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.

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 two: The Crime Scene

Hakkai and Sanzo were silent for the remainder of the trip to the crime scene. The lady in the back seat seemed beside herself, babbling about "that cheating swine" and that she was going to give him a "what for" when she got home. For it was one thing to cheat on your wife, it was quite another to cheat on your wife with a prostitute. And a male one at that.

Finally, the small black car pulled up to the side of the road outside a tall apartment complex. There were police cars, red and blue lights flashing over the surfaces of their surroundings. Over graffiti covered brick walls and benches and fire hydrants. Sanzo stepped out of the car; his cigarette began to droop under the falling of the rain.

"Ah shit" he mumbled.

Hakkai assured the woman that someone would come to assist her soon. He opened the boot and took out a black leather suitcase.

"I'm sorry sir, this site is off limits to civilians" said a skinny, nervous-looking police officer dressed smartly in a blue police uniform.

"Get outta my way rookie" Growled Sanzo, Hakkai sighed and approached the young officer.

"We're investigators" he showed the officer his badge.

The young man glared at Sanzo, "go right ahead" he said through gritted teeth.

Sanzo flicked the wet cigarette at the man's feet and grinned as he passed the man. Before they pushed through the grimy glass doors of the apartment complex, Sanzo hurled his keys at the officer. He caught it and glanced quizzically at Sanzo,

"There's a lady in the car. Charges are assault and domestic disturbance. Get her details and an official statement of what happened."

"But I-"

The officer began to protest, but Sanzo slammed the door behind him.

"Perhaps it wasn't the most responsible thing to do Sanzo" Hakkai began disapprovingly.

"Fuck it" Sanzo replied as they entered the small, stainless steel elevator.

He took a fresh cigarette from the front pocket of his crisp, white shirt and placed it between his lips. The lighter clicked three times before a small flame appeared at the tip of it, flickering weakly as he held it to the end of his cigarette.

Hakkai cocked his right brow at his partner, smoking those things was like slowly committing suicide and Sanzo had been knocking them back like he knocked back whiskey. Not only was it a dangerous hobby, but smoking was also an expensive one.

They reached the eighth floor; the yellow police tape was strung across the open front door of apartment number 35a.

"The forensic team are already there Sanzo."

"I can see that"

He replied quietly as they passed the tape into the room. Hakkai surveyed the room; there on the wall hung an empty case. It was fashioned of polished oak the glass was broken and there was a rich red velvet lining. It was the weapons case that he had seen in his dream, but all of the weapons were missing.

"Sa-"

"Come in here Hakkai" Sanzo called from the bathroom. Hakkai carefully followed his partner's voice. The first notable aspect of the horrific scene in the bathroom was the little girl. Her perfect blond curls were laid carefully away from her round little face. There were markings on her eyes, like small crosses carved with a sharp knife or a tiny sharpened instrument.

Hakkai opened the leather briefcase, pulled out white vinyl gloves and adjusted his oval shaped frames. He sighed as he began to carefully collect the evidence from the walls, the floors and general surfaces of the bathroom. Sanzo had cleared the room in his typical point-the-gun-get-the-hell-outta-my-crime-scene way.

After collecting some blood samples with a cotton swab, Hakkai noticed something odd and out of place. A dark green book with small golden letters printed neatly on the spine lay on an angle on the lip of the bathtub. He walked over and picked it up, carefully flicking through the pages with his gloved fingers.

There was a page that had been marked.

"John Keats"

Hakkai said, squinting to properly read the small writing.

"What"

Asked Sanzo as he inspected the woman's body.

"It is a collection of John Keats poetry. It somehow seems out of place for an apartment like this."

"How do you know it wasn't the woman's?" Sanzo asked lighting (yet another) cigarette.

Hakkai pulled off his right glove and touched the surface of the book.

"It belonged to the killer…"

Images flashed in Hakkai's mind. Of a man dressed in black, his face bathed in the shadows of a miserable late winter afternoon. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he was shivering due to the chilled atmosphere.

A bell chimed as he pushed through the door and he was faced with piles and piles of musty books. It was a wonder that one could move around in such a cramped store.

"Excuse me"

He cleared his throat, as he could see nobody behind the counter of the store. A young woman suddenly rose from behind the front desk with a slightly startled look upon her pale and well-featured face. Beautiful silky looking red hair lay at her shoulders, her startling blue eyes seemed kind and there was a slight blush in her cheeks due to the cold outside.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Can I help you sir?"

He grinned at her and shuffled past the books.

"I'm looking for a collection of keats' poetry. I don't suppose you would be able to help me?"

