There Will Be Blood
Mayuri sat inside a small tree house four houses away from his home. He watched the police go in. It was only a matter of time until they found his last victim. He had never realised that a human could survive for a whole hour after suffering 3rd degree burns to the entire body. That she could even breathe after such internal damage was astounding, but he enjoyed watching her moan and cry through her melted lips as he drove the nails in one by one. Her flesh was so tender from the burns that it barely too effort to nail her to the wall, the metal pins almost slid in, as if she were made of butter.
He chuckled when he heard the muffle screams of the police force.
"They found her..."
'Boom'
"They killed her...as expected. Your mercy is not worth anything in this game." Kurotsuchi sighed. "I guess I should show up eventually...I need a rest from this game, they do too." Mayuri watched them file out of the building. "If I wanted, I could have shot you down from here...but where is the fun in that? Besides, I can tell you are enjoying this...Kurosaki... Mwahahahaha!"
*****
Ichigo wrapped his friend in a blanket and hugged her tight. Rukia wept and stared at her hands.
"How could he...? How could he do that to someone?! That was so cruel!! Even Clown has never gone to that length before!!"
"This means he's getting ready to quit running." Byakuya muttered, approaching silently. "It happens with many killers. They run about and toy with their enemy for a while, then, as the game winds down they best themselves with an act so utterly insane it's like a challenge. He's saying, if we don't finish this quick, it will happen again."
"You mean, he'll kill again?" Ichigo asked.
"Not likely. These extreme slayings are usually the white flag, though it's more red if anything..." Byakuya looked to the ground. "This case is your's to finish Kurosaki. I should have known it was your's from the start but..." He trailed off. "I'll try and track him, but the showdown is between you and clown, I have no part in it."
"Thanks' Byakuya." Ichigo asked. "Take care of your sister for a while, I have something to do." Ichigo handed the traumatized girl over and he then returned to the house. He went inside and followed the trail of forensics and guards to the final room. He stopped in the 'studio' and glared at the papers on the floor. All were drenched; none seemed to carry a message. He then went to the wall and studied the pictures. Again, there was no apparent cryptic message. He sighed and went back outside, deliberately steering clear of the horribly burned corpse.
The others outside studied him curiously.
"Rough day Ichigo?" Renji patted him on the shoulder, but Ichigo didn't even look him in the eye. "Ichigo? Hey!! Answer me!!"
"Shut up!" Ichigo looked off into the distance. "You got a gun?"
"Yes."
"Follow me and be quiet!" Ichigo whispered.
"What?!"
"He's there!" Ichigo pointed to a blurry object down the street. Ichigo broke into a sprint, running full tilt. He breathed raggedly as he pushed himself beyond his natural limit. Clown waited for a while before fleeing. He wanted a chase. He knew Ichigo would see him and pursue...the bastard knew all along.
"Stop!!" Ichigo yelled uselessly, more to breathe than to actually dissuade Clown.
Renji called the others into action, sending cars off in multiple directions. Officers leaned out the windows with guns in their hands, ready to do a drive by if necessary.
Ichigo thundered down the road, his feet aching. Clown hopped over a fence sluggishly and began winding through corridors and alleys endlessly in a vain attempt to lose his tail. "I see you Clown!!" Ichigo watched clown dart around a wall. Ichigo jumped up the stone wall and dropped down. Although it seemed to waste time, it actually closed the gap more. He saw Clown just straight ahead. Both broke out in mad sprints, one desperate to escape, the other desperate to catch up.
The wild goose chase went through more twisting alleys and down side streets.
Where is he going?!
Ichigo watched Mayuri go around a building. He started to follow, and then back tracked. He waited and Mayuri came around the other side, expecting to trick Ichigo. His ploy failed and Ichigo was even close now. Clown glared at Ichigo and burst into another run. For such an unfit looking man, Clown was quite athletic. His stamina was incredible. Ichigo wheezed as he followed Mayuri to a stair-case. Clown ran down then while Ichigo cleared the whole set in one leap, landing right behind Clown. He was only two metres away, but Ichigo landed wrong, his ankle twisted and he was unable to get up. Clown laughed mockingly as he ran further and farther away.
All the while, Ichigo stretched out his hand and roared. "NO DAMMIT!!! COME BACK HERE!!! YOU'RE MINE CLOWN!!! GET BACK HERE!!!" Then his foe was out of sight. Ichigo crawled after him hopelessly before breaking down and crying. He had come so close to success, yet he failed.
