Chapter 4: Undead Again I
"Something coming back from the dead was almost always bad news. Movies taught me that. For every one Jesus you get a million zombies."
David Wong
Charlie felt a bit tired as of lately, after arresting the man that she and Edward caught, she headed home. She walked up to loft and opened the door only to be greeted by her mother, Martha Monroe, an elderly woman with a passion for the theater world. Fortunately, Charlie would never let her near the theater district.
"Mother," She sighed exasperatedly.
"Welcome home, darling!" She exclaimed with open arms, "How was work?"
"Tiring..." She sighed.
"Oh darling, it's alright," The elder woman sighed.
"Mother, I really think you should find another place to stay...perhaps in a different city..." Charlie suggested.
"Oh, I know what you're doing!" The woman tutted, waving her finger at her, "The cop side of you is going to say that this place is dangerous!"
"It is!" She reprimanded.
"Oh darling! Don't worry about your mother, this one still has it in her!" The elder woman mused. It was then that Charlie felt a bit scarred at the shenanigans she was doing. Charlie faced palmed and sighed.
"Mother..." She huffed, the woman was about to reply but Charlie's phone rang, saving the young detective from her mother's antics, "Monroe, here," She said into the phone. She went to grab her coat and made her way towards the door, "Okay, I'll be there soon, just keep me posted!" She said.
"Something the matter, darling?" Her mother asked.
"Yeah, I gotta go," She said heading out the door, but paused and looked back at her mother, "Behave!"
Charlie arrived at a parking garage, flashing her badge at the officer guarding the crime scene, "Alright ladies, fill me in on the-oh..." She paused when she gazed down at the body, a pool of blood surrounding the decease's arm where there was a large gash, "Well this is different..."
"Yeah, not a pretty sight," JJ appeared and sighed, "His name is Aaron Locke, a currency trader, looks like he was heading in for work when his boss found him around seven."
"So I take it that this is Mr. Locke, Ed?" Charlie asked the forensic scientist, referring to the bloody mess before them.
"Yes, he was attacked by an unknown assailant, time of death around four A.M." He said.
"Cause of death?" JJ inquired.
"He definitely died from blunt force trauma from making contact with the concrete," Edward said, using his pen to point to a bruise on the victim's head and on his body.
"Wallet and cash?"
"Still here, so mugging is ruled out," Rossi said as he appeared near the body.
"A savage beating at four a.m.? There's gotta be some motive," Charlie remarked.
"Wait a minute..." JJ stared bending down as he gazed at the victim's arm, "Is that...a bite mark on his arm?"JJ asked, staring down at the gash.
"It's not just a bite mark, Det. Jareau," Edward said, "See how the flesh is torn? The killer latched on and shook like pit bull," As he was about to continue when Charlie raised her hand to stop him.
"Uh, yeah, I think we get the picture, Ed..." She huffed, "Anything else?"
"Just this," Rossi pulled out an evidence bag that had a worn out cloth inside, "The victim must have teared it off from the killer during the struggle," He denoted. Charlie took the bag to inspect it.
"That is a lace cuff," She started, "Hand stitched, pearl buttons...I'd say this is like...1870s..."She said, they all had perplexed expression as they stared at her, "I did some research, it was for a history report back in college," She explained.
"Who would beat a guy to death in hundred something year old clothes?" Rossi asked.
"The better question is why was he attacked here? Where he worked?" JJ inquired.
"Might wanna ask his boss over there, David Conley, he's the found him," Rossi said as he pointed to a man in suit.
"Looks like that's our cue..." JJ muttered to Charlie. She sighed as they went to the man.
"Mr. Conley?" Charlie called, gaining the man's attention, "Hi, I'm Det. Monroe and this is my partner Det. Jareau," She said, "You said that you were the one that found Mr. Locke?" She asked.
"Yes, I did," The man said, "I can't believe it."
"We believe that Mr. Locke was killed around four am, do you have any idea why he was here so early?" Charlie asked.
"Aaron handled the Asian market" Mr. Conley stared, "So he would usually be in at 4."
"Is there anyone who had any problems with Mr. Locke?" JJ asked, the man paused to think.
"Actually there was this one incident, last week, someone keyed his car," He said.
"Who?"
"Aaron thought it was Ross Nolan, one of my other traders," He said, "The two of them were aiming for a promotion and I went with Aaron, Ross didn't take it so well..."
"What time does Ross usually shows up for work?" JJ asked.
"Four am like Aaron," Mr. Conley replied, "Look, Ross is an oddball, but I don't see him getting invoked in all of this!" He said.
"Well we're going to have to talk to him anyways..." JJ noted as he flipped through his notepad, it was then that Mr. Conley stared past the two detectives.
"That's odd," He said, "His car is right there next to Aaron's," The two detectives turned to said cars.
"Why's that odd?" Charlie asked.
"Because, Ross never came in into the office this morning," Charlie and JJ gave each other knowing looks.
"What's his address?"
"Shame, this case really had promise..." Charlie trailed off as the two stepped of the elevator, "Savage bite mark, reconstruction era clothing? It's a mystery here worth a century, not a slap and cuff on some disgruntled employee..." She muttered.
