Out of Touch.
Malcom Bright/OC
Summary: "I test your patience just as much as you test mine, and you haven't given up yet."
"Yeah, well, we're both a little out of touch."
Chapter One: Pilot, pt 1.
I jumped slightly as my alarm blared from my bedside table. I fumbled to turn it off, and huffed. I had been awake for a better part of an hour and was wide awake at this point. I proceeded to start my morning routine, noting that my roommate and best friend was already gone for the day. I poured myself a cup of coffee and scrolled through my phone. I paused at a text from my sister in law, Rosa.
"Good luck today, let me know how it goes." She said. I smiled to myself. She was a detective for the NYPD in Brooklyn for the 99th precinct.
She and my sister started dating when I was in high school, and she was a huge reason I had chosen the career of law enforcement. The next thing I read was from Ainsley, mainly it was a slew of thoughts and requests. I replied to all of them as I finished my coffee and toast and left for the precinct.
"Morning, Theo." Gil greeted. I smiled and set my stuff down at my desk before walking over and retrieving the file he was waving around. I looked through it, frowning at the contents inside. I looked up at the stoic face of my boss.
"This is very similar to.." I started, and he nodded. Third victim with the same style.
"Dani and JT are on their way to the scene, you and I are going to meet with someone who can help." He explained. I nodded and followed him out to his car. We started driving and eventually came to a park.
"Our contact is at the park?" I asked, looking around. I got no reply as Gil put the car in park and nodded for me to get out. I did so and leaned against the car as I waited for this mystery person to show up.
"Bright!" Gil called out. I froze slightly at the name. Of course it would be Malcolm Bright.
"Gil? What are you doing here?" the younger man questioned, eyes going wide with surprise.
"Heard you were back in town. You know it's not nice to sneak back to town and start ducking your friends." Gil asked, walking towards him.
"I have friends?" Malcolm shot him a surprised look.
"Missed you too, kid." Gil laughed as he pulled him into a hug. Malcolm's eyes changed as he looked back at me. He shook it off quickly and gave me a warm smile as he quickly pulled me into a hug.
"Always great to see you M." I told him, returning the hug.
"Likewise Theodora." He pulled away.
"What's the matter?" Gil asked. "You've got that spooked puppy look going on." Malcolm turned to me, looking concerned.
"My sister just lied to me. Her autonomic tells gave her away." He assessed me to figure out if I knew anything about what his sister could possibly be lying about.
"A reporter? Lying? Can't believe it." I feigned shock. Malcolm shook his head.
"She didn't want me to know she's covering a murder…" He trailed off, staring at me. Of course he already knew.
"And if she has a murder important enough to cover, that means…" His eyes landed on Gil.
"I got a murder important enough to track down your crazy ass." Gil grinned, pulling Malcolm's attention to him.
"Come on." Gil motioned for him to join us in the car. Malcolm hesitated, grinning ever so slightly.
"You do know the F.B.I. fired me, right?" He asked.
"Good thing we're NYPD." I quipped.
"Told you, you weren't an FBI guy. When are you going start listening to me, like Lou does?" He motioned at me as I stepped into the car, being banished to the back seat.
"Oh, let's not mention…" He slid into the car.
"Your dad's a serial killer?" Gil nodded. "Don't worry, our lips are sealed." He relaxed as we started off for the scene of the crime. During the drive, I texted Ainsley.
"Just so you know, you still can't lie." With a laughing emoji. She replied with an eye roll emoji and told me to get back to work. We pulled up to the scene of the crime and met up with Dani in the lobby.
"Victim's name is Vanessa Hobbs. Mayor's office keeps calling. We got a VIC on our hands." She explained as she led us through the building to the elevator.
"VIC?" Malcolm looked down at me as we loaded into the elevator. Dani was next me, I was next to Malcolm, and then Gil was at the end.
"Very important cadaver." I explained as Dani handed Gil a file.
"Medical Examiner's did a drive by, this is what I got." She said.
"Oh, I'll take that, thank you." Malcolm snatched the file from Gil and Dani eyed him before looking at Gil for an explanation.
"Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright. Psychologist, forensic profiler, acquired taste." Gil sighed, I could tell he was questioning bringing Malcolm on at all, but he was the closest thing we had to expert on the person we were dealing with.
We made it to the floor of the scene and stepped out of the elevator into a very fancy apartment. The victim was face down, dressed for only one type of entertainment.
"Gil, Theo. Housekeeper found the body this morning. Vanessa Hobbs! Forty-three, unmarried, and rich." JT grinned as he sauntered over.
"Just my type." He tacked on and I rolled my eyes.
"So you're a necrophiliac?" Malcolm was fast to quip back, his sarcasm going unnoticed by pretty much everyone. JT glared.
"What? No! Who is this guy?" He turned to Gil.
"JT, this is Bright. Bright, JT. You two aren't gonna like each other." Gil replied.
"Good to know! Excuse me." Malcolm moved past us and to the body. He slipped between uniforms and techs effortlessly. His eyes glazed over as he studied the scene, completely in his own world as he worked. JT was talking to Gil and I, but I tuned him out, watching Bright as he worked.
"So you're a profiler?" Dani asked him as he squatted in front of the body. He hummed back in response.
"Looks like our victim already filled out her profile. She was looking to bang." JT snorted.
"Bang?" Malcolm's head popped up.
"Do you always associate intercourse with violence?" He asked, further annoying JT.
"Bro, right now you're the only thing I'm associating with violence." JT snapped back, causing me to laugh slightly. Malcolm glared at me and I only shrugged in response.
