--Book of Shadows, Part Two: Sanctuary
Chapter I
The man ran blindly through the alley. His breathing was labored, his legs were straining to carry him forward. He had to keep moving. He didn't know what was chasing him, or why, but he couldn't let it catch him. The way out was blocked by a high, chain-link fence. The man glanced nervously over his shoulder, and wiped the cold sweat off his brow. He scrambled up the fence as quickly as possible, ignoring the barbed wire which tore his clothing and cut his hands to shreds. He couldn't let the pain stop him. He couldn't stop.
He jumped to the ground and kept running, still glancing back with eyes widened by fear. Ahead he saw a church sitting in the middle of the high rises. It was old, the windows broken and boarded up. The roof had collapsed in places, leaving puddles on the dusty floor. The man ran inside, hoping he would be safe here. He wove between the rotting pews which were scattered around haphazardly, approaching the front of the church.
He stopped before the altar. Towering high above him was a stained glass window, the only one still intact. He stared up at it in awe, marveling at the brilliant colors which depicted the Virgin Mary, a golden halo crowning her veiled head, cradling the baby Jesus in her arms.
Then it found him. As his screams echoed through the stagnant night air, a man sat in a café, sipped his tea, and smiled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Robin awoke to the shrill ringing of her phone. She switched on the lights which hung on the wall behind her bed, and fumbled around under the covers for the device.
"Hello?" She answered sleepily.
"Robin, meet me at headquarters." It was Amon. Before Robin could think to ask him why he'd called, a loud click told her Amon had hung up. Holding his a resigned sigh, she slowly forced herself to get out of bed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Robin walked into the STN-J office, slightly more disheveled in appearance than usual. To her surprise, the only other person there besides Michael was Amon. The two of them were looking at something on Michael's computer and talking quietly. They stopped as Amon noticed her presence. He straightened and walked briskly toward her. Robin expected him to stop and explain why he had called her in at three in the morning, but he walked right past her. Stunned by his cold behavior, Robin turned and watched as he stepped into the elevator.
"Are you coming?" He asked curtly, his arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised expectantly. Robin glanced back at Michael, then hurried to join Amon.
"Where are we going?" She asked as they began to descend.
"We have a new case," Amon said, his eyes still pointed forward. "There was a murder which showed evidence of witchcraft. The police have turned the investigation over to us."
"Where are Sakaki and Karasuma?"
"There is no need to call them in. We're just inspecting the site."
The elevator came to a stop as they reached the underground garage. Amon led the way to his car, unlocking the doors and climbing into the driver's seat. Robin stood there hesitantly, not sure if she should sit in the front or the back. Amon eyed her curiously, then reached over and opened the front door, staring up at her impatiently.
"What are you doing? Hurry up and get in." he scowled.
"Right," Robin replied, sliding into the front seat. "sorry." Amon said nothing, and the two remained silent as he sped off.
Chapter I
The man ran blindly through the alley. His breathing was labored, his legs were straining to carry him forward. He had to keep moving. He didn't know what was chasing him, or why, but he couldn't let it catch him. The way out was blocked by a high, chain-link fence. The man glanced nervously over his shoulder, and wiped the cold sweat off his brow. He scrambled up the fence as quickly as possible, ignoring the barbed wire which tore his clothing and cut his hands to shreds. He couldn't let the pain stop him. He couldn't stop.
He jumped to the ground and kept running, still glancing back with eyes widened by fear. Ahead he saw a church sitting in the middle of the high rises. It was old, the windows broken and boarded up. The roof had collapsed in places, leaving puddles on the dusty floor. The man ran inside, hoping he would be safe here. He wove between the rotting pews which were scattered around haphazardly, approaching the front of the church.
He stopped before the altar. Towering high above him was a stained glass window, the only one still intact. He stared up at it in awe, marveling at the brilliant colors which depicted the Virgin Mary, a golden halo crowning her veiled head, cradling the baby Jesus in her arms.
Then it found him. As his screams echoed through the stagnant night air, a man sat in a café, sipped his tea, and smiled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Robin awoke to the shrill ringing of her phone. She switched on the lights which hung on the wall behind her bed, and fumbled around under the covers for the device.
"Hello?" She answered sleepily.
"Robin, meet me at headquarters." It was Amon. Before Robin could think to ask him why he'd called, a loud click told her Amon had hung up. Holding his a resigned sigh, she slowly forced herself to get out of bed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Robin walked into the STN-J office, slightly more disheveled in appearance than usual. To her surprise, the only other person there besides Michael was Amon. The two of them were looking at something on Michael's computer and talking quietly. They stopped as Amon noticed her presence. He straightened and walked briskly toward her. Robin expected him to stop and explain why he had called her in at three in the morning, but he walked right past her. Stunned by his cold behavior, Robin turned and watched as he stepped into the elevator.
"Are you coming?" He asked curtly, his arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised expectantly. Robin glanced back at Michael, then hurried to join Amon.
"Where are we going?" She asked as they began to descend.
"We have a new case," Amon said, his eyes still pointed forward. "There was a murder which showed evidence of witchcraft. The police have turned the investigation over to us."
"Where are Sakaki and Karasuma?"
"There is no need to call them in. We're just inspecting the site."
The elevator came to a stop as they reached the underground garage. Amon led the way to his car, unlocking the doors and climbing into the driver's seat. Robin stood there hesitantly, not sure if she should sit in the front or the back. Amon eyed her curiously, then reached over and opened the front door, staring up at her impatiently.
"What are you doing? Hurry up and get in." he scowled.
"Right," Robin replied, sliding into the front seat. "sorry." Amon said nothing, and the two remained silent as he sped off.