p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emNine Days Later./em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Justin looked up at the dilapidated, but still majestic exterior of Forbodium Castle. This visit would pan out in almost the same way as Justin's previous visits, but the next time Justin came here, he would leave a murderer./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Umbra had started to fall. When Justin had gone to Makepeace to order the killing of his final target, Bill Hawks, Justin had brought a bottle of whisky with him to Forbodium, a way to celebrate Makepeace's achievements; his murders to date, ahead of what would be the most audacious killing yet. Makepeace, as rash and arrogant as always, had drunk most of the bottle, and, under Justin's orders, Makepeace had carried out the killing while still intoxicated. In his state of inebriation, Makepeace hadn't been as careful as he usually was with cleaning the scene, and Justin, when he had arrived on the scene, had purposefully left key evidence intact. With that evidence, Al had quickly figured out that Keelan Makepeace was indeed the Jigsaw Puzzle Killer, and the Commissioner himself ordered a nationwide manhunt for him./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"With posters up advertising for any information from the public on the whereabouts of Keelan Makepeace, whom the police were seeking in relation to the most recent murder (and only the most recent murder, the media, and by extension, the public remained ignorant of the link between the previous twenty-five murders that had occurred within the past year,) Justin had again travelled to Forbodium to explain this turn of events to Makepeace./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""This isn't how our deal was supposed to go, Lawson! If the police catch me, I'm going to tell them about every little detail of our little pact." Agitated, Makepeace paced around on the smooth stone floor. Makepeace's reaction to finding out that the police were looking to apprehend him was exactly as Justin had predicated./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""You don't need to tell me that, Makepeace. I've got just as much of a stake in this as you." Justin replied. "Listen to me. I have a plan. We can't get you out of the country until next week. So, in the meantime, we need to provide a distraction."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""And how are we going to do that?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""We just have to kill some time. The police don't know you're hiding out here yet, and they might not find out until after it's too late. This is the safest place to be, so don't move from here. If the police do happen to discover you here, then they won't strike straight away. For a killer of your calibre, the police will arrange a raid. I'll delay those plans by making it appear that you're ready to escape at any time. Layton will come to Forbodium alone to ensure that doesn't happen, and when the other two realise what Layton has done, they will follow him. I want you to wait for Layton on the top of the West Tower, and," Justin swallowed "kill him when he arrives."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""You failed your side of our bargain, but still expect me to kill on demand for you?" Makepeace snarled./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""After you have shot Layton, I want you to act as though you yourself have been shot in the side, until I call down to tell the others to make their way to the West Tower. When I give you the signal, use the ivy growing from the Central Tower to make your way over to the East Tower, which will be empty, and escape. As Pertinax and the Commissioner will believe you to be injured, they will think that you couldn't have fled far, and will focus their search efforts on a local scale, once they've recovered from finding Layton's body."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Makepeace considered for a few moments. "Layton? Isn't he the red head with the mouth?" Makepeace had been extensively interrogated by Barton, Hilda and Al following the murder of the millionaire businessman, and Al in particular had held nothing back during said interrogations./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""That's right."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Makepeace grinned. "Having your own partner shot. You're colder than I thought. I'm impressed."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Assured that Makepeace would go along with the plan, Justin left Forbodium, dropping the calm expression he had worn throughout the meeting with Makepeace. Yet again, he asked himself what had he let himself become, as he remembered Makepeace's grin, the almost proud tone in Makepeace's voice as he had told Justin how impressed he was./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emIt'll be over soon, all the loose ends will be tied up. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emDon't lie to yourself. You've marked yourself for life, and when this is done, you'll have blood on your hands. You'll spend the rest of your life, living with what you've done./em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emNo less than I deserve. