A/N: Hey people! I think I'm finally getting on top of this updating stuff!:) A big thanks to who have been the ones to encourage me to keep this up since you all seem to like this story which is much appreciate. So, as always, hopefully there will be more of you will read and review because seriously, I know it's what everyone says, but reviews are very cool to read, especially if they're praising you;) Enough of my yapping, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
The chill of the San Francisco night air froze Natara Williams to the bone. Her limbs ached as she waited for Cristal Knight to return from work. Genevieve Collins had made it very clear that if she didn't do this task, then the deal to keep everyone she loves safe would be broken.
It was obvious that Natara had no choice, as angry as she was, she was just too tired and hurt to put up a fight. Genevieve had given Natara her badge, which was taken by Oscar when she was taken, and instead of her gun, she was given a sedative which was only all too familiar.
Natara was sent alone soon after, a big mistake on Genevieve's part. Even though she was being closely watched, Natara new she wouldn't complete Genevieve's plan, but instead do her own plan. Thanks to the Maskmaker case, she knew what amount of sedative to use to only make someone appear dead. Then, within a certain amount of time, they would come to and that is where Natara would be able to give the information that Genevieve Collins is not working alone.
The sight of headlights breaks Natara's thoughts as Cristal Knight, the Mayor's secretary, gets out of her car and into her house. Natara waits another agonizing ten minutes before she makes her move. Trying very hard not to limp and cry out in pain, she makes her way up the porch and knocks on the door, thankful that the she has the cover of night to disguise her cuts and bruises.
As Ms. Knight opens the door, she says in a rather unpleasant mood, "Yes, what can I do for you this late night?"
Natara flashes her badge as she says, "Sorry to bother you Miss, but I'm Special Agent Natara Williams from the FBI and I'd like to ask you a couple questions."
Cristal Knight's composure changes at the sight of Natara's badge and stammers as she says, "Oh, I… I'm so sorry… Agent Williams? Please, come in."
Natara stands her ground as she says, "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to ask them out here. I'm on a tight schedule and this should only take a couple minutes."
Confused, Cristal says, "I don't understand, what is this all about?"
As Cristal ponders her question a sudden gust of wind blows, allowing for the porch light to catch a better glimpse of Natara, leaving Cristal stunned.
"Wait…you're that missing Agent…Oh GOD!" Cristal rambles, starting to get scared.
Hoping that Natara wouldn't have had to come down to force, using a new found rush of adrenaline as her strength, Natara overpowers Cristal and drags her in the house, hand over her mouth to keep her from calling out.
Once inside, Natara subdues Ms. Knight and quickly pulls out the syringe and explains quickly, "Look, Ms. Knight, there's no time to explain, but I am truly sorry for having to hurt you."
Cristal's eyes bug out as Natara approaches and starts to struggle out of her restraints.
"Please, just listen." Natara starts, trying very hard to contain upcoming tears, "This isn't going to kill you. It is only going to make it seem like you're dead. When you wake up, I want you to tell them exactly what happened."
Noting that Cristal doesn't seem to be listening, Natara pleads with her, "I'm begging you Ms. Knight, you have to trust me. You have no idea what I've been through and I don't want you to go through the same."
Ms. Knight stops struggling and can hear the sincerity of Natara's words. After a long pause, she nods.
Sure that Ms. Knight won't start a fight; Natara removes the gag from her mouth as she readies the syringe.
"What…what have they've done to you?" Ms. Knight whispers as she notes Natara's injuries.
Natara gives a sad smile and says, "Nothing, I can't handle. Are you ready?"
Reluctant, Ms. Knight nods.
"One more thing, I need you to tell the police that Esmeralda Salazar is involved and I think she's up to something more." Natara says and before she can get a response, she plunges the syringe into Ms. Knight's neck, causing her to go utterly still.
Natara shakily sighs as her adrenaline starts to diminish and can once again feel every ache and pain all over her body. Holding her breath, she uses all her strength to get up and drops the syringe to the floor before crushing it with the heel of her boot.
Walking outside and leaving the door ajar, she nods to the direction where she knows Genevieve is watching and whispers, "It's finally over."
