Thank you so much for the views and reviews! Much appreciated, and I'll do my best to update regularly. Anyway...
After his meeting with Alice, Luther drove to the nearby university. He had a few links to the science faculty, set up during his time serving in the drug squad. As he had changed to investigating more violent and high-profile cases, he had maintained his connection to Annabel Fisher, who had been a forensic lab intern, now one of the more renowned researchers within her field of bio-chemistry. It was barely half past five in the evening, but he text her to expect him as he dug around in the trunk for the evidence bag.
Benny rang him half-way up the four flights of stairs to the lab.
"Hey John, is this a good time?"
He ducked through nearest open door, apparently some form of cleaner's supply room, and gave a quick glance around. "Yeah, I got a few minutes free. What you got?"
"You know I'm keeping an eye out for you and your 'projects.' Some medical information has been sent in with your name on it, complete with footage and asking if you were a genuine detective. What do you want me to do with it?"
Rubbing his forehead and still looking out into the stairway, John hmmed around for an answer. "Could you email it to my phone, and find a way to disappear it from the rest of the system. Thanks Benny, I own you one."
"Okay, boss. Good luck." And then a brief pause. "If you need any help, I'm trying to avoid the ex-missus, so feel free at any time and any hour to distract me."
"Cheers." He hung up and hurried up the stairs to knock on the reinforced glass doors of Fisher's department.
"Hey, Ann, a favour?" He jingled the plastic bag. "Got a mystery blanket for you."
John spent a few minutes just resting in his car, seat reclined back and eyes closed. There was no time to relax. He had barely eaten, running almost purely on caffeine. A sigh, a knuckling of his eyes, and he stepped out into the dark cold air.
Mark answered the door carefully. "John! It's all over, you solved it?"
John huddled further into his grey-checkered coat and dithered outside. "No. How is he? How has he been?"
"Quiet. Skittish. Seems to be attached to you – he asked if you called."
"Thanks so much for doing this. I'm really sorry for the lack of warning." He started to make his way indoors but Mark stopped him with a raised hand and shut the door behind him.
"You should have warned me. When you left Jenny, that was different. A self-destructive teenage sex worker is someone I can manage. An abused, traumatised young child needs things that are familiar and comforting. I tried to ensue he had space. Encouraging him to move around the flat, removing myself for a couple of short walks to the shops to give him time to relax. I don't think it was very effective."
"I didn't expect to be gone so long. Did anything happen?"
"I'm not sure. Just...take care. Children are simultaneously more fragile and stronger than you think. He's inside, on the floor. Hasn't taken his coat off all day. I think he's been waiting for you."
With that they both stepped indoors.
Justin was sitting on the floor, leaning rather heavily against the dilapidated armchair, his right hand gently stroking three kittens who were curled up on his crossed legs. Luther crouched down next to him and grinned, touching Justin's right shoulder with his elbow to get his attention.
"Named them yet?"
Justin quickly glanced to Luther and then pointed carefully. "That's Molly, that's Olivia, and that spotted one is Theo."
"Really? You're kidding?"
"Good reminders of my nieces and nephew. These three wouldn't leave me alone from the moment I sat down." He gave a small laugh, and stopped almost immediately.
John sat down next to him and paused at Ripley's pale face. "How are you feeling, Justin? You okay?"
"I'll be fine. Boss. Any news, anything useful?"
"Possibly. This case...possibly. You're sure you're alright?"
"Boss, leave it and back to the case."
"Have you remembered anything more about yesterday?"
Justin reached up and wearily rubbed his forehead, grimacing as he did so. "Nothing yet. I'm not much help, am I? What have you found out?" His eyes followed Mark as he crossed the room to put the kettle on.
John hesitated. He stalled, picking up Molly, all tail and brown blotches, and tucked her into the crook of his neck. He tickled her chin as she mewed in protest and took a deep, bracing breath.
"Nothing good. There have been eight adults disappearing around Hackney and Islington, all fit and able, no eye-witnesses, just gone, until..."
"And? What happened to them?" Luther could hear the anxiety surrounding the question, but soldiered ahead.
"We just uncovered the site their bodies were dumped. Looks like all died by injection, with multiple needle-marks in their arms, but the labs are unsure what caused it. Not sure if it's the people who took you, no kids, but still..."
He could feel Ripley flinch and tense beside him. "Hey, Justin! Stay with me, mate! You're here, I'm here; we can fix this!"
Justin turned his head to look at John. His eyes were wide. "I'm a kid, Boss. Don't know why, don't know how, don't know what to do to fix this. I can't go home. I can't work. Can't-"
"Stop thinking, and snap out of it!" John put Molly on the floor and reached an arm around Justin, lightly shaking him to get his attention and get him breathing normally, even though he flinched away again a moment later. "Justin, we're working to fix this. I've got a few friends looking to see what caused this, and the team's on the case. You'll get through this."
Justin looked down at the two kittens now stirring on his lap. "Yes Boss,"
John lifted Olivia. "Good. If you shift...Theo, was it? We'll give them back to Mark and go. Can't stay here when we're both about to drop."
He could tell Justin was in pain and stressed, but he still had his pride. Luther couldn't afford for Justin to lose his focus. Ripley had stood by him, now it was his turn.
Apologies if some of this content offends. I'm dealing with unfamiliar issues, so I will get things wrong. Advice or corrections would be gratefully received.