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emDoes playing the martyr make you feel better? Will it make you feel better in those years to come when you remember what you've done? /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Justin shook his head and rubbed his temples as he sat in his car. He thought about the Greek and Roman legends of the Furies; deities of vengeance whom punished those whom did evil. Was that small part of him that cried out every time he had ordered a murder, had been screaming ever since he had decided that Al had to die, that was an ever present reminder that he would never find absolution from his deeds, his own personal Tisiphone?/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"It wouldn't take too long now, before the police tracked Makepeace down to Forbodium, and when they did, the final act would begin./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; border-top: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: none; border-right: none; padding: 0cm 0cm 0.07cm 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emFive days later. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The atmosphere in Scotland Yard was tense. Officers shouted orders and information to each other in the hallways, reports were constantly being radioed in./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The police had finally located Keelan Makepeace in Forbodium, and they were preparing a fully armed raid on the place. Even an intelligent, ruthless killer like Makepeace wouldn't stand a chance against so many./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin, Al and Hilda were, along with Barton, to be at the front of the raid, their reward for their year of hard work. As soon as official confirmation of Makepeace's location came in, the four of them had immediately met up in the outer office, as they discussed their strategy for the upcoming raid. Straight away, Justin noticed that Al seemed a little fidgety, but with all four of them being in a state of heightened emotion, neither Barton or Hilda. It wasn't long before Al abruptly stood up, and after promising to be right back, walked out./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"As Justin watched Al leave, he had to fight an strong urge to call Al back; he knew that Al wouldn't be coming back, that Al meant to go to Forbodium alone. As Justin had promised Makepeace, he had tampered with the reports, a fabricated record of a car hire, a falsified plane ticket. Al was both pleased and furious that Makepeace had managed to elude him for so long, and Justin had known that Al would not allow Makepeace to escape him again, especially not since Al still didn't have an answer for how Makepeace had carried out his murderers so cleanly. Just as Justin had predicated, Al had chosen to take matters into his own hands, rather than wait for the backup that would only be provided after yards of red tape./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin waited, paying scant attention to Hilda and Barton's conversation. All parts of the Yard were staffed at all times. There was no way Al would be able to leave without emsomeone /emnoticing. It was only a matter of time before Al's departure would be brought to Hilda and Barton's attention./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Within half an hour, the fateful knock came. Hilda answered it. Dustin stood on the other side. Justin couldn't make out what Dustin was saying, but even from the back, he could see Hilda stiffening. Without a word, Hilda strode off with Dustin, leaving Justin and Barton alone./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"After a few minutes, Hilda returned, looking pale and worried. Without preamble, Hilda told Justin and Barton that Dustin had seen Al, carrying a gun, leaving the station earlier. Hilda had quickly checked, and no one had seen Al since then, his car wasn't in the car park. The only conclusion that could be reached was that Al had gone on alone to Forbodium. By mutual agreement, the three of them left for Forbodium themselves/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Once there, Justin had quickly taken command of the search, citing, truthfully, that he had been there before, and therefore was familiar with the layout. Good-natured as always, Barton never objected to taking relinquishing command when there was a good reason to, and faithfully obeyed orders. The three of them stuck together, exploring the dark passages when the gunshot rung out, crystal clear, cutting out the sound of the heavy rain. Justin felt like his heart had skipped a beat. He knew what the gunshot meant. Al was dead. The alternative, that Al had killed Makepeace never occurred to him; Al was not a killer, despite his rather morbid fascination with them./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emI'm sorry./em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Hilda was pale, her eyes wide with fear. Barton looked grim, but his face was as pale as Hilda's. Justin wondered what own expression portrayed; anxiety, fear, anger, or even guilt?