Duplicity Chapter 11, a witchblade fanfic

Duplicity

By Divamercury

Hello, all! I am so sorry that I've been AWOL for so long, but life's been crazy what with school starting and the end of summer, etc. So, to make up for it, here's an extra-long, extra-interesting, rather gory new chapter. Before we start, I want to say in advance that, if you don't already know, this isn't going to be a happy story. Lots of blood, gore, death, psychosis, etc. And also in advance I want to say to those of you that might be homosexual and to males that happen to be named Stacey that I am not trying to offend in any way, shape, or form. I am only trying to be somewhat funny. Are you intrigued yet? Please read Chapter 11, I hope you enjoy, and don't you dare forget to review! Love you all!

~DM

Chapter 11

I had finally hacked my way through the forest—or at least what had previously been one—on my desk and was getting ready to start the final stack when my cell phone rang, shattering the silence. Connor looked like he was about to fly through the ceiling.

"Pezzini," I replied. Connor glared at me and I shrugged.

"Hello, Sara."

"Hey, you. Whatcha up to?" I asked.

"Nothing spectacular," Ian replied. "What are your plans for lunch?"

Lunch? But it was only 10:00! I glanced at our clock almost hidden by Connor's windbreaker, moving said garment to check the time.

It was 12:15.

"Ummmto tell you the truth, I haven't really thought about it. I thought it was still 10:00 until three seconds ago."

"I see." I could hear the smile in his voice. "You must have been hard at work."

"Yepso what were you planning?"

"To meet you somewhere if your schedule allowed it," he said.

"Sounds fine. Vague, but fine. How about—"

"—Trappetto's," we said simultaneously. I laughed. "You know me too well, Nottingham."

"It's my job to know you, Sara. As well as protect you."

"Yeah, yeah. So, Trappetto's inhalf an hour?"

"Sounds great. Bye."

"Bye, baby."

"So since when do you have a boyfriend, Pez?" Connor wanted to know.

"Who said it was a boyfriend?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. This little tweak had worked very well with Jake, so I decided to test it on Connor and see how he would take it.

"What are you talking about, Pez?" He was thoroughly confused.

"How do you know it's a guy?"

"Who's a guy?"

Man, this was going to be harder than I thought. "Whoever I'm dating."

"It just is, right?"

I gave him a borderline wicked look. "What do you think?"

"Oh, my God!" Connor pushed his rolling chair back from his desk. "Pez, you're not seriousare you? I mean, you're not" Well, that changed fast. Now he was falling all over himself!

"Not what, Connor?"

"Nototherwise inclined when it comes to dating."

I laughed at his terminology. "Aww, come on, Connor. Nice looking guy like you, haven't you wondered why I didn't make a move?"

Connor seemed stunned. He apparently had never thought of the possibility that I might not be into guys before.

"I thought it was because you don't date cops."

"Well, that's part of ithey, how'd you know that anyway? I don't think I ever told you that. In fact, I don't think we've ever talked about dating before."

"Iheard it around."

"You asked around, you mean. You were checking me out."

"Ummyeah. But thisthis is not something I expected." He was giving me a weird look.

"Connor" I sighed. My conscience told me to give up the act. It wasn't right to mess with his head like this, especially when he was a genuine rookie and not an undercover cop like Jake. Plus, it could really mess with our working relationship. Was he as much of a homophobe as Jake? "Relax, Connor. I'm not."

"Not what?"

"Otherwise inclined about dating, as you put it. Lesbian, as most other humans would put it."

"You mean you're dating a—"

"Guy? Yes, Connor."

"But you said—"

"I know what I said," I interrupted, exasperated. "I was just messing with you. I promise."

"You swear?"

"I'll swear if you want. Repeatedly, but only one of them will be the solemn promises you want. The other ones would be along the lines of damn, asshole, fu—"

"Okay, okay," Connor interrupted. I grinned but he eyed me nervously before finally relaxing.

"Do you believe me?"

"I believed you the first time, Pez."

"Well, just goes to show that you can't always believe what everyone says."

"True. So, who is this guy? What's he do?"

Hmm. Had to take this one carefully. "He's looking for a job right now, but he used to be a bodyguard."

"Whoa! Big guy, huh?"