You are now Cristal Knight
You swirl around in a color of rainbows, flowing, as if in a trance, in constant circles. It feels as if you've taken those drugs from when you were a teen, only you feel a little darker side to it. You can't remember the last time you were this relaxed, not having to worry about work or the boyfriend or the lazy brother who always asks for money. It's just bliss. Too bad the voices won't stop talking.
Wait, voices?
Confused, you pay close attention and try and decipher what they are saying.
"So, you can't tell me what killed her?"
"Well, there doesn't seem to be any blunt force trauma anywhere. There are also no bullet or knife wounds. But judging by the faint bruising on her neck, I'm gonna have to go on a limb here and say that she was injected with some type of poison."
"Son of a… are you sure? Then this has to be connected with her, with Natara."
Natara? Natara Williams? That name sounds so… familiar.
Then it hits you. Agent Natara Williams. Looking like hell but sparing your life. Holy crap. You have to think of a way to wake yourself up!
"How can we be certain Doc?"
"Hmm, looks like I'm going to have to cut that area of the neck to look for the needle and then do some blood work."
Holy shit! Like hell he was going to cut you up!
As you feel cold, gloved fingers touch your neck, you scream and jolt awake.
You are now Detective Mal Fallon
The night's events leave you restless as you approach the morgue. The little dumbass Seth rudely interrupted your investigation, stating that the Mayor Secretary, Cristal Knight, was found dead in her home, with no apparent signs of a struggle. You so badly wanted to strangle his scrawny throat when he said that it was obvious that you were wasting your time trying to find a dead Agent. Sadly, Captain was there to give him a scolding and sent Ken to check out Ms. Knight's house while you were to go check on her body.
Although you now clutch the piece of Natara's red dress in your pocket, no leads came from that stupid room. You searched the entire house, but no signs as to where they could have gone were found. But that didn't stop you from forcing Kai to comb every inch of that small, metal room to find some clue Natara could have left behind.
It would be almost impossible if Natara wasn't trying to find ways to lead you to her. She would never lose hope and so, you would never rest until she was safe in your arms.
"What do we have hear Doc?" you say, as you go through the double doors, leading to the autopsy room.
"Ah, Det. Fallon. Other than another poor girl dead on my table, nothing yet."
"So, you can't tell me what killed her?"
"Well, there doesn't seem to be any blunt force trauma anywhere. There are also no bullet or knife wounds. But judging by the faint bruising on her neck, I'm gonna have to go on a limb here and say that she was injected with some type of poison."
"Son of a… are you sure? Then this has to be connected with her, with Natara."
"Now, Det. Fallon, I wouldn't get your hope up. We have to make sure what type of poison it was and even then, ever since the Maskmaker case, there have been hundreds of copycats that leave the chances of this being connected to Ms. Williams one in a million."
"How can we be certain Doc?"
"Hmm, looks like I'm going to have to cut that area of the neck to look for the needle and then do some blood work."
You nod as Doctor Dean Reynolds preps for the incision. As he places his hand on Ms. Night's throat, you swear you just saw her body twitch. Figuring it must be from lack of sleep and your eyes are just playing tricks, you shake your head to try and clear it.
Nothing could have prepared you or even scared you more than what happens next.
Just as Doc is mere millimeters away from making the incision, Ms. Knight opens her mouth in an ear piercing scream and jolts upwards, knocking the Doc on his back, along with the scalpel.
"Mother that is all Holy! She's alive!" the Doc yells, utterly shaken by what has happened.
"No kidding!" you sarcastically retort, rushing over to Ms. Knight.
As you try and calm her down, she keeps saying, "Oh my god… oh my god, oh my god…"
"Ms. Knight, please calm down… Ms. Knight…Ms. KNIGHT!" you yell to get her attention.
Quickly looking at you, then to your side, which has your gun and badge, her eyes start to water as she says, "Oh my god, she was right."
Confused, you ask, "Who was right?"
She looks straight ahead as she answers, "That…that Agent…Natara."
