only with silence and a sweetly passive smile. Sanzo swerved the car a little, almost grazing the truck beside him.
He didn't ignore the profanities that the driver of that vehicle was screaming out of his window.
He pulled the car over screeching the wheels against the rubble until they came to a harsh stop at the curb.
"Sanzo…" Hakkai began uncertainly
"Stay outta this" He growled and slammed the door.
Sometimes Sanzo felt the need to release his tension and the perfect outlet was some anonymous testosterone-pumped truck driver who had dropped his burger as a result of Sanzo's careless driving.
"Gotta problem" demanded the blonde as he faced the beefcake standing across from him. "You some sort of fucking head case, you coulda forced me off the road" he yelled, veins popping from his thick neck.
The rain was pounding down onto the gravel and pavement outside. Hakkai sighed deeply, but the passive smile never disappeared from his face.
Sanzo felt the grin force itself into his expression, that arrogant come-and-get-me grin that always seemed to push his offender over the edge into a blind and uncontrollable rage.
"What the hell are you smilin' at pretty boy," demanded the truck driver. He cracked his knuckles and stepped forwards as means of appearing threatening.
The rain ran down his face, soaking his golden hair and making it stick to his forehead, his hair hung across his eyes. Sanzo forced himself not to blink; his vision slowly became blurred as the cold droplets began to run into his eyes.
Hakkai watched through the frosted rain-streaked windows as the large man threw himself at Sanzo. Sanzo stepped aside in one swift and graceful movement. As the man staggered forward, trying to regain his balance, Sanzo brought his elbow down fast against the back of his neck.
Hakkai flinched, pushed open the door and stepped out into the rain. He watched Sanzo pounding his fists into the truck driver's face. "Sanzo" Hakkai called through the rolling thunder "I am quite sure he has endured enough".
The two investigators jerked when they heard a high pitched screaming coming from a near-by alleyway. Sanzo patted the man's shuddering shoulder and ran in the direction of the scream.
They faced an almost hollow alleyway covered in grime, trash and graffiti. A young boy was squirming; a larger woman was squeezing his throat and a man wearing a smart, fitted purple suit was trying to tear the larger woman's meaty fingers from around the boy's neck.
"Freeze lady" Sanzo said loudly, steadily holding his gun up and aiming it at the woman.
"The little bastard stole my husband," she screamed frantically.
"Listen Lady, what your husband chooses to do with his money is his choice, we do what we're paid to do," the man in the suit looked up and blinked as if he hadn't noticed Sanzo and Hakkai standing there.
Hakkai edged slowly and pressed the nozzle of his gun to the back of the woman's neck. The hold she had on the boy slackened and she began to sob.
The man in the suit turned and glared
"I was Handlin' the situation just fine" he growled, Hakkai carefully cuffed the large woman and was soothing her with words of comfort.
"I hope you realize sir that prostitution is against the law. So is underage sex. How old is your little one there, sixteen?" Sanzo asked, disgusted as he looked into the face of the young boy. His golden eyes seemed to shine in the darkness. Sanzo pointed the gun at the man. "What's your name" he then demanded "both of you".
The man grinned, "My nameis Gojyo, and this little fellow here is Goku. And he 'aint 16". Sanzo's attention was reverted back to the young boy whose breath was rasping and crackled "I'm hungry" he wined "Shut yer face ya overgrown monkey" snapped Gojyo.
Hakkai had taken the large woman to Sanzo's car and helped her into the back seat. He retreated a blanket from the boot for Goku.
"Am I supposed to know that name or something? Listen, we don't have enough time to play your little games Mr. Gojyo. I'm going to arrest you. You and your monkey" Goku frowned "I'm not a monkey," he said angrily
Gojyo laughed, his thick, red braid heavy from the rain. "Oh yeah? You and whose army? You gotta lotta nerve threatenin' me like that copper. Considerin' we haven't actually done anything against the law."
Sanzo glared at the red head "You've been pimping this boy out, that's illegal."
Gojyo smiled smugly "Prove it."
Hakkai approached the three Sanzo growled as Gojyo took the younger man's hand and helped him to his feet. Hakkai offered the blanket to Goku, who smiled broadly. "Gee, thanks!"
Gojyo rolled his eyes. "C'mon monkey, let's get something to eat." And he brushed past Sanzo and Goku followed.
"He's right Sanzo, we cannot actually prove that the boy is a prostitute at this time. Also, if you remember, we have a crime scene to visit."
Sanzo returned his silver gun to its place and shoved his hands in his pockets. Hakkai followed him and slid into the driver's seat.
"Your knuckles are bleeding Sanzo, you had better let me drive."
Sanzo didn't look at his partner; he just took the passenger seat and glanced at the woman in the rear-view mirror.
"What the hell is she doing here? We don't have the time Hakkai." He took out the packet of cigarettes from his glove box and perched one between his lips.
The rain began to pound harder outside as the car made its way down the road.
Thankyou for taking the time to read the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please, R&R and again, flames are most certainly NOT WELCOME.