"Yeah. I think you two would get along. He'd probably like you, tooalthough he wasn't too keen about you calling me in the middle of the night," I hinted. It wasn't a lienot exactly. It just took Ian a while to get irritated about it.

Connor obviously didn't like the idea of a "big guy" being pissed at him. "I swear I'll think it over before calling you after 10:00 PM."

"Or before 6:30 AM," I added.

"Yeah, that too. God, I still can't believe you played with my mind like that, Pez!"

"What are partners for? Not to mention training officers."

"Good question. If I get screwed over like this every day, I'll have to resign."

I smiled. "Just stay on my good side, Connor, and we won't have any problems."

I kept my eye on the clock until I had fifteen minutes before I was supposed to meet Ian and then put down my pen.

"Gotta run, Connor," I said. "Ian's probably waiting for me."

"Ian?"

"My boyfriend."

"Oh. Yeah, definitely a guy's name. Not like Stacey or somethingthat could go either way."

"Connor, from what you know about me—"

"Which isn't all that much," he interjected.

"—Okay, I'll give you that. Anyway, from what little you do know of me, do you think I would date a guy named Stacey?"

"Up until a few minutes ago I was under the impression that you didn't date guys at all!"

I glared at him. "You won't let me forget this, will you?"

He shook his head.

I sighed. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I tried that with my last partner and he fell for it, too."

"Who? Jake McCartey?"

"My past precedes me. Yes, Jake. He reacted in a similar fashionalthough I never was kind enough to tell him for certain that it wasn't true. Guess I was feeling nice today. So, answer my question."

"Hmmwell, rumor has it you like the bad-ass types, so I'll hazard a guess and say no, you wouldn't date a guy named Stacey."

"Correct."

"Who's good?" Connor asked triumphantly.

"I don't know, who?" His grin slid off his face. "Just kidding. So, Johnny, tell him what he's won!"

"What?"

"Connor, you just won all the air you can breathe for the rest of your life," I said in a cheesy announcer voice.

Connor rolled his eyes. "Get out of my sight," he said. "I can't take any more of that. Go expose Ian to it for a while, give your poor partner a break. And remember that I want to meet this guy."

"Yeah, sure, Connor. See you in an hour or so. Hope that's enough time for you to recuperate."

Trappetto's wasn't very far from the precinctbut then again, it seemed like nothing was far from the precinct. At any rate, I got off my Buell and entered the restaurant.

"Hello, Tony," I said to the host as I approached the podium.

"Ah, Sara. How have you been? I haven't seen you around here lately. It's been a while."

"Sure has. Too long. So, is anyone here waiting for me?"

"Yup. Tall guy, dark hair. Sitting in the back."

"Some things never change," I said to myself.

"Come again?" Tony asked.

"Nothing. Not important."

"I'll take you back there if you want," Tony offered.

"Thanks, but that's okay. I'll manage," I said, smiling.

"Sure, no prob," Tony said, running an olive hand sheepishly through jet black hair. "You probably have the floor plan memorized or something," he remarked with a twinkle in his brown eyes.

"Something like that," I said, smiling. "See you later."

"Don't be a stranger, Sara."

"Don't worry. I have no intention to be." And with that final note I headed back to the back.

"Hey."

"Hello."

"How's it going?"

"Excellent, now that you're here."

"You're learning well, Nottingham," I said with a grin and slid into the booth and looked at him across the table. He was wearing his famous black coat still, a habit he refused to break, but had a dark green sweater and indigo jeans on beneath it. At least he'd lost the gloves.

"I have been told that I have always been an apt pupil."

"Tell me about it," I said, thinking back to my own experience with his fast learning in the bedroom. "So, what looks good to you?"

"I haven't decided yet. Give me a minute."

* * *

I knocked once on the door to Pez and Connor's office and was notified that I could enter by a grunt from inside.

"Hey, Connor," I said.

"Yo, Vic. What's going on?"

"Got some autopsy results here."

Connor sighed. "Just put them on top of the stack here with the rest of these," he said. I did so and was about to leave when I thought of what Pez and I had been talking about earlier.

"Hey, Connor?" I asked.

"Hmmm?"

"Mind if I sit down for a minute? I've got something to say."

"Sure. Pez's on lunch break. Lucky her. So what's this about?"