"Just let him work." Gil reprimanded, already seeming fed up with their antics. I looked back at Malcolm, and you could practically see his mind spinning as he played it out in his head. He tilted his head as he looked to the door.
"What's the matter?" Dani asked.
"Nothing." Malcolm shook his head.
"It's kind of my thing. I imagine the crime from the killer's point of view. Helps me understand their state of mind." He mumbled out an explanation.
"You think like the killer?" She inquired.
"It's a gift." Malcolm grinned in response, eyes looking particularly manic. He looked over the rest of the apartment, eyes fluttering around.
"Well, you were right, Jeffy." Malcolm began to explain.
"It's JT." JT argued.
"Our victim was expecting someone special. A lover. Unfortunately, the wrong man showed up." Malcolm ignored JT.
"She threw her champagne glass the moment she saw him… She wasn't expecting our killer. The fight was contained… And he subdued her quickly. But, how did he do it?" He looked back between us and the body, before bolting back towards the woman.
"She bit her tongue… He injected her with something.. Probably a paralytic drug… Trapping her in her own body. She had to feel everything." The wheels in his head began to turn a little faster, and my stomach dropped. He was going to figure this out quickly.
"Inducing paralysis is a thousand times harder than knowing someone out. It takes practice, equipment… medical skills…" He surveyed the body again, the pieces of the puzzle finally clicking into place. He knew.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I've seen this before." Malcolm spoke softly.
"There will be an injection point near her iliac crest… And a third near her heart." His eyes remained glued to the floor.
"How the hell do you know all that?" JT asked.
"This killers a copycat. He's mimicking another serial killer. Dr. Martin Whitly. The Surgeon." Malcolm replied coolly.
"Yeah?" Dani asked. "You know all about this surgeon guy?" I closed my eyes, afraid of the reaction.
"Almost like he's family." Malcolm glared at Gil, slamming the file into his chest as he stormed past him.
I looked at Gil as Malcolm stormed out of the room. He nodded, and I sprinted out.
"Malcolm!" I called out. He ignored me as he walked down the hall, head down and shoulders tensed.
"Malcolm, please." I begged. He was forced to stop as he reached the elevator. He tensed further and kept his back to me.
"You knew." He accused.
"I sort of did." I confessed. It was a copycat of the Surgeon, but I had no idea they wanted to bring him in.
"But, I didn't know they were bringing you on. I would have definitely advised against it." He spun around, eyes studying me.
"I need a breather." He muttered, before sulking into the elevator. Our eyes remained locked as the doors closed and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I fought the urge to cry down, and looked back at the scene.
"Fuck you Martin Whitly." I muttered. I was there the night the Surgeon, better known as Dr. Martin Whitly, was arrested.
Ainsley and I were having a sleep over. I had gotten up in the middle of the night to get a drink when Gil had shown up. Before I could process anything, Dr. Whitly was kneeling in front of Malcolm grinning. Mrs. Whitly pulled me away, and placed me behind her. The cops pulled the man away. Life was very different after that. But mine and Ainsley's friendship never faltered. I pushed my emotions deep down and returned to Gil's side.
"You should have warned him." I replied.
"Not now, Lou." He warned. I slumped away and observed the scene in front of me. Several hours later, Gil and I felt it safe enough to speak to Malcolm. We found him on the roof, staring down into the city below.
"Bright?" Gil asked. Malcolm said nothing.
"You okay?" I asked. Nothing.
"I worried about bringing you in." Gil sighed. He didn't reply, but his eyes seemed to light up. His brain was working through it.
"Didn't want to wake any demons, but I had to be certain he was copying your dad." Gil continued. This finally got something out of him.
"Don't worry." Malcolm kept his eyes still.
"My demons don't sleep." He finished. I frowned. I didn't want Malcolm hurting. He had already been through so much, and his mother and sister worried constantly over him.
"Your killer is copying The Quartet, a series of four murders he committed in '92." I closed my eyes and sighed.
"We've only had three. Our killer's not done." I spoke up, eyes going wide.
"Ya know, some might think it was me." Malcolm gave a ghost of a smile.
"Have you spoken with him?" Gil asked, suddenly going serious. I couldn't help it this time. I physically face palmed, silently cursing Gil and his lack of tactfulness.
"No, not in ten years." Malcolm's hand flicked open and closed, and he closed his eyes. "I can't go back there, Gil. It wasn't a… healthy relationship." I held back a snort. That is the understatement of the year.
"I'm not asking you to. But I got a serial killer on my hands, and you're telling me he's not done." Gil replied. Malcolm nodded.
"Okay. I'll get started on a profile." He replied. And with that, we went our separate ways for the evening. I was sat in my apartment, eating a sandwich when Ainsley burst in, looking around frantically.
"Whoa! What's got you all riled up?!" I demanded.
"You know how we are best friends who endure all of life's trials together?" She asked. My eyes squinted at her in confusion before I nodded slowly.
"Yeah…" I replied. She beamed.
"Great! Then you can't say no to this invite! Dinner at my mother's house Friday night. Malcom's going to be there too." She replied. I groaned.
"Ainsley… You know your mother doesn't like me." I pointed out.
"Of course she likes you! She just doesn't understand your career choice." She replied. I rolled my eyes. Ainsley was a very persistent person, and would not take no for an answer.
"I'll be there." I told her.
"Yay! Thank you!" She squealed, hugging me to her tightly. I laughed as she released me and went to start her nightly routine.