/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin suggested they split up, time was of the essence now, and even though it was more dangerous to explore alone, they'd be able to cover more of the castle more quickly. Hilda and Barton both quickly agreed, and Justin sent Hilda off to the Central Tower, Barton outside, and assigned the East Tower to himself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Standing on the East Tower rooftop, Justin saw Makepeace, standing, but hunched over. One hand clasped his side, as the other struggled to point a gun ahead of him. Makepeace's face was a rictus of agony. Al was nowhere to be seen, but Justin couldn't see anything much below waist height from the East Tower. Without hesitation, he rushed over to the wall, leant over the ramparts, and shouted. He twisted away, heading for the wall that overlooked the grounds, glancing at the slit window in the central tower as he did so. Hilda was stood there, her eyes trained on Makepeace. Everything was going to plan. Justin shouted down to the Commissioner, who was exploring the grounds, before he checking the slit window again. Hilda had gone, undoubtedly already on her way to the West Tower./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Calmly, Justin jumped from the West Tower onto the wall of the Central Tower, taking a firm grip of the ivy which was growing on the walls. Quickly, he inched along, using the small ledge that jutted out for assistance. The thought that he would plummet to his doom if he put a foot wrong didn't bother him; he was a skilled climber./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"It took Justin less than two minutes to reach the West Tower rooftop. Makepeace was watching him, the act now stopped, with an undeniable expression of relief on his face – he'd voiced concerns about the risks of escaping via the Central Tower, but seeing Justin, whom was considerably taller and stockier than Makepeace, having made the journey across with such ease had eased those concerns./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"As soon as he stepped onto the rooftop, Justin noticed Al, lying on the ground. A pool of blood surrounded him, blending in with his hair. The blood stretched multiple grim arms from the pool into the lines that ran between the aged stones of the rooftop. Justin had known what he was going to see, but even so, the sight of Al, always so full of fire, lying there so still and pale, made Justin feel, just for a second, a sense of loss like nothing he had ever felt before. He could see Al's gun, lying abandoned near him. He moved straight towards it, turning his back on Makepeace. This was, without a doubt, the most dangerous part of the plan. Makepeace had let his arms fall to his sides, and he was holding his gun rather carelessly, but Justin had no doubts that Makepeace would be lightening fast if he realised what Justin was intending. He stooped over Al, his back masking his actions as he grabbed the gun./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Don't trust me to have done the job right?" Makepeace sneered, clearly thinking that Justin was checking if Al was still alive. Justin didn't bother to reply, as a loud banging came from the barred door to the rooftop; Justin guessed that the Commissioner must be trying to force the door open. Despite the frantic banging, Justin's thoughts were calm, all uncertainty was gone. Now that he was holding Al's gun, he knew that his plan would succeed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Calm, and precise, he spun around, raising the gun as he did so. Justin fired, his marksman training in the force proving to have been worth his while as he cleanly hit Makepeace in the side of his midriff. As soon as he pulled the trigger, he adjusted his aim, and fired again, this time hitting Makepeace in the head. The thudding on the door paused for a brief moment before resuming, more frantic than before./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin stepped over to Makepeace; there was no doubt he was dead. Justin couldn't help noticing that despite being shot twice, there was less blood around Makepeace than around Al, as if in even in death, Makepeace was less than human. With a sneer, he turned away, wiping down Al's gun with a cloth he had hidden in his jacket pocket. Justin moved back to Al, and saluted him./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"emYou were the best partner. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin crouched down, and carefully took hold of Al's cold wrist, opening his hand before pressing the now clean gun into it. Delicately, his hands covered by the cloth, he took the gun back, and placed it back on the ground. He straightened up, with the intention of getting back to the East Tower, the door to the West Tower couldn't last much longer, but something made him hesitate./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"He'd checked on Makepeace, it was only prudent to check on Al as well. Justin bent over, and took Al's wrist again, and then he felt it./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"There was a pulse there. Slow and weak, but definitely a pulse. Somehow, Al was still alive. Justin looked at Al's gun on the ground. If he was to tie all the loose ends up, Al had to die. A quick shot to the head, and it would be done. Al wouldn't suffer any more than he already had, he was barely clinging on as it was.../p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin stood up, walked back over to Makepeace and reached for Makepeace's gun, but stopped short of touching it. Several seconds passed, but Justin admitted defeat. He just couldn't do it. He could make up several reasons why not killing Al made sense, how would a fourth shot, fired minutes after the last two, be explained? That was the exact sort of detail that could break his plans apart, but Justin knew those were only convenient excuses./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin had fallen to his absolute low, he'd seen everything he was capable of, he had no room left to hide from himself, couldn't lie to himself. He could kill a monster like Makepeace, he