3: Central City Police Department

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"One word, Hughes," the man who looked highly strung said. "Just one word of your daughter, and I will resign from duty this instant."

The other man, looking rather put off, slipped the picture in his hand back into his pocket. "What is it this time, Roy?"

"Hacrow is dead."

The man's eyebrows met the hairline on his forehead. "Well, I did say that life would be so much easier if he's not around, but I didn't mean it like that."

Roy threw a plastic bag to the table and massaged his own forehead. "That came this morning while you're off."

Hughes picked up the bag. There was an envelope in it, accompanied by a piece of paper with "Highway 5 km.67, Lake Victoria. The Twins." and a polaroid shot of the body of retired police inspector Hacrow with holes in familiar places. "Them again, huh?"

"This is the tenth case this month alone, Hughes," Roy said exasperatedly. "It's like Don Hohenheim just decided that, hey, it's time for some spring cleaning! Let's clean up our friendly neighborhood!"

"Not that there's any proof that this is the old dog's doing," Hughes said as he observed the shot, morbidly fascinated by the quality of the camera.

"See? That's it!" The detective exclaimed hotly. "All these murders and we have zilch evident! We have the modus, we have theories, we even know who the big cheese is, but we have nothing to prove it! Whoever these Twins are, they are invisible! Not even Havoc's channels know who they really are!"

A blond man, who had been reading some files at the corner of the room, glanced up upon hearing his name, only to go back to his reading when he figured out that this was only one of his partner's usual let's-complain-about-everything-to-Hughes.

"Well, Roy," Hughes grinned at him. "At least they're doing us some help with getting rid of the smaller gangs."

Roy closed his mouth. After a moment of sulking, he finally said, "Fine, I would agree with that. Truth is that I don't give a damn if they're going to wipe the whole street as long as they don't target any civilians. But you have to admit that without any public revelation, our beloved taxpayers will find excuses to kick us out of this office. Especially now that the latest victim was a man of good reputation and high social standing instead of your average crook."

Hughes snorted. "Just frame somebody. That'll shut them up faster than you can say 'freeze'."

"I would have, except that it'll be too obvious." Roy threw himself to his chair and banged his head against his desktop. "And not to mention that I am dying to know who the hell the Twins are."

Hughes laughed. "Tell you what. Go pinch somebody, and while the society shut up, whip your ass and find those bastards."

"Ay, Inspector," the detective mock-saluted. "Oh, by the way, you owed me ten clams. Havoc blew his date again."

Roy didn't manage to evade the flying shoe this time.