Stunned into silence, Ms. Knight keeps going, "She said she was suppose to… kill me, but…she couldn't. She said she didn't want to hurt me, so she… only made it look like I died."
"Holy shit." You whisper to yourself, and then you say louder, "I know you've been through a lot, Ms. Knight, but can you tell me anything else the Agent Williams told you?"
She laughs silently as she says, "I haven't been through anything close to what she has. She looked… beyond tortured while I got it off easy."
You clench your teeth as you note that that's the second person to note that Natara is seriously hurt.
"She told me to tell you everything. And that Esmeralda Salazar is with her."
"WHAT? What else did she tell?" you ask, shock flowing through your every fiber.
But before you can get anything else, Ms. Knight drifts off unconscious.
"Det. Fallon, we must get her to a proper hospital. There's a reason why I work on dead people; They don't scare the crap out of me." Doctor Reynolds says, finally up after being knocked on his butt.
You sigh as EMT's quickly rush in five minutes later, knowing that you weren't going to get anything else from her.
Stepping out, you pull yourself out and are about to dial Ken when your phone starts ringing.
"Huh, speak of the devil." You say to yourself and answer the phone, "What'd you find, Ken?"
"Man, you're not gonna believe this." Ken says, sounding breathless.
"Natara was there." You sigh; running your hand through your hair which you note is becoming a habit.
"What are you psychic?"
"Ha, no. But our not so dead anymore victim just confirmed that she was forced to kill her. But, of course, Natara outsmarted Collins and only made it seem like she died."
"Damn, that woman can survive anything."
"Let's hope."
Just then, your phone beeps, signaling an incoming call.
"Ugh, Ken, I gotta go, Kai is on the other line. Call me if you find anything else."
"Ha, no problem, and good luck with Kalaba."
You hang up on Ken, and allow for Kai's call to come in.
"This better be good, Kai."
"Yes, yes, oh Mr. Detective Mal Fallon, sir. I've searched through every square inch of this amazing cold, cold metal room, which by the way, it's a miracle that Agent Hotty hasn't suffered any type of hypothermia or infection because there was a lot of blood and I think I got some on my…"
"KAI!" you yell into your phone, not having time for his shenanigans.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, sorry. But since I've been up all night, I've had to stay awake with lots and lots and lots of coffee."
"No kidding. Can you just please tell me what you found!" you ask, trying not to blow up on Kai.
"Oh, well yes, um as I was going through the area that seems to have had Natara, I started dusting for any sign of finger prints and found something very interesting."
There's a long pause and after hearing nothing you say impatiently, "Well, what is it?"
"Oh right, well, I found the word Maskmaker printed in what I have now confirmed is Natara's finger prints."
"What! Are you sure?" you ask, your heart rising in your throat.
"As sure as Natara is the best profiler at leaving clues."
"Okay, but what does it mean?"
"You're the detective, you tell me."
It takes you a moment to think since of has just happened with you're not dead victim and with the news of Natara's little big clue. You start to try and connect the pieces. There's of course Genevieve Collin's who apparently is now working with Esme Salazar, the killing sprees of Genevieve's so called children leaving two failed murders, one done by Natara and a guy by the name of Henry Sotto who's had mental breakdowns since he was a kid, making him go in and out of jail since he was 12. Then the big one of all is the word Maskmaker, left by Natara. Which means…
"Mother trucker! Kai, I gotta go!"
You sprint through the precinct, not caring that you knock people down, and go straight to Amy. Bursting through the doors to the lab, you accidentally crash into Amy.
"Amy!" you say as Amy yells, "Mal!".
You quickly pick up Amy and apologize as you say, "Sorry Amy, but I think I finally know where Natara is!"
"Really?" Amy says hopeful that it's not another dead end.
"Yeah, Kai found out that Natara left us a clue."
"Okay, so what do you need me to do." Amy asks, a little confused as to why you haven't left yet.
"I need you to track down Esmeralda Salazar while I go get Natara."
"Okay, but where is she?"
"She's being kept at Eric's old place."
With that, you sprint back through the precinct and head towards your car. You were finally going to bring Natara home.
