"It's too early," Thalia groaned as she turned her head away from the window. She had been relaxing with her head against it, but for some reason, the sun decided to shine down right into her eyes and keep her from precious slumber. Even though she was wearing sunglasses.

"Drink your coffee," Zoë ordered. There was a small frown on her face as she drove. Thalia had no clue where they were going. She had just begun sitting down at her desk when Zoë told her they had a call they needed to respond to.

"Too tired," Thalia complained. She laid her head back again. As she thought she was going to fall asleep, sirens blared in her ears. "Oh, come on."

Thalia forced her eyes open and looked around. They were in a pretty shitty part of town. It was known for its gang violence and general murders. Granted, it only had like five murders a year and the gangs were merely young creatures posturing for power, but there were also the times when they did get a little more violent. Especially since Ma Gasket tried to control this area.

"Where are we going?" Thalia questioned.

"It's a storefront turned into a residential address," Zoë explained. "Your favorite captain called us and said that there was a murder. From what he said, it's not good."

"Well, murder is never good," Thalia commented. Zoë ignored her sarcasm. Thalia grabbed the coffee her partner had bought for her and took a few sips. "Was that burrito for breakfast a good idea?"

"No, you shouldn't have eaten," Zoë confirmed. She pulled up outside of a building. Thalia saw a few cop cars, an ambulance, and a couple of other vehicles. There was no one walking by on the sidewalk and streets, which made sense. No one with a brain would be caught dead around a crime scene.

"That's not good," Thalia noticed as she scanned the faces of everyone there. A frown set her lips as she saw two police officers questioning someone. And, that person was crying. It was the last person that Thalia ever thought she would see crying: Ma Gasket.

Zoë got out of her car and walked towards one of the officers on scene. Thalia followed behind and flashed her badge at one of the cops guarding the tape barricade. As she walked, she kept her gaze on Ma Gasket. The cyclops' eye was bloodshot as she cried. She looked devastated.

Ma Gasket's cries wracked her body, her torso jerking with choked sobs. The two police officers were visibly uncomfortable. Thalia just couldn't find it in her to feel bad. After all, Ma Gasket defined being a piece of shit.

"What is the situation here, Reynolds?" Zoë asked one of the cops.

"Two dead cyclopes," Officer Reynolds answered. He pointed inside. "It's a freak's art project in there."

"Ma Gasket's boys?" Thalia assumed. The police officer nodded. "Any witnesses? Cameras?"

"No," Reynolds answered. He motioned for them to follow and led them towards the backside of the building. Thalia looked around. The back alley had windows covered by shutters. One of those shutters had been lifted wide open. Further inspection showed holes in the shutter, like someone had stabbed it.

A foul smell flooded Thalia's nostrils. Her nose crinkled at the smell of iron and rotting flesh. Zoë spoke, "Who reported the bodies?"

"The old couple across the street," Reynolds answered as he pointed to a small Chinese store on the corner. "They said they heard screams all night and ignored it. When they woke up, they checked on the building and called us when they smelled the blood."

Thalia swallowed painfully and stepped inside. She nearly stepped in blood and carefully avoided the bloody footprints that led away from the inside of the building.

"Does this lead anywhere?" Zoë questioned.

"Out to the garbage can," Reynolds answered as he jerked his thumb back to the alley. "There's no trail after that. Like I said earlier. No witnesses, no cameras, nothing."

Thalia stepped into the main room, and she immediately regretted eating that morning. She covered her mouth and stared at the scene in front of her. Both of Ma Gasket's boys were hanging from the ceiling. One was hanging in a noose made of thick chains. The other had been impaled in the head.

The one hanging from the noose had his guts freely spilling from his abdomen. The body of the other was a gray color, and a look down showed the tiles were soaked in their blood. Both bodies had numerous cuts all over their body that could have been created by a knife or a claw. The boys had been tortured before their death.

"Jesus," Thalia breathed as she turned. Not much got to her, but this was fucking sick. Thalia walked out of the building. She hunched forward and felt like her breakfast was about to make an encore. Deep breaths entered and left her as she tried to calm down.

"Fuck," Thalia gasped. She took another deep breath and moved her gaze to Ma Gasket. The monster was still crying, but at this moment in time, Thalia couldn't blame the cyclops. Hell, she felt a twinge of sympathy for her.