could arrange for someone else to kill his partner, but he couldn't kill Al himself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"There had to be another way to assure Al's silence. Justin thought to himself as he climbed back over to the East Tower. Despite the knot of anxiety in his stomach at this turn of events, there was a small feeling of relief; he'd finally found something that he wasn't willing to do in pursuit of his aims. A wall, no matter how small it may be, that separated him from someone like Makepeace./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin barrelled down the external steps of the East Tower, almost plunging down the slippery steps more than once. He'd spent too long on the West Tower, and while he didn't think either Hilda or Barton would notice if it took him a little longer than it should to reach the West Tower, considering the scene that awaited them there, he wanted as few questions about his actions as possible./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"He almost ran into Barton as he reached the second floor of the West Tower. Barton was out of breath, and looked tired and angry./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Makepeace is dead. Alfendi was shot and is critically injured. Justin, can you call for back up and an ambulance?" Barton said, a terse note in his voice that Justin had never heard before./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Yes, sir," Justin replied./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin headed outside to their police car, and used the car radio to request the backup and ambulance. He considered the idea of waiting by the car – he could easily say that he was waiting for the backup to direct them, but decided, not without reluctance, to head to the West Tower; he had no right to try lessen his burden of guilt by avoiding the consequences of what he had done./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Hilda was kneeling on the ground, holding Al's hand. Her usually immaculate hair, soaked through by the rain cascaded around her shoulders, hiding her downturned face. She had removed her jacket, and placed it over Al, and was shivering with the cold. Barton stood with his hand on Hilda's shoulder, that grim expression still on his face; Barton cared deeply for everyone who worked at the Yard. Justin stepped over to them, confirming to Barton that help was on the way; Hilda hadn't moved. Justin removed his own jacket, and placed it over Al's prone form./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The three of them remained on the rooftop, silent and motionless, surrounded by a silence that was broken only by the falling rain, and only when they heard the whirring of the air ambulance's helicopter blades, did any of them move./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Justin looked up at the dilapidated, but still majestic exterior of Forbodium Castle. This visit would pan out in almost the same way as Justin's previous visits, but the next time Justin came here, he would leave a murderer./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Umbra had started to fall. When Justin had gone to Makepeace to order the killing of his final target, Bill Hawks, Justin had brought a bottle of whisky with him to Forbodium, a way to celebrate Makepeace's achievements; his murders to date, ahead of what would be the most audacious killing yet. Makepeace, as rash and arrogant as always, had drunk most of the bottle, and, under Justin's orders, Makepeace had carried out the killing while still intoxicated. In his state of inebriation, Makepeace hadn't been as careful as he usually was with cleaning the scene, and Justin, when he had arrived on the scene, had purposefully left key evidence intact. With that evidence, Al had quickly figured out that Keelan Makepeace was indeed the Jigsaw Puzzle Killer, and the Commissioner himself ordered a nationwide manhunt for him./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"With posters up advertising for any information from the public on the whereabouts of Keelan Makepeace, whom the police were seeking in relation to the most recent murder (and only the most recent murder, the media, and by extension, the public remained ignorant of the link between the previous twenty-five murders that had occurred within the past year,) Justin had again travelled to Forbodium to explain this turn of events to Makepeace./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""This isn't how our deal was supposed to go, Lawson! If the police catch me, I'm going to tell them about every little detail of our little pact." Agitated, Makepeace paced around on the smooth stone floor. Makepeace's reaction to finding out that the police were looking to apprehend him was exactly as Justin had predicated./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""You don't need to tell me that, Makepeace. I've got just as much of a stake in this as you." Justin replied. "Listen to me. I have a plan. We can't get you out of the country until next week. So, in the meantime, we need to provide a distraction."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""And how are we going to do that?