Sovereign: Sorry if you waited very long for the next chapter. Here it is guys. Enjoy!
Chapter 5: Catching the Killer
Jude, Leia, Alicia and Amelia returned back to Elympios and this time, Gaius came along with them. After searching for only ten minutes, Muzet found Brittany and learnt that she is planning to kill a couple named Thomas and Nora Strauss at their apartment at 45 Knox Street in the neighborhood of Wycombe. Much to the shock of Gaius, Leia, Alicia and Amelia, Thomas and Nora are the parents of the murdered Rieze Maxian soldier.
Thankfully, Muzet also discovered that Thomas and Nora work at a grocery shop, located in the same neighborhood, so they know where to find them.
The five sat in Alicia's car which is parked in an alleyway and facing in front of the grocery shop Thomas and Nora work at. The five choose not to warn them. They know Brittany could be hiding somewhere in the neighborhood right now. If she sees them walking into their shop, she would kill them right away as soon as they step out of their shop because they know that someone is out to kill them and won't return back home.
Instead, they decided to wait in the car until they close their shop and walk their way home. Then, they will slowly follow them back to their apartment until Brittany shows herself. At the meantime, Jude decides to start a conversation.
"I can't believe Brittany is planning to kill the victim's parents next. Killing the people who frame her brother is understandable, but the victim's parents? Why do they need to die? It's crazy." Jude said. He is sitting at the back of the car and between Leia and Gaius, who is wearing his casual black coat, black gloves, black pants and black shoes. Alicia sat at the driver's seat, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel while Amelia sat at the passenger seat, lying back with her arms folded.
"They felt very upset meeting Kyle and Tanner face-to-face and they condemn them right in front of them." Gaius said.
Leia sighed. "That does feel very harsh. Can you imagine someone condemning you right in your face?"
"Jude? Is there something wrong?" Alicia asked, noticing the grim look on his face through the rear-view mirror.
"I-I-I'm fine." The young researcher said hesitantly.
"You're lying. I can tell that by your tone." Alicia said, turning around to face him.
Jude sighs and looks up at Alicia. "Thinking about Thomas and Nora made me think about my own parents. I'm sure Thomas and Nora loved their son so much and that's why they were distraught when they learn their son is murdered."
"How does that made you think of your parents?" Alicia asked Jude.
"My mother is fine. She loves me very much. My father on the other hand…we are not in good terms. I can't remember the last time he shows his love for me." Jude said frowning as he strokes his hair and rubs the back of his neck.
"Do you ever think of how your father is doing now?" Amelia asked, turning to Jude as well.
Jude, surprised that Amelia is the one asking him questions now, replied, "Sometimes. But I got to have a reason to pay him a visit."
Amelia adjusts her glasses and said, "No matter what, he's still your father. You gotta have the courage to tell him how you feel and see if there is any way you two can reconcile and restart your relationship."
Jude remains silent for a few seconds before nodding his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Leia smiles at her friend and places her hand on his shoulder.
Alicia turns to her partner and smiled. "I'm surprised that you helped him out."
Amelia turns back to the front and folds back her arms. "You think he's the only person who has problems with their parents?"
Suddenly, Gaius's phone rang. Gaius takes out his phone and looks at the screen. Displayed on the screen was Rowen's message.
"He's at the Elympios police HQ now."
Gaius replies to Rowen's message. "Good. Wait until we finished our mission."
After sending his reply, Gaius turns off his phone and put it away.
The five continue waiting for two hours until finally at 9 P.M.; they see Thomas and Nora walk out of their shop after switching off the lights. They lock the door and after making sure the lock is tight and secured, they walk down the pavement and make their way home.
Alicia and Amelia turn to each other and node their heads. They turn to Jude, Leia and Gaius who all nod their heads at them.
"Let's go catch our killer." Alicia said before everyone step out of the car. Alicia locks her car with her car key and they all slowly follow Thomas and Nora at a distance.
The five follow the couple all the way to Knox Street. Jude, Leia, Gaius, Alicia and Amelia look around their surroundings such as the windows of the apartment buildings and alleyways, trying to find where Brittany is hiding during the couple's way home.
After Thomas and Nora passed by 48 Knox Street, three blocks away from their own apartment, a person dressed in a black hoodie stood at the other side of the pavement and sees them walking their way home.
