A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter Eight: Dead Ravens

"Tell us what happened, warden," I said.

Warden Thomas Thorton was a good man with a hard job. He had the look of a man ten years older than he truly was. His blue suit was rumpled, and his eyes were bleary with exhaustion.

"Apparently, Light had some kind of holographic projector," he spoke in the same measured tones he would if he were speaking to the press. "He used the device to turn himself invisible."

"And he walked right out the front door," Raven droned.

"Unfortunately, yes," Thorton was loath to admit.

Starfire looked around at the five of us. "But how did the Doctor Light get the projector?"

I rolled my eyes as the others shrugged. "Thank you for letting us know, warden. We'll keep on alert for his next move." I turned off the communicator and turned to the others. "Well, two days ago, Light obviously thought he was going to fail in his bank robbery. So he already planned his escape. I'd be willing to bet that the projector is a small device, smaller than a ping pong ball…"

"Dude!" Garfield gasped, "Are you telling me that Doctor Light ate the projector and then…?"

I nodded.

"Ewwwwwww!" Vic and Gar groaned together. Even Rae winced.

"I am afraid I do not completely understand," Kory muttered.

Raven patted her on the shoulder, "I'll explain it to you later."

No one noticed me slip off to the workshop. I moved Light's picture from the "Incarcerated" column to "At Large" right next to a picture of the Red X. Unfortunately, the list of captured villains was always so small. Even the lowliest of them seemed to get out at will.

"I thought I'd find you here."

I turned around slowly and said flatly, "Hello Raven."

She walked in and slid her hood back. As much as I hated to admit it, the Goth kid was right. She did look like an angel. I shook myself and looked back at my Wall of Rogues.

"I've never known you to break a promise," she told me.

"Plenty of time to rest when you're dead," I quipped thoughtlessly.

"That wasn't funny, Richard."

I looked back to her and sighed, "No, it wasn't. Sorry Rae." I walked back over to the table where the three folders MacDonald supplied me rested. The corpses were still the best, and only, real leads I had. I curled my lip and arched an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

I forgot that Rae was still in the room. She glided over to the worktable.

"These files are light, incomplete. I'm missing detailed toxology reports, stomach content analyses, full autopsy results… I knew I was missing DNA analysis, but still. The files are only enough to tantalize me."

"Which means, what, other than Detective MacDonald's been holding out information?"

"I wish I knew."

Raven walked up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders. I could feel her resting her head against my back. Suddenly I felt calm, peaceful, and my long, long day was catching up to me quickly.

"You promised Koriand'r that you would get some sleep," I heard Raven say softly. She took my hand and guided me back to my quarters. I was too sleepy to argue. She leaned me over a little and stood on her tiptoes to give me a little peck of a kiss on my cheek.

"Thank you for everything, Richard."

I smiled back at her, stepped into my room, and collapsed on the bed.

The next thing I knew, Raven was screaming.

I literally fell out of bed and stumbled to the common room. It was midday, and I suddenly realized that I had been asleep for nearly twenty hours. Kory had her arms wrapped protectively around Rae, who was sobbing into her shoulder. Vic was nearby, too, and Garfield hovered around, apologizing profusely.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry; I didn't know," Gar pleaded.

"What's going on?" I barked.

Kory looked at me and then cast her gaze on a large, narrow, rectangular box. It looked like something you'd ship flowers in: white with a lid. I approached slowly. The package was wrapped in brown shipping paper and addressed with a plain label that read "To Raven." I pulled the largest evidence bag I had in my belt and stuffed the paper in as best I could. I glanced up to the witch, who looked back at me. Her eyes were puffy and fearful. I opened the lid and looked inside. Pinned to the back of the box, wings open, was a raven.

A dead raven.