*****
Clown doubled over, breathing heavily. "Damn that Kurosaki. He's smarter than I thought. Usually people are headstrong in such situations...Oh well; he won't catch up with a sprained ankle!" Mayuri tried to chuckle, but he was so breathless he barely managed.
"I'll wait for him...He should know were to go."
Mayuri walked slowly across the parking lot of some supermarket, unnoticed due to the fact it was empty. He continued his trek towards the place of the showdown.
*****
Renji caught up with Ichigo. He found him lying in an alley sobbing and grasping his ankle which was twisted.
"Did he attack you?" Renji asked.
"No! I was so close, but I landed wrong! I screwed up again!!" He punched the ground beneath him and cursed.
"Well, at least you're alive."
"You don't get it! I almost had him! I could have ended this nightmare!! I could have killed Clown, quit my job and lived the rest of my life trying to forget...but he fucking escaped!!" Ichigo roared.
"Calm down. We have patrol units spread out all over the city! He won't get away from us!"
"Clown is too smart to run in front of a marked car! He won't be found by your stupid scouts!" Ichigo struggled to his feet. Renji settled him back down and rang for an ambulance. He sat beside his friend until the marked vehicle arrived.
Inside the ambulance, Ichigo had fallen silent. He closed his eyes and tried ever so hard to calm himself. Renji watched sympathetically. As the vehicle came to a stop at some traffic lights, Renji noticed a strange man on the street corner. Renji squinted through the small window at the man. He eventually recognised him. His hand went to his gun and he kicked the door open.
"Ichigo, can you walk?" Ichigo knew what the question meant and he hobbled out of the vehicle, despite the pain. Clown stared at them cluelessly for several seconds. He noticed Renji's gun and began to run. "Dammit! Ichigo, I'm going after him. I'll slow him down for you!" Ichigo nodded as he limped across the path.
Renji darted far ahead, following Mayuri's wild path. The killer ducked under branches, leapt over walls, ran around corners and through alleys, anything to lose his pursuer, but Renji was still close. Mayuri's constant motion made it nearly impossible to line up a shot. Renji doubled his efforts and bridged the gap even more. Mayuri ran into an open section of road in a quiet street. He began to slow and Renji found a clear shot. He raised the gun and smiled.
"See you in hell Clown!" Renji's eyes widened when his hand exploded in a red burst. He dropped his gun and stared at the ragged hole in his hand. "AARGH!!! FUCK!!!"
Mayuri approached with a pistol in his hands. "This is not my usual style, but desperate times call for desperate measures." He fired again, this time into Renji's left knee. The red head dropped to the ground and groaned in pain. "You are Ichigo's police friend aren't you? Renji Abarai. Met him at the training academy a few years ago, really connected. You knew Rukia from times past, so you naturally fitted in with the group. You had fun with small cases until I came to town, right?"
"Go fuck yourself!" Renji roared.
"How rude. Maybe I should take care of you right here?" Mayuri shot Renji in the stomach. "No, there is no fun in that. I want to see your face contort in agony. While I wait for Ichigo, I'm going to have some fun with you!" Renji's face fell. He knew what fun meant to Clown, it meant sadistic torture and eventual murder...
Renji used his free hand to try and grab the gun, but Mayuri blew off the thumb of that hand. Renji stared at the short stump and roared.
"If you thought that would work, then you re dumber than I thought. If I could be caught off guard so easily I would not have lasted so long! You underestimated me, but I will show you the extent of my power! I will make you suffer pain you can't even experience in your worst nightmares!! You will wish for your death until the very end! You will pay, Renji Abarai!"
A young couple came out of their house, overhearing the commotion. Mayuri put a bullet in each skull and then dragged the bodies inside. He then came back for Renji.
*****
Ichigo gave up trying to follow and fell against a brick wall. He hung his head low and dropped to the cold ground. He rang an ambulance and waited.
He had lost this round, hopefully Renji would find and apprehend clown, then Ichigo would be free to finish the nightmare once and for all, but it was doubtful that Renji would fare any better that he did. Clown had beaten him in every single round of his twisted game...though it would be the final round that would count the most.
*****
Byakuya sat at his desk in the station, contemplating the nightmare that was still unfolding. He only wasted time by thinking of nothing so he gladly answered the ringing phone as a chance to actually achieve something.
"Hello, this is police sergeant Byakuya Kuchiki."
