Title: Window to the Soul

Author: Dragonmaster

Rating: R, but the rating may change in later chapters. I'll warn you ahead of time.

Fandom: FAKE

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Pairings: Canon pairings up to the end of Book 7.

Feedback and Distribution: Please! or If you want it, take it, but email me first.

Warnings: SPOILERS up to the end of Book 7. Yaoi, and strong violence/gore.

Summary: Set one month after Book 7. The detectives of the 27th Precinct along with the FBI must find the person behind a series of horrific murders before one of them becomes the next victim.

Disclaimer: Not mine! Sanami Matoh owns FAKE.

Window to the Soul

By: Dragonmaster

Chapter One

"Are you sure we can't send Bikky off to a boarding school? In, say, Iowa?"

Randy "Ryo" McLane glared at his partner over the rims of his glasses. "Yes, I'm sure," he replied. "Don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

Dee Laytner scowled and glared at the older man. "The little shit used up all the hot water on purpose! Nobody takes a fuckin' thirty minute shower!" he snapped irritably.

"If you had gotten out of bed when I first woke you up, you would've been able to shower before Bikky, and you probably would've had time to eat breakfast at home, rather than in the car."

Dee snorted. "Yeah, well, I don't see how this day could get any worse," he grumbled as Ryo motioned to someone outside their office to come in.

"Hello, boys."

Dee looked up and immediately wished he hadn't. "I stand corrected."

Ryo lightly smacked the back of Dee's head as he rose to greet Diana. "It's been a while," he said, warmly embracing the FBI agent. "I'm assuming this isn't just a social visit."

Diana Spacey shook her head. "Sorry, not this time, hon." She turned and fixed her gaze on Dee, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "Are you just going to sit there and let your partner be the only gentleman, or do I get a hug from you too, Mr. Laytner?"

Dee chuckled and pulled Diana into a hug, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I think I'd look forward to your visits a little more if you brought good news once in a while," he commented dryly.

"Does your case have anything to do with the meeting that the commissioner called?" Ryo asked, taking a sip of his lukewarm coffee. Dee snorted at the mention of the commissioner, but said nothing.

"Yeah," Diana replied. "Your whole department is going to be briefed on the case. We can't afford to let this guy get out of New York."
Sharp emerald eyes met hooded onyx as Dee and Ryo exchanged glances. "Just how big is this case?" Ryo asked, his brow furrowing in a mixture of confusion and worry. Dee absently scooted his chair closer to his partner's.

"We're working with about seventy-five precincts ranging from Los Angeles to Boston," Diana explained, gratefully accepting the mug of coffee that Dee handed her. "The suspect has managed to avoid us in every state so far, and now we've got word from one of our sources that he's here in New York City."

A knock on the door interrupted Diana's explanation and Drake Parker poked his head into the office. "Meeting's gonna start soon," he drawled. "The chief'll have your asses if you're late. You too, Diana."

Ryo nodded to the other detective and rose to his feet. "Thanks, Drake." He glanced at Diana. "I guess we'll hear the rest of this from Rose."

"My lucky day," Dee grumbled as he reluctantly followed Ryo and Diana out of the office.


"Alright, quiet down you bastards!" Chief Smith roared as the Criminal Investigations department took their seats. He glared impatiently at the assembled men and women as the chatter died down.

"Listen up, you lucky lot," Smith barked. "This ain't your average case, so I want your full attention on the commissioner here." Smith nodded to the tall blonde standing off to the side and stepped back.

"First of all, does everyone have a copy of the file?" A murmured assent went through the crowd. "Good. Now then, allow me to introduce Agent Diana Spacey of the FBI. We've worked with her in the past and she's proved to be an invaluable asset to us on many occasions." Rose gave Diana a faint smile before his expression turned somber.

"About eight months ago, every precinct in the Los Angeles Police Department was sent a blank manila folder containing a plain typed letter along with a photograph. The letter stated that the victim pictured in the photograph would be killed if the police could not locate him within four weeks and it gave clues in the form of a riddle as to where the victim was being held. Every week after that, a new photograph was sent to the precincts showing stages of a brutal torture. By the time the riddle was solved, the fifth and final photo was sent, showing the victim's corpse." Rose grimaced as he opened the file. "These photographs have been copied and included in your files."

Several detectives let out cries of shock or disgust as they opened their files. Ryo bit back his own reaction as he forced himself to examine the photos.

The first was of a young man in perhaps his mid-twenties. He had been bound hand and foot to a straight-backed metal chair that was fixed to the floor. Apart from a small wound at his temple, the victim appeared unharmed.

In the second photograph, however, the victim was nearly unrecognisable. Half of the man's face had been eaten away by what appeared to be some sort of chemical. What intrigued Ryo was that the skin around the man's eyes was untouched by the chemical, leaving the eyes intact. Casting a quick glance at Dee, Ryo turned to the third photo.