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""We just have to kill some time. The police don't know you're hiding out here yet, and they might not find out until after it's too late. This is the safest place to be, so don't move from here. If the police do happen to discover you here, then they won't strike straight away. For a killer of your calibre, the police will arrange a raid. I'll delay those plans by making it appear that you're ready to escape at any time. Layton will come to Forbodium alone to ensure that doesn't happen, and when the other two realise what Layton has done, they will follow him. I want you to wait for Layton on the top of the West Tower, and," Justin swallowed "kill him when he arrives."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""You failed your side of our bargain, but still expect me to kill on demand for you?" Makepeace snarled./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""After you have shot Layton, I want you to act as though you yourself have been shot in the side, until I call down to tell the others to make their way to the West Tower. When I give you the signal, use the ivy growing from the Central Tower to make your way over to the East Tower, which will be empty, and escape. As Pertinax and the Commissioner will believe you to be injured, they will think that you couldn't have fled far, and will focus their search efforts on a local scale, once they've recovered from finding Layton's body."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Makepeace considered for a few moments. "Layton? Isn't he the red head with the mouth?" Makepeace had been extensively interrogated by Barton, Hilda and Al following the murder of the millionaire businessman, and Al in particular had held nothing back during said interrogations./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;""That's right."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Makepeace grinned. "Having your own partner shot. You're colder than I thought. I'm impressed."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Assured that Makepeace would go along with the plan, Justin left Forbodium, dropping the calm expression he had worn throughout the meeting with Makepeace. Yet again, he asked himself what had he let himself become, as he remembered Makepeace's grin, the almost proud tone in Makepeace's voice as he had told Justin how impressed he was./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emIt'll be over soon, all the loose ends will be tied up. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emDon't lie to yourself. You've marked yourself for life, and when this is done, you'll have blood on your hands. You'll spend the rest of your life, living with what you've done./em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emNo less than I deserve. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emDoes playing the martyr make you feel better? Will it make you feel better in those years to come when you remember what you've done? /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"Justin shook his head and rubbed his temples as he sat in his car. He thought about the Greek and Roman legends of the Furies; deities of vengeance whom punished those whom did evil. Was that small part of him that cried out every time he had ordered a murder, had been screaming ever since he had decided that Al had to die, that was an ever present reminder that he would never find absolution from his deeds, his own personal Tisiphone?/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"It wouldn't take too long now, before the police tracked Makepeace down to Forbodium, and when they did, the final act would begin./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; border-top: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: none; border-right: none; padding: 0cm 0cm 0.07cm 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emFive days later. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The atmosphere in Scotland Yard was tense. Officers shouted orders and information to each other in the hallways, reports were constantly being radioed in./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The police had finally located Keelan Makepeace in Forbodium, and they were preparing a fully armed raid on the place. Even an intelligent, ruthless killer like Makepeace wouldn't stand a chance against so many./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin, Al and Hilda were, along with Barton, to be at the front of the raid, their reward for their year of hard work. As soon as official confirmation of Makepeace's location came in, the four of them had immediately met up in the outer office, as they discussed their strategy for the upcoming raid. Straight away, Justin noticed that Al seemed a little fidgety, but with all four of them being in a state of heightened emotion, neither Barton or Hilda. It wasn't long before Al abruptly stood up, and after promising to be right back, walked out./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"As Justin watched Al leave, he had to fight an strong urge to call Al back; he knew that Al wouldn't be coming back, that Al meant to go to Forbodium alone. As Justin had promised Makepeace, he had tampered with the reports, a fabricated record of a car hire, a falsified plane ticket. Al was both pleased and furious that Makepeace had managed to elude him for so long, and Justin had known that Al would not allow Makepeace to escape him again, especially not since Al still didn't have an answer for how Makepeace had carried out his murderers so cleanly. Just as Justin had predicated, Al had chosen to take matters into his own hands, rather than wait for the backup that would only be provided after yards of red tape./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin waited, paying scant attention to Hilda and