She smiled broadly

"Keats? Why, of course. He is my favourite poet. I'll just have a quick look for you."

With that she disappeared into what seemed like a maze of books. It was then that Hakkai awoke from his vision and he turned to Sanzo.

"I think I have seen a potential victim."

"Are you sure"

"Not entirely, but the woman who sold him this book…he seems to have made some sort of connection to her. Perhaps he lusts after her. I am not yet sure, I can be sure if we find her."

"I s'pose we'd better work on that first thing in the morning. Ah hell, it is morning."

Sanzo said, glancing at his watch.

"After we have finished here, I think it is the best idea to pull up her file from the archives. We need to approach this killer head on. He is no amateur, he quite clearly knows exactly what he is doing."

Sanzo nodded in agreement. He continued with closely inspecting the gruesome scene and the victims that lay lifeless on the bloody, bathroom floor.

Hakkai and Sanzo left the scene with a mutual sense of motivation. When they reached Hakkai's home, he began to make a highly detailed sketch of the girl he had seen in his vision. He noted everything from her pale eyes to her soft, wavy hair.

Sanzo revved up the computer and began to go through the gruelling process of looking through each file of each female registered in New York between the age of 19 to 25.

"Why are there so many women in this damned city?"

Cursed Sanzo after three straight hours of searching.

"Listen, I think we both need a break. I'm going to get something to eat"

Sanzo said being careful not to sound defeated as he rose from the chair in front of the computer. Hakkai took his place after rubbing his weary eyes and took over Sanzo's search for the mystery girl Hakkai had seen in his vision.

Sanzo picked up his long, black leather coat and slipped his arms into it. It had stopped raining outside and it was now six in the morning.

He stepped outside and began to walk down the street. The lamps lining the pavement were beginning to flicker as they died and allowed the natural light of the early morning sun to illuminate the streets. Dull stars still remained stubbornly in the sky and a half-crescent moon hung just above.

He entered a small café on the corner just five minutes away from Hakkai's apartment.

"Mornin' sugar. Are yah ready to order?" A waitress, whose face was caked with layers upon layers of makeup, asked with a flirtatious smile.

"Yeah, black coffee and hotcakes" he replied shortly. "Maple syrup and butter" he finished. He handed her a few crisp bills and folded his hands.

"Well well well."

A familiar voice drawled.

"Who would've thought that Mr. Tough guy eats pancakes with maple syrup"

It was the pimp, Gojyo from earlier. Sanzo glared at him but said nothing. His little monkey joined him.

"Hey Mr. You dropped this before"

Said the teen, placing a golden ring that was hanging from a golden chain on the table in front of him. Sanzo stared at the necklace for a little while, surprised that he hadn't noticed its absence. The golden ring on the elegant looking golden chain, it was beautiful. But Sanzo didn't like to look at it, without a word of thanks he dragged the ring from the table and shoved it in his pocket.

Goku looked a little hurt as his attempt to impress the inspector was ignored.

"Look buddy, monkey here did you a favour. The least you can do is toss a little thanks his way"

Growled Gojyo.

"I'm not thanking a prostitute for returning a personal item that is rightfully mine anyway."

Goku opened his mouth to protest.

"He 'aint no prostitute, what are you? Slow?" Demanded Gojyo angrily.

Sanzo replied by pointing the loaded gun at Gojyo's head.

"Holy shit, you're in-fucking-sane"

Goku shook his head and touched the barrel of the gun.

"Don't hurt him mister"

He said with a little innocent childishness to his tone. Sanzo turned his glare to the young man and found that the frustration had melted away. Goku's eyes were an incredible dark golden colour.

"Ah fuck off monkey, he don't got the balls to shoot me."

Gojyo grinned because he thought he knew he was right. But Sanzo did have the guts to kill the insolent and quite obviously immoral pimp. The problem was he knew that legally it was wrong. Even if his entire body was screaming kill the bastard, kill him now. And Sanzo sometimes wondered why Hakkai believed he had psychotic tendencies.

The mobile phone in Sanzo's pocket began to tremor and vibrate, he quickly took it out and answered it.

"Sanzo? It's Hakkai, I am terribly sorry for interrupting your breakfast but I've found the girl"

"Alright. I'll be there shortly"

He hung up the phone. He stood and took his leave without a further comment to the two sitting before him.

Goku grinned as the waitress placed the pancakes in front of him.

Sanzo glanced at the Monkey as he opened the door to leave and remembered that he had already paid for the meal.

He groaned.

Thankyou for taking the time to read the second chapter. And if you have come this far, perhaps you can come a little further. Please be sure to read the third chapter and if you like what you have seen please review. I cannot stress how important it is for my ego :P