The man's upper body was in the next shot. More of his face had been burned away and his right hand had been cut off at the wrist. His eyes were still unharmed.

"Glad I didn't get to eat much this morning," Dee muttered, his disgust evident in his voice. Ryo nodded absently and turned to the fourth picture.

A large cross had been carved into the victim's chest and his misshapen mouth was twisted open in a horrifying scream. The edges of the wound were ragged and flayed as if the flesh had been torn, rather than cut.

The fifth and final photograph depicted the victim's headless corpse. The man's head lay next to the body, the flesh again appearing torn, as if the head had been ripped clear off the neck. What disturbed Ryo the most was the poor man's eyes, which had remained untouched throughout the entire ordeal. Terror and pain had been frozen into those eyes and Ryo was forced to look away.

"Seven more victims were killed in various states in the same manner," Rose continued, drawing the detectives' attention away from the gruesome photos. "The victims had nothing in common and the only thing that differed in each case was the letter that was sent to the precincts."

"Actually, the last murder ended differently," Diana spoke up. "It was in Philadelphia. Instead of receiving a fifth photo, the precinct received a package. Inside was the victim's head."

Ryo tentatively raised his hand. "Could the Philly murder be a copycat? I mean, why would the perp suddenly change tactics like that?"

"We're not sure. Right now, we're pretty convinced that it's the same person based on photographic and writing style. He or she takes the pictures from the same angle every time and uses consistent patterns in the clue letters."

"So what do we do now?" Dee asked. "Sit around and wait for this guy to mail us a letter?" He snorted derisively. "I don't think so."

"I assure you, Laytner, that we'll be doing everything we can to find this person before someone else gets killed," Rose said stiffly, glaring at the hotheaded young detective. Dee returned the glare with one of his own until Ryo elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

"I want all of you to read the file when you get a chance," Rose continued. "Pay close attention to the letters and the intelligence reports on them as they are the key to this case. If there aren't any more questions, then you're dismissed. Anyone who's not on third shift can leave."

The detectives filed out of the office, a somber mood hanging ominously over the entire department. Each was lost in his or her own thoughts; the concern for families and loved ones being at the forefront of those thoughts.

Ryo pulled on his jacket and watched Dee dig his keys out of his duster and lock up their office. The younger man hesitated for a moment, running a hand through his dark mane of hair.

"You want to stay at my place tonight?" Ryo asked, predicting what Dee was going to ask.

Dee shot him a sheepish grin. "Yeah; thanks, man," he said. "Think the brat'll mind?"

"I doubt he'll notice. He said he was going over Carol's tonight to study, so he won't be back until later."

"He's not walking home, is he?" Dee asked, reluctantly allowing his concern for Bikky to colour his voice.

Ryo shook his head. "No, Carol's aunt is driving him back." He glanced at Dee out of the corner of his eye. "Remember: we have to get some work done tonight."

Dee grinned, his bright eyes twinkling with mischief. "I know, but the commish only said we had to read the file. That shouldn't take too long." He stopped walking as they approached the car and leaned in close to Ryo, pushing the smaller man against the side of the car. "After that, we'll have plenty of time to ourselves," he continued. "No Bikky, no Carol, no JJ, and no Rose. Just us."

Ryo kicked his imagination repeatedly in its imaginary head for the images it conjured up. He brought his hands to Dee's shoulders and firmly pushed him back. "I don't know, Dee. What if Bikky comes home early?"

Dee sighed and reluctantly got in the car. "We wouldn't have to keep dancing around him if you would just tell him about us. We've been together for nearly a month now, for Christ's sake!"

"Dee-"

"You know I love you more than anything, Ryo, but I can't stand being back in the closet!"

Ryo turned the car on and looked at Dee, seeing the frustration in his lover's eyes. He reached over and gently brushed Dee's cheek with his fingertips in a rare gesture of affection. "I know, Dee. This is just really hard for me; I mean, up until I met you, I had never been attracted to another guy. Coming out isn't as easy for me." Ryo leaned over and gently brushed his lips over Dee's.

"Bikky's gonna figure it out sooner or later," Dee commented. "Maybe you should tell Carol first? She'd take it much better than the brat would."

He had a point, Ryo had to admit. Carol was always pushing them together and Ryo trusted her not to tell Bikky. He sighed, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions whirling through his mid. In the end though, his love for Dee won over his fear of rejection.

"I'll tell Carol the next time I see her," Ryo relented, "but I'm going to wait to tell Bikky for just a little bit longer."

Dee brightened and kissed Ryo happily. "Fair enough. Now, let's go home and read that file so we can have a bit of fun before monkey boy gets home."

Ryo chuckled and shook his head as he pulled out of the parking space. "You've got a one-track mind, Dee."

"Yeah, but you love me anyway."

Ryo snorted and rolled his eyes, but there was a warm hand in his all the same.