"You know the case that's got Pez really freaked out?"

"Yeah. The Thompson murder? The head one?"

"That would be it. Well, Pez's got some kind of conspiracy theory or something."

"What do you mean?"

"Has she not told you about it?"

"No. Go ahead," he said.

I paused for a moment. If Pez hadn't told him herself, did that mean that she considered him a suspect? Connor was staring at me by that point and I decided to tell him about it. It was eating away at me to tell him, staying constant with the symptoms of a good secret: it aches to be told. It takes a person with strong character to keep one of those secretsand unfortunately I wasn't one of those lucky few.

"Well, since the box ended up on her desk, it's really startled her. Maybe she feels responsible or something, but I know she's dying—pardon the pun—to find out who did this. She's convinced the killer's gonna go serial, and she thinks that" I trailed off.

"That?"

"That the killer is someone she knows."

Connor didn't say anything for several minutes.

"So what does that mean?" he asked finally.

"Don't know. She's thinking it's someone in this precinct to start off with. Not many people know her by name outside of the police force. Except maybe the criminal circuit, I guess, but this MO is completely different from what we've seen for as long as either Pez or I can remember. All she knows is that it's a local, and I personally think, and have probably convinced Pez into thinking, that the killer's a man. Those cuts just screamed man to me."

"So Sara thinks she knows the killer." It wasn't a question.

"That's what she told me. She was trying not to act like it, but I think she's pretty worried. Don't tell her I told you, though. If she tells you about it, act surprised. I don't think I was supposed to tell you to begin with."

"Don't worry about it, Vic. I can act."

"Okay," I said. "I've gotta get back. Got loads of work to do, and none of it is particularly appetizing."

"Great," he said. "Hey, Vic?"

"Hey, Connor?"

"Do you think I should talk to the Captain about this?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. Pez may want to herself."

"I'll tell him to act surprised, too," he said.

"WellI don't think that would be the best idea on the planet, butyou do what you want. Just remember that there's nothing I can do to protect you from Pez's wrath if you piss her off."

"Yeah, well, I don't think anything short of an intervention from the powers that be could do that."

"True. Well, better be heading back to my lair. See you later, Connor."

"Bye, Vic."

I headed back down to the morgue, wondering all the way whether or not I had done something really dumb.

* * *

I leaned back in my chair, unable to concentrate on the files in front of me. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration and thought about what Vicki had said. I wondered if Sara considered me a suspect? Even though I hadn't known her for very long, her reputation as a great detective, albeit a paranoid and at times pugnacious one, was pretty much a consensus now that the White Bulls were out of the department. I lingered in my chair for a few more minutes before making my decision to go and see Laredo.

I left my office and went to Laredo's, knocking quietly.

"Come in!" he barked. I entered and approached his desk, letting him finish whatever paperwork occupied him. He finally looked up at me and smiled.

"Connor! How is everything going with you?"

"Sir?"

"With Pezzini. Is she a tough taskmaster?"

"In some ways. She's a great detective."

"She certainly is. She teaching you well?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good to hear it. So, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, sir, I've heard some talk about a case of ours and I thought you should know about it."

"A case of yours and Pezzini's?"

"Yes, sir. The Thompson murder."

"The one with the head deficiency until recently?"

"Yes, sir. Well, Sara seems convinced that the culprit is someone, as she put it, "local."

"Well, it would have to be, wouldn't it? The person would have to be in New York to have done it!"

"That'snot exactly what I meant, sir. I believe she thinks that the killer is someone on the force."

Laredo started at that information. "Really? Does she have a suspect?"

"She hasn't told me if she does."

"Well, thank you for this information. I'm just curious as to why Sara didn't tell me this herself and why she sent you."

"Well, that's the other thing. She didn't send me. And she didn't even really tell me. She told Vicki Po."

"I see. So she doesn't even know you know?"

"No, sir. She was probably going to tell you soon, and probably will. So if she does, would you mind acting like you don't know?"

Laredo chuckled. "Don't want to get in trouble with your training officer, eh? Well, I'll keep your secret, Connor. I'm glad that you trust me enough."

"You have every right to know."

"Yeswell. Why aren't you on your lunch break? I'm about ready to go on mine."