"You okay?" Zoë asked softly. Thalia nodded. "You look ready to lose your breakfast."

"Who the fuck did that?" Thalia demanded as she looked at Zoë. She swallowed painfully and felt bile crawling up in the back of her throat. "Fuck. I'm sorry. I don't know why, I just..."

"It happens to all of us, Thalia. At least you didn't throw up on the crime scene," Zoë soothed. Thalia glanced back at her.

"No way," Thalia denied. Zoë smiled slightly.

"I did," Zoë confirmed. "It was my rookie year. There was a massacre. Almost like this one. It was a gang leaving a warning for their rivals."

"I don't think I can go back there. Not right," Thalia admitted.

"We don't have to," Zoë promised. "Let us ask Ma Gasket some questions. Can you keep it professional?"

"Yeah. I can," Thalia guaranteed. She followed Zoë to Ma Gasket. The cyclops was trying to wipe the tears from her eye. Thalia stopped by her car to grab a box of tissues. When they made it to Ma Gasket's side, Thalia offered her the box.

"Have you come here to taunt me?" Ma Gasket hissed.

"No," Zoë replied honestly. "We're here to investigate who slaughtered your sons. Do you know anyone who wishes to bring you harm?"

"Other than your bar?" Ma Gasket demanded. "I am sure Chiron is behind this, and I know he is going to be protected by you."

"Everyone at the bar will be questioned," Thalia intoned through gritted teeth. "By the police. Not us. Is there anyone else outside of the bar?"

"The entire fucking city!" Ma Gasket snapped. "Nobody cares if a cyclops is killed!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Thalia saw Reynolds approach them. He cleared his throat and held something up in a bag, "We found this."

Thalia tilted her head as she studied the bloodied nail inside of the bag as it was passed to her partner. It seemed as if the attacker had left behind a piece of evidence.

"We can use that to trace the DNA," Zoë stated as she grasped the plastic bag.

"It is a werewolf's nail." Ma Gasket hissed accusingly, reaching out to snatch the bag.

Zoë swung the scrap of evidence out of the cyclops's reach, using her other hand to point a warning finger at the woman. Thalia took a moment to examine the nail. She supposed that it did look like one, sharp as steel and slightly curled at the end, perfect for hooking onto something. Zoë turned towards Reynolds and handed the bag over, "Catalog this."

"I'll show you how to catalog it," Thalia hissed as she grabbed Reynolds by the back of his neck and dragged him away from the two. She heard Zoë talking to Ma Gasket, asking her more questions. When they were far enough away, Thalia stabbed her finger into his chest. "Don't present evidence in front of someone who is mourning. Especially not someone as volatile as her."

"I'm sorry," Reynolds began. Thalia shook her head and rubbed her temples. The smell was still fuming in her nose, and her stomach was endlessly churning. Thalia looked around the outside of the building, but she didn't have any theories jumping out at her.

Zoë approached her a few minutes later, "I have two theories. One: this is the work of Lycaon or one of his boys. Do you remember the report that the two had gotten into an argument with each other?"

"I do," Thalia confirmed. "The second theory?"

"That Hylla woman called us," Zoë began. Thalia instantly shook her head. "I hate them just as much as you do, but we cannot shy away from the fact that as extreme as they are, they know what they are talking about. We should consider calling her back."

"Fuck that," Thalia shot down.

"Thalia," Zoë returned with a sigh.

"You want me to willingly work with assholes who hunt creatures like my brother for a living?" Thalia demanded as she raised her voice. She turned on her partner. "Fuck. That."

"As you wish," Zoë relented. She turned and stalked away. The only indication of her anger was how tightly her jaw had clenched and how tense her shoulders were. Thalia let out an angry breath and looked around. She froze as she saw someone watching her from afar.

They were too far for Thalia to make out their features, and the hood over their head didn't help. This person casually leaned on the wall and watched the crime scene. Thalia could take a wild guess at who this stranger was: Hylla. The woman heard about this crime scene and came running to see it herself. Thalia didn't bother asking herself how Hylla knew about this because she already knew the answer.

The eyes of Exterminata were everywhere.