Hey guys! How are you liking the story today? Sorry if I don't reply to your reviews, I write my chapters right after each other.

ARTHUR POV

Hopping into his gray car, Arthur put the briefcase, along with the book he had been reading the day before, and drove off. When the dark brown brick building came into view, Arthur parked the car and strode into the building, briefcase and phone in hand. The receptionist, an eighteen year old by the name of Sarah, smiled at him and waved as he passed by.

"Hey, Arthur!" She called after him. He turned around, wondering it was.

"Yes?" He walked over to her.

"Someone called your office this morning, and I told them to leave a voicemail. They said to call back." Arthur nodded his thanks, and then followed the charcoal gray walls all the way to the office corridor. Spotting Ivan sitting at his desk, Arthur walked over to him.

"Hey, Ivan, do you know this girl?" Arthur held up the photo of Natalya. When he spotted the look on Ivan's face, he knew it was an affirmative. "She was one of the latest kills." He lay on hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Then he headed towards his stark and clean office, down towards the end. Francis's office was right next to his, and he frowned seeing that Francis wasn't there. Just as he was about to start the voicemail playback, Francis shoved his way into the office. "Arthur! Arthur! Did you hear?"

Arthur frowned grumpily at being interrupted. "Hear what?" Francis nodded at the TV in the corner. Arthur walked closer to it. The dim mutterings of the office shuttered away as he stared at the caption. 'Murderer's latest kill found dead in warehouse'

Arthur ran for his office, grabbing his camera and paper pad, then followed Francis out to his car. The flashy red car wouldn't be his chosen choice, but it would suffice getting to the scene. While he cruised down the highway, Arthur urged Francis to go faster. Finally, Francis went just above the speed limit. When they arrived on the scene, reporters flitted around like flies. Arthur could practically hear the buzzing. Oh wait, that was his phone.

Alfred's sad voice filtered through. Arthur could practically hear the sobs the boy had cried. "Is it true?" Alfred broke out in more sobs. "Is Gilbert dead?"

Arthur searched his memory for the name of that boy, and when he found it his eyes softened. His voice did too. "Ohh Alfred, it's okay, you'll be fine. We don't know yet, so don't worry, alright?"

Already he knew that his brother's best friend was gone. Forever. Alfred's tear-streaked voice whimpered, "Okay, but tell me when you get home, alright?"

Instead of answering, Arthur told Alfred he loved him, and then he turned to Francis. "So who is it?" Before Francis could answer him, Arthur knew the answer, and he felt his heart breaking for his younger brother.

"Gilbert Beilschmidt, 16 years old, Junior, older brother to Ludwig Beilschmidt. His parents were out on the town the night he was killed. Ludwig was devastated when he learned of Gilbert's death."

"How do we know it's the same killer?" Arthur looked at the crime scene. The kid was gone, probably in the morgue, but the tape was there. It looked like he had his hands tied behind his back, which wasn't average for this killer.

"Look at the wall." Turning, Arthur caught the same message as last time.

"Is that his tag or something?" He asked Francis as they walked back to the car, having wrote down and taken a picture of everything.

"Probably." Stepping into the car, Arthur felt sad. His poor younger brother. He just lost one of the best friends he'd ever had. When they arrived back at the station, Ivan, Yao, and Elizaveta were waiting outside. As the only girl on their team, she was still safe. Ivan and Yao expressed no romantic intentions, and Francis and Arthur, well...

Anyway, they all headed to the morgue. Ivan examined the body while Yao, Francis, and Arthur looked at all the notes and pictures. Elizaveta looked for DNA pieces and talked to the family. When they all congregated, Ivan reported that Gilbert had died from multiple hits to the head. He thought it was a baseball bat from the look of it, but they agreed it could be anything.

Elizaveta said that Ludwig thought he had seen a flash of the killer, but it turned out to only be a flash of greenery in the window.

Yao, Francis, and Arthur all agreed that this killing was different from the others. "It's more brutal." Arthur said, with a puzzled look. Why would the killer suddenly change?

"Maybe he knew this person?" Elizaveta put in. Arthur nodded in agreement, then frowned.

"But why would he be more brutal?" He asked them. Francis shook his head in agreement, thinking. Yao spoke next.

"Maybe he didn't like this person, or liked them more, so they felt hurt from a rejection or something?"

"Maybe..." Arthur spoke, and then, looking at the time, put on his suit jacket.

"Where are you going?" Francis asked, standing up as well.

"I'm going to pick my nephew up from the airport." Arthur said.

"Can I come along?" Francis asked.

"Sure." Arthur shrugged and went out to the car. Starting it up, Francis slid in, making Arthur put his briefcase in the back seat. When the stark white and sprawling airport came into view, Arthur parked the car and motioned for Francis to come with him. Seeing a blond in the crowd, Arthur stepped forward and gave them a hug. then he stepped back. "You look well, Matthew!"

So what do you all think! I just love this story right now and it's all I can do to let you guys review. I already know what the first few chapters are gonna be. This is AutobotCopperShadow, signing out!

11:39am

7/4/15