"I'm waiting for Pez to get back. One of us has to do the paperwork."

"I see. Well, thank you, Connor. You're holding your own weight. Good for you. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, sir, for listening. I appreciate it."

"No, no, son. Thank you for letting me know."

I nodded and left, heading back to the office I shared with Sara, pondering on the way over about when, or if, we would hear from our killer.

* * *

She knows it's me, she knows it's me, she knows it's meon into infinity. She's on to me. I thought. Well, just gotta calm down. Watch yourself. Don't get too cockybut I've gotta send a message. One they won't forgetStupid bitch made me clean the house every day while she sat on her fat ass doing nothingwell I sure showed her, didn't I. She never even saw it coming. One quick slash and it was all over. But the fun had just begun. I really enjoyed tearing her apartthe bitch had had it coming to her. Went around the town with whoever'd take her. Didn't matter if he was married, half-drunk, she liked them all. And she expected me to respect her after all that? Ha. I turned the ceiling red with all I did to her. The cops practically cried at my fake shock. I didn't speak for three days just to make it seem genuine

Damn, I'm pissed off now. And bored, really bored. Gotta find something to do. Church. Hmmm. Don't pray, but there could be something in there to do. Damn, this is a small building. Not many rooms in this little white hallway. Fluorescent light glareaww shit. Hey, there's a gym! A gym in a church? Cool. Could be something interesting. Have I got my bag with me? Oh, yeah. It's a backpack right now. Heh heh. Well, might as well get to workholy crap! Thatthat looks just like her. Same little bitch smirk. Too bad she's busycan't let her see me. Wait, the guy's leaving. Good.

"Bye, Tom."

She's even got the bitch's voice. Well, not for long. Grab a basketball, act like you're supposed to be here.

"Hi there. Do I know you?"

"I don't think so. I'm new around here." For once it wasn't a lie. I hadn't been around here long.

"I'm Paula. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Bill." Innocuous, bland, normal. In other words, perfect.

"So, why are you here? Oops, stupid question. Basketball, right?"

"Well, not exactly. I was actually hoping to meet someone like you." More than you'll realize.

"Cool. So what do you want to do?"

I scanned the area. Where would the best place to do this be? "Hey, what's this over here?" I asked suddenly.

"What do you mean? That's just the bleachers or whatever."

"It looks like there's something under here. Come on, let's look."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. There's definitely something down there." I ushered her in front of me and reached into my pocket slowly. My rage was building. I smiled wickedly. This one was going to be fun

"What are you talking about? There's nothing under here but dust. What did you mean? What did you see, Bill?" Paula asked, turning around.

"This," I said, plunging the ice pick concealed in my right hand into her forehead right above the bridge of her nose. I avoided the blood spurt and relished the shocked expression on her face. I whipped out my trusty knife, which was more efficient than the razorblade I had used last time, and started sawing her head off. I knew she wasn't quite dead yet, so it made me enjoy it even more. This time the blood was unavoidable butoh well, you can't have everything. That was why I always carried an extra set of clothes and a towel in my backpack. And since I had the attention of the police, I decided to really put on a show with this one. After I had the head off, I decided that I'd play with the cops a little this time and started on the right legif I played my cards right even the cops with the strongest stomachs would be puking all over themselves when I was through. And that thought made it all worthwhileand made my face stretch into a grin.

* * *

After a great lunch of Chicken Parmesan over angel hair pasta (for me) and Fettuccini Alfredo for Ian, we were arguing over who was going to pay the check.

"Sara, I will cover it."

"Forget it, mister. I am paying."

"Are not."

"Am too."

"No you won't."

"Watch me."

Just then my cell phone rang. As I fished through my jacket to find my phone, answering on the third ring, I grimaced as Ian put the cash in the tray and handed it to the waiter, giving me a smug grin. I sighed. Better luck next time.

"Pezzini," I answered the phone

"Hey Pez."

"Connor. What's up? How are you doing with the paperwork, and why haven't you taken your break yet?"

"I was going to wait for you. I've made some real progress, butthat's not the point. Pez, we've got a problem."

"What?"

"You know the Thompson case?"

"Yeah, of course I do. There was a head in a box on my desk, you think I could forget that or something? Where are you going with this?"