The person removes the hood over her hood, revealing herself to be Brittany. Brittany smirks as she stuffs her hands into her pockets and walk over to Thomas and Nora's apartment just as they walk their way over. Soon, she will put an end to the lives of the people who condemn her brother and take another step to fully achieve her revenge.
"Gaius, she's here. She's at your left." Muzet's voice said to Gaius.
Gaius turns his head to the left and sure enough, he sees a brown-haired woman walking over to Thomas and Nora just as they walk over to their apartment. It must be her.
"BRITTANY!" Gaius shouted at the woman.
Brittany widens her eyes and gasps in shock. She turns her head to the side to see Gaius, Jude, Leia, Alicia and Amelia.
"King Gaius?" Brittany narrows her eyes as she sees the man in a black suit looking similar to the King of Rieze Maxia.
Gaius's shouting also caught the attention of Thomas and Nora. They both turn their heads to Jude, Leia, Gaius, Alicia and Amelia for a second, before turning to the direction where they are all staring at. They see Brittany standing behind them.
Brittany narrows her eyes, quivering in rage as she draws out a gun from her pocket and fires a shot at Thomas and Nora. The shot narrowly miss them and hits the side of the door to the apartment instead. The two scream as they back away.
"FREEZE!" Alicia yelled as she and Amelia quickly draw out their own guns and aim at Brittany. Thomas and Nora quickly turn around and run into their apartment. Brittany ignores Alicia's warning and chases after them.
"After her!" Jude yelled as the five quickly run over to Thomas and Nora's apartment and try to stop Brittany before it's too late.
They run up the stairs and climb up three floors. When they reached the fourth and highest floor, they see a wooden door that is left opened. That must be where Thomas and Nora live. Alicia and Amelia cautiously walk towards the apartment while holding up their guns. Jude, Leia and Gaius follow them from behind.
When they arrive at the door, they enter the room and see Brittany aiming her gun at the back of Nora's head as she and Thomas kneel down on the floor with hands behind the back of their heads.
"Get out of this room or I will blow their brains out!" Brittany demanded as she glares at Alicia, Amelia, Jude, Leia and Gaius.
"Why?! Why are you doing this?!" Nora cried as tears roll down her cheeks, fearing for her and her husband's lives.
"SHUT UP!" Brittany shouted as she places the tip of her gun on the back of Nora's head, making her wail.
"Don't do this, Brittany! Their deaths mean nothing to you!" Alicia yelled at Brittany.
"You think I'm a killer?" Brittany said, glaring up at the inspector. "I'm only trying to free myself from my suffering and despair. I'm the true victim, not these two lowlifes."
"Pffft." Amelia snorted. "Your explanation sounds similar to every other psychopathic murderer we listen to in the past."
Brittany tilts her head to the side and sees Gaius standing behind the inspectors. Gaius remains calm and simply glares at Brittany. She smirks at him.
"So it's true. You really are King Gaius! What a miracle!" She chuckled. "I get to kill three birds with one stone tonight!"
"Why, Brittany?" Gaius asked while calmly taking a few steps towards Brittany. "Why do you think killing Thomas and Nora Strauss will justify your brother in any way?"
"Isn't it obvious? They called my brother a murderer when he's not. They and you don't know how hurt my brother was when he was being called that. Now, I want you and them to suffer the same pain my brother went through. The world will be fair that way." Brittany said icily.
"You're wrong Brittany. I didn't think your brother was a murderer. I understand Kyle. He and Tanner were my friends."
"LIAR!" Brittany shouted as she raise her gun up at Gaius. "HOW DARE YOU LIE-"
Suddenly, Muzet came out from the bedroom and fires a blast of light at Brittany's gun-holding hand. Brittany yells in pain as the blast hits her hand, causing her to drop her gun.
Jude quickly takes the opportunity to run over to Brittany and punches her in the gut. Brittany falls to her knees and Alicia quickly goes over to her, puts away her gun and grabs both of her hands. She takes out her handcuffs and restrains her.
"Thanks Muzet." Alicia turns to the spirit, smiling at her.
"No problem. I was hiding in the apartment all along in case Brittany tries to hurt Thomas, Nora and Gaius." Muzet said to her.
Gaius turns to Thomas and Nora. "You two may go now." He said to the couple.
"Thank you, King Gaius." Thomas nods his head. He and Nora quickly got up and run out of their apartment.