"Hello, I'm Doctor Unohana, from the hospital." She sounded worried. "I have analysed the patients from your station. Someone definitely tainted your water supply. A mixture of several hallucinogens was added into your water supply, which from what I've been told is an individual water tank. That would be why only your staff were reported with the symptoms."
"Thank you. To be honest I thought of spiking the moment it happened, but it has confirmed my suspicions. Is there anything else?"
"Well...my friend, a fellow doctor has gone missing. She went on her lunch break a few hours ago and hasn't returned. I heard she went walking around the streets but never came back. I fear that clown may have gotten to her..."
"Why is that?" Byakuya took out a notepad and pen, ready to write notes, as he had been trained.
"Well, I was the one who told her who Clown was, I even told a few of your officers...if Clown is after those who know his identity then my life is also at risk."
"Do not worry. Clown will not strike for a while. He was seen by Ichigo and he was pursued. He will be trying to find a new safer base for the moment, so you are not on his priority list yet. If you want I can send a unit out to patrol the hospital?"
"Yes, if you don't mind."
"Sure. We will ensure that no more people succumb to Clown's twisted desires. You are in safe hands."
"Thank you officer." Unohana hung up and Byakuya returned to the files on Clown.
"Mayuri Kurotsuchi...Ex-mental patient, studied biology...That whole back-story was true, only his identity was false...Was that a mistake on his part or a deliberate act? More importantly, where is he hiding now?"
*****
It had been several hours since the raid. Night had now fallen and Rukia was making her way back home. Her car was still in the shop for repairs so she had to walk. She walked slowly, still shaken from the discovery inside Mayuri's house. She glanced around nervously, constantly anticipating Clown to come out of nowhere and attack her.
I'm acting crazy! Ichigo and Renji went after him. They've probably caught him and killed him and...Then they would've called...
Rukia took out her phone and dialled Renji's number. She waited four rings before Renji answered.
"Rukia?" Renji sounded tired.
"Hi Renji, where are you?"
"I don't know exactly...I was running after Clown and sort of got lost..." Renji chuckled.
"Did you catch him?" Rukia asked.
"Rukia, listen to me! Clown has me held hostage in someone's basement! You have to get help! Search every house in Karakura! Fucking help me before he kills me!" Rukia felt bile rise in her throat at the sound of someone getting hit hard with something.
"Renji? What was that?!"
Whispers came over the speaker and Renji hurriedly answered. "Um...I just fell off of the chair, never mind...Uh...um...Where...Where are you right now?"
"I'm about a block away from my house. I'll ring for backup and organise a search, just try and stay clam and stay alive!"
"Wait!" Renji shouted.
"What's wrong?" Rukia asked. Renji fell silent for a while, breathing heavily. "Renji, if you distract me I can't call for the search!"
"Don't hang up!" Renji roared.
"Why not?! I need to get help!"
"Please...just..." Renji sniffed. He sounded like he was crying. "Speak with me...for the last time..."
"Last time?" Rukia asked, puzzled. Before the question could be answered, a gloved hand covered her mouth and she dropped her phone. She could not struggle as the assailant wrapped something around her arms. She tried to kick at his shins, but her attacker knocked her to the ground. She laid there on her stomach as she was tied up and then lifted into the back seat of a black car.
She wanted to scream, but something was shoved in her mouth to silence her. She struggled with her attacker and managed to spit it out onto the seat in front of her face. Although there was no real way to know, Rukia instantly put a name to the object in front of her.
Renji?! Oh god no!!!
The severed foot was picked up again by Clown and shoved into Rukia's face. She tried to clench her mouth shut, but she screamed. At that moment, Clown shoved it into her mouth and then tied it around her mouth so she could not spit it out. She made muffled screams for the whole ride. If her words could be deciphered, they would have been: "ICHIGO!!!! HELP!!!!"
Mayuri chuckled insanely and brought his face up to Rukia's. His lipless smile made her gag, but the foot in her mouth prevented anything coming out. She swallowed her own bile and felt even worse. Mayuri brought his face closer and held her still. He looked as if he was going to speak, but instead, he licked her cheek. Rukia gave another muffle squeal before a blanket was wrapped around her head, drawing her into a world of darkness, fear and despair.
Clown has caught both Renji and Rukia. time is running out! Ichigo needs to find clown before he loses his two closest friends!! Don't miss the next thrlling chapter!!
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