Barton's conversation. All parts of the Yard were staffed at all times. There was no way Al would be able to leave without emsomeone /emnoticing. It was only a matter of time before Al's departure would be brought to Hilda and Barton's attention./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Within half an hour, the fateful knock came. Hilda answered it. Dustin stood on the other side. Justin couldn't make out what Dustin was saying, but even from the back, he could see Hilda stiffening. Without a word, Hilda strode off with Dustin, leaving Justin and Barton alone./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"After a few minutes, Hilda returned, looking pale and worried. Without preamble, Hilda told Justin and Barton that Dustin had seen Al, carrying a gun, leaving the station earlier. Hilda had quickly checked, and no one had seen Al since then, his car wasn't in the car park. The only conclusion that could be reached was that Al had gone on alone to Forbodium. By mutual agreement, the three of them left for Forbodium themselves/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Once there, Justin had quickly taken command of the search, citing, truthfully, that he had been there before, and therefore was familiar with the layout. Good-natured as always, Barton never objected to taking relinquishing command when there was a good reason to, and faithfully obeyed orders. The three of them stuck together, exploring the dark passages when the gunshot rung out, crystal clear, cutting out the sound of the heavy rain. Justin felt like his heart had skipped a beat. He knew what the gunshot meant. Al was dead. The alternative, that Al had killed Makepeace never occurred to him; Al was not a killer, despite his rather morbid fascination with them./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"emI'm sorry./em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Hilda was pale, her eyes wide with fear. Barton looked grim, but his face was as pale as Hilda's. Justin wondered what own expression portrayed; anxiety, fear, anger, or even guilt?/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin suggested they split up, time was of the essence now, and even though it was more dangerous to explore alone, they'd be able to cover more of the castle more quickly. Hilda and Barton both quickly agreed, and Justin sent Hilda off to the Central Tower, Barton outside, and assigned the East Tower to himself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Standing on the East Tower rooftop, Justin saw Makepeace, standing, but hunched over. One hand clasped his side, as the other struggled to point a gun ahead of him. Makepeace's face was a rictus of agony. Al was nowhere to be seen, but Justin couldn't see anything much below waist height from the East Tower. Without hesitation, he rushed over to the wall, leant over the ramparts, and shouted. He twisted away, heading for the wall that overlooked the grounds, glancing at the slit window in the central tower as he did so. Hilda was stood there, her eyes trained on Makepeace. Everything was going to plan. Justin shouted down to the Commissioner, who was exploring the grounds, before he checking the slit window again. Hilda had gone, undoubtedly already on her way to the West Tower./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Calmly, Justin jumped from the West Tower onto the wall of the Central Tower, taking a firm grip of the ivy which was growing on the walls. Quickly, he inched along, using the small ledge that jutted out for assistance. The thought that he would plummet to his doom if he put a foot wrong didn't bother him; he was a skilled climber./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"It took Justin less than two minutes to reach the West Tower rooftop. Makepeace was watching him, the act now stopped, with an undeniable expression of relief on his face – he'd voiced concerns about the risks of escaping via the Central Tower, but seeing Justin, whom was considerably taller and stockier than Makepeace, having made the journey across with such ease had eased those concerns./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"As soon as he stepped onto the rooftop, Justin noticed Al, lying on the ground. A pool of blood surrounded him, blending in with his hair. The blood stretched multiple grim arms from the pool into the lines that ran between the aged stones of the rooftop. Justin had known what he was going to see, but even so, the sight of Al, always so full of fire, lying there so still and pale, made Justin feel, just for a second, a sense of loss like nothing he had ever felt before. He could see Al's gun, lying abandoned near him. He moved straight towards it, turning his back on Makepeace. This was, without a doubt, the most dangerous part of the plan. Makepeace had let his arms fall to his sides, and he was holding his gun rather carelessly, but Justin had no doubts that Makepeace would be lightening fast if he realised what Justin was intending. He stooped over Al, his back masking his actions as he grabbed the gun./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Don't trust me to have done the job right?" Makepeace sneered, clearly thinking that Justin was checking if Al was still alive. Justin didn't bother to reply, as a loud banging came from the barred door to the rooftop; Justin guessed that the Commissioner must be trying to force the door open. Despite the frantic banging, Justin's thoughts were calm, all uncertainty was gone. Now that he was holding Al's gun, he knew