"GO AND RUN, COWARDS! RUN OFF LIKE THE HEARTLESS PANSIES YOU ARE!" Brittany shouted as she watches them leave their apartment.
Gaius steps forward and stood in front of her. "As I was saying, I know your brother. He and Tanner were my friends. They were nice people and I believe they would never kill an innocent person."
"And yet you sentence them to life imprisonment. You are a traitor to my brother! I HATE YOU!" Brittany yelled at Gaius.
Gaius shook his head. "If it wasn't for my job to maintain peace between Rieze Maxia and Elympios, I would have tried to save Kyle and Tanner from punishment. But I can't. I had no choice because I can't risk the anger and suffering of millions of people over the saving of two people."
"You say that killing Thomas and Nora will free you from your suffering. But is it fair that you are the only one who shouldn't suffer while other people should?" Leia added, glaring at Brittany.
"What is the problem with that?! I only did what a sibling would do when her brother suffered!" Brittany snapped.
"If Kyle sees that you were killing people, he would be afraid and disgusted!" Jude yelled.
"He would be relieved!" Brittany shouted.
"Is that so?" Gaius said. "Come with us and we'll see."
"What?" Brittany said. She widens her eyes as if all the rage she had inside her instantly vanished.
"Get up." Alicia said as she pulls her up from the ground. Amelia puts away her gun and everyone leaves the room. Alicia stood behind Brittany at all times, making sure she doesn't try to fight back.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of the police headquarters. Alicia parked the car in front of the stairway leading to the entrance. Gaius and Leia were sitting in a separate police car with a police officer driving the car while both of them sit in the back. Everyone in both cars see that there are four armed knights with swords waiting at entrance.
Alicia and Jude got out of the driver and passenger seats respectively while Amelia, who was sitting in the back and next to Brittany, opens the door.
"Come on." Amelia pulls Brittany's arm and escorts her out of the car. Gaius and Leia also got out of their police car and they look up to see Muzet flying down to the pavement and hovers next to them.
Alicia and Amelia bring Brittany to the entrance of the headquarters while Jude, Leia, Gaius and Muzet follow them from behind. The knights salute the inspectors and the king of Rieze Maxia. They walk pass them and pass through the open doors.
As they walk through the main foyer of the headquarters, all the knights and inspectors present in the foyer stare at Brittany in awe. They're shocked to see Herschel and Alex's killer now present in their headquarters.
Alicia, Amelia, Jude, Leia, Gaius and Muzet all stop in front of two knights who salute them.
"Bring him in." Alicia said to them. The knights nod their heads and walk off.
"Who? My executioner?" Brittany asked in disgust.
"No. Someone important." Gaius said. Brittany turns her head around and gives him a cold glare.
"Brittany?"
Brittany widens her eyes and her mouth agape. She recognized that voice. But it can't be…
"Kyle?"
Brittany turns her head back to the front and sure enough; Kyle was standing in front of her with both knights grabbing his arms at each side.
"Let him go." Alicia said to the knights. The knights release Kyle, allowing him to walk over to his sister.
"Kyle…it's you…" Brittany said as her eyes start to water. "It's really you!"
"Brittany…" Kyle shakes his head. "Why do you do those…horrible things?"
"Why?" Brittany asked. "I did it for you!"
"No. You only did it for yourself because I never ask you to do it in the first place." Kyle said frowning, feeling that his heart has been torn apart by his sister. "I still consider you as my sister, Brittany…but I'm afraid you have lost your way."
Brittany stares dumbfound at Kyle. She felt her heart has been crushed. Never in her life has her brother condemn her. But he was right. He said the honest truth. She was only doing all the killings for herself and not anyone else. In the end, she's only making herself suffer even more than before. She hangs her head in defeat and sobbed as tears uncontrollably roll down through her cheeks.
"Sorry to interrupt but the foyer of the HQ isn't the best place to have a moment." Amelia said.
"You're right." Alicia nodded. She turns to the knights. "Escort them to an interrogation room. Let them have a moment for themselves."
"Yes ma'am." The knights nod their heads. Amelia hands over Brittany to one of the knights and the two turn around and take the two siblings away.
Gaius lowers his head and closes his eyes. "Kyle…I'm sorry…"
END OF CHAPTER
Sovereign: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. There's still one chapter left to go so stay tune and read and review! Also, Happy Halloween!