Author's Note: If you're at all observant, you'll have noticed that I changed the title. That has more to do with the fact that this fic is a part of a series than anything else. While I liked the Latin, it was one Latin title in a series with four other English titles. The new title (and the title of the sequel) is from A Perfect Circle's Passive.

No one responded to my offer regarding reviews…I do realize that that really sucked not being able to review for two entire days, and I thank those of you who did. Because that happened, I guess I'll offer the same deal for 10 + reviews per chapter for the next three chapters, or 15+ reviews per chapter on the next two. Thoughts?

Chapter 5

Ravenscar Hospital

Mental Hygiene Wing

Los Angeles, CA

1:30 P.M.

October 13, 2005

"Charles Malone," recited Weiss, reading from a thick medical file, "committed in November of 1988, with tendencies toward paranoia and violent fits of temper. Self-committed. Walked in here and announced that he needed help, then just never left."

"Until now," said Angela darkly, taking the thick manila folder from Weiss and leafing through it.

Constantine took a step forward and looked over her shoulder, noting with satisfaction the look of annoyance on Weiss' gruff features.

"You think he's our murderer?" said Angela to no one in particular.

"Obviously," said Weiss, looking at her as though she'd just sprouted a second head.

Constantine frowned and moved closer still, squinting at the all-but-illegible doctors' handwriting. Angela gave him a look and passed the papers along, stepping away from him and wrapping her arms across her chest.

"You don't think Malone is our guy, do you," said Angela, watching him. It wasn't a question.

Weiss sniffed loudly, an obvious message of condescension.

"No," said Constantine slowly. "But I think he's connected somehow."

"Really?" said Weiss sarcastically, "you think?"

Angela glared at him, but he just smiled coolly. Constantine resisted the urge to snap back at him; he had the feeling that Angela wasn't exactly in the mood for witty remarks, and he had no desire to start another fight with her at the moment.

"Is there any evidence that the two may have known each other?" asked Angela, changing the subject.

Constantine leafed through the file, looking. It was a reasonable question, one he'd been considering himself, but he knew from experience that Ravenscar allowed its mental patients very little contact with the outside world. As good as it sounded, the possibility didn't seem likely.

"Doesn't say."

She nodded, and Weiss tapped his foot, giving Angela a look that clearly said 'what the hell is he doing here?'

"So, what then?" repeated Weiss, as if still trying to believe it. "He just happens to have a room in the vicinity of the murder, just happens to go missing very near to the time of the killing, but he's not involved? That's logical."

Angela looked back and forth between the two men as if deciding whether or not to intervene, then shook her head.

"I never said he wasn't involved," insisted Constantine. "Just that he's not the killer."

"Why?" asked Weiss, his voice rising angrily. "Because you're the spooky exorcist, so you can't just go with the logical explanation? Law enforcement officers follow a protocol you know. That's why we're endorsed by the government while you're stuck doing shady business in dark alleyways."

"Weiss—" started Angela.

"No, really," insisted the younger man. "I want to know why he's so damned sure that Malone isn't our man."

Constantine shrugged and looked down at the papers in his hands, smiling to himself as a theory began to take shape.

"It doesn't add up. Look at it this way. Our victim—Madeleine Neese—was killed in the middle of the hallway. That means she had to get out of her room in the first place. Now Ravenscar may claim to be the most patient-friendly psych ward around, but the truth is it's still a mental institution. They lock the rooms at night. In order for a patient to get out, they'd have to first get the door open.

"According to the report, the door to Neese' room was found unlocked but fully intact. It must have been unlocked with a key. The body was discovered sometime later when nurses were disturbed by loud noises. They found the door to Malone's room destroyed, and Malone gone. But the body was already cold."

Weiss blanched and looked at the floor. Angela let out a slow breath and leaned over, examining the case file one final time.

"Damn it," she muttered. "You're right."

Constantine smiled grimly in response.

"So…then…what?" murmured Angela, more to herself than anyone else. "Malone broke out of his room after the murder—but—how would he have known?"

"If a murder took place outside your door, would you know?" asked Constantine.

"Well, yes, probably, but you know I'm—" She broke off, realization dawning. "You think that Malone…"

"Maybe."

Weiss looked back and forth between them and made a sound of disgust deep in his throat.

"You think Malone is psychic? Angie, be serious, you can't really be buying this bullshit."

Angela shrugged again.

"He's made more sense of it so far than either of us has."

"But he—jesus, next thing you'll tell me our murderer is the Invisible Man."

Constantine kept his face carefully blank as he answered in his trademark deadpan, "You never know."

Weiss' eyebrows shot up to an impossible height.

"You—you're serious. You're fucking serious." He turned to Angela. "He's fucking serious! I don't care what you say, Angie, this whack-job is not staying on the case."

Angela narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Last time I checked, Weiss, I was the senior officer—"

His cell phone chirped, interrupting her, and Weiss dove to answer it. He hung up a moment later, grinning smugly.

"There's been another murder. At a used car dealership about an hour from here. A worker at the dealership reported an assailant matching Malone's description."

"All right," said Angela slowly, "let's go. Weiss, I'll meet you out front."

The young man nodded and took off. Constantine gave Angela a questioning look as she turned back toward him.

"John, listen," she said apologetically, "You've been a great help so far, but Weiss is right, it is our jurisdiction and we have a responsibility to do this according to protocol. I'm not in good favor as it is and I—I could lose my job, John."

Constantine frowned at her, not ready to accept this for an answer.

"There's something not right about this case, Angela, I can feel it. So can you. You aren't trained, you're not ready to face this on your own."

"John…I'm stronger than you think."

He reached out and caught the amulet that hung just above her collarbone. His voice was adamant as he spoke.

"You need me, Angela. This time a bullet proof vest…just might not be enough."

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