that his plan would succeed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Calm, and precise, he spun around, raising the gun as he did so. Justin fired, his marksman training in the force proving to have been worth his while as he cleanly hit Makepeace in the side of his midriff. As soon as he pulled the trigger, he adjusted his aim, and fired again, this time hitting Makepeace in the head. The thudding on the door paused for a brief moment before resuming, more frantic than before./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin stepped over to Makepeace; there was no doubt he was dead. Justin couldn't help noticing that despite being shot twice, there was less blood around Makepeace than around Al, as if in even in death, Makepeace was less than human. With a sneer, he turned away, wiping down Al's gun with a cloth he had hidden in his jacket pocket. Justin moved back to Al, and saluted him./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"emYou were the best partner. /em/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin crouched down, and carefully took hold of Al's cold wrist, opening his hand before pressing the now clean gun into it. Delicately, his hands covered by the cloth, he took the gun back, and placed it back on the ground. He straightened up, with the intention of getting back to the East Tower, the door to the West Tower couldn't last much longer, but something made him hesitate./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"He'd checked on Makepeace, it was only prudent to check on Al as well. Justin bent over, and took Al's wrist again, and then he felt it./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"There was a pulse there. Slow and weak, but definitely a pulse. Somehow, Al was still alive. Justin looked at Al's gun on the ground. If he was to tie all the loose ends up, Al had to die. A quick shot to the head, and it would be done. Al wouldn't suffer any more than he already had, he was barely clinging on as it was.../p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin stood up, walked back over to Makepeace and reached for Makepeace's gun, but stopped short of touching it. Several seconds passed, but Justin admitted defeat. He just couldn't do it. He could make up several reasons why not killing Al made sense, how would a fourth shot, fired minutes after the last two, be explained? That was the exact sort of detail that could break his plans apart, but Justin knew those were only convenient excuses./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin had fallen to his absolute low, he'd seen everything he was capable of, he had no room left to hide from himself, couldn't lie to himself. He could kill a monster like Makepeace, he could arrange for someone else to kill his partner, but he couldn't kill Al himself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"There had to be another way to assure Al's silence. Justin thought to himself as he climbed back over to the East Tower. Despite the knot of anxiety in his stomach at this turn of events, there was a small feeling of relief; he'd finally found something that he wasn't willing to do in pursuit of his aims. A wall, no matter how small it may be, that separated him from someone like Makepeace./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin barrelled down the external steps of the East Tower, almost plunging down the slippery steps more than once. He'd spent too long on the West Tower, and while he didn't think either Hilda or Barton would notice if it took him a little longer than it should to reach the West Tower, considering the scene that awaited them there, he wanted as few questions about his actions as possible./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"He almost ran into Barton as he reached the second floor of the West Tower. Barton was out of breath, and looked tired and angry./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Makepeace is dead. Alfendi was shot and is critically injured. Justin, can you call for back up and an ambulance?" Barton said, a terse note in his voice that Justin had never heard before./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;""Yes, sir," Justin replied./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Justin headed outside to their police car, and used the car radio to request the backup and ambulance. He considered the idea of waiting by the car – he could easily say that he was waiting for the backup to direct them, but decided, not without reluctance, to head to the West Tower; he had no right to try lessen his burden of guilt by avoiding the consequences of what he had done./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"Hilda was kneeling on the ground, holding Al's hand. Her usually immaculate hair, soaked through by the rain cascaded around her shoulders, hiding her downturned face. She had removed her jacket, and placed it over Al, and was shivering with the cold. Barton stood with his hand on Hilda's shoulder, that grim expression still on his face; Barton cared deeply for everyone who worked at the Yard. Justin stepped over to them, confirming to Barton that help was on the way; Hilda hadn't moved. Justin removed his own jacket, and placed it over Al's prone form./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal;"The three of them remained on the rooftop, silent and motionless, surrounded by a silence that was broken only by the falling rain, and only when they heard the whirring of the air ambulance's helicopter blades, did any of them move./p