"Well sorry it's not entertaining enough for you..." JJ scoffed and knocked on the apartment door, "Ross Nolan, GCPD! Open up!"
"Stay away, it isn't safe!" A voice from the other side cried.
"Alright, stand back," JJ said as he readied his gun. He then proceeded to kick the door down, but there was a small barricade blocking the way.
"Sorry Ross," Charlie said as the two detectives walked inside over the small barricade.
"Are you okay? Anyone here?" JJ asked, on alert.
"No, no! Get back get away from me!" The man cried.
"Listen, we just gotta ask you a few questions-"
"No! You need to leave!" Ross insisted, a chain cuff on his wrist, earning an estrange expression on the detectives' faces.
"Relax, Ross," Charlie said, "Relax, we're cops..."
"You're cops?" He asked.
"Yeah," Charlie nodded.
"Is that your gun?" He asked again, pointing to JJ's gun, "You need to shoot me! Shoot me now!" The two detectives turned to each other and then back at Ross.
"You feeling better now Mr. Nolan?" JJ asked, handing the man a cup of water, "We need to ask you about your co-worker, Aaron," He said, "Did you see him in the parking structure?"
"Yea, he just pulled in, I said hello, he said hello, the two of us aren't really friendly," He said.
"So we've heard," Charlie dead panned, "What happened next?"
"And then he stopped," Pausing for dramatic effect, "And he stared right past me with this weird look on his face and then he said 'What the hell is that'!"
"Well what the hell was it?" Charlie injured, raising a brow.
"I couldn't tell at first cause suddenly it was all over us!"
"Wait, you were attacked too?" JJ asked.
"Yeah, but it was mostly after Aaron," Ross said, "I mean it was just wailing on him, I elbowed it in the head and it didn't even slow down!"
"Okay, what do you mean by it?" Charlie stopped him.
"I called 911 and I told them, and they didn't believe me! No one believes me!"
"Just tell us what you saw!" JJ sighed.
"As long as you promise to believe me..."
"Yeah fine, sure, whatever..." JJ said, wanting this to hurry up.
"Promise," He said, grabbing his arm, "That you'll shoot me with you gun when I start to turn," JJ gave him a confused expression.
"Turn? What do ya mean turn?" The blonde detective questioned.
"The thing that bit me," Ross rolled up his sleeve to reveal a bite mark, "That killed Aaron...it was a zombie..." They stared at him, off guard with his answered.
"I'm sorry...what?"
Back at the precinct, Charlie and JJ were listening to the 911 call Ross made. Charlie listened intently and stopped the recording.
"Now, Ross made after Aaron's death...does he sound like he's faking to you?" She asked her partner.
"Sounds like he's having a psychotic break," JJ answered, "What if his guilt made him snap and he created this fantasy where zombies killed Aaron," He deducted.
"I'm not so sure," Charlie disagreed, "I mean, his voice did had that ring of hell bent terror," She added.
"Please tell me you do not believe in his story..." JJ sighed.
"I believe that he believes it..." She shrugged.
"Okay, well whatever you believe, all the evidence points back to that he's our killer " He said.
"Maybe not all the evidence," Rossi appeared with a file in his hand, "CSU just got the results on Ross's arm, turns out that it's a match to one on out Vic," He said.
"Maybe Ross bit him then himself?" JJ inquired.
"Well that's what I thought too, but the mark doesn't match with Ross's teeth."
"Oh," Charlie jumped into the conversation, "Sorry, let me sure I understand so I can relish in this moment," She said, "You're saying the evidence shows that both Ross and our victim were both bit by an unknown third party?" She asked.
"That's what I just-"
"Perhaps even," She cut Rossi off, who turned back at her to give her a glare, "A mindless, undead third party?"
"Charlie, you can't be serious-" JJ sighed in frustration, "There is no way the zombies exist!" It was then when Donoghue popped up.
"Guys, you might wanna see this..."He trailed off, the three went over to his desk and leaned over to see his dusty old computer, "I was going through security footage near the parking garage and I found this," Donoghue then played a video footage. The footage showed a dark figure walking towards the garage.
"Time stamp is 4:08, that's our guy," Rossi said.
"Uh-huh, but it's not Ross..." Charlie pointed out.
"Wait, what's he wearing?" JJ asked, narrowing his eyes, "It looks like an old fashioned suit..." He said.
"That is a civil war uniform...certainly from 1870s," Charlie said, pointing to the screen, "And...his shirt is missing a cuff..."She said.
"Yeah, well keep watching..." Donoghue said. The figure was in the middle of the street continuing to walk at a slowly pace when a taxi came in and swivels itself away from the figure to prevent a collision.
"Woah, that taxi almost hit him and he didn't even flinch..."JJ said. As they were watching the footage. Edward was lurking around as usual and saw the four detectives huddling around Donoghue's computer. Curious, he made his way over.
"Yeah, maybe this is why," Donoghue said typing away, "Let's look at this from another angle..." Donoghue said. The footage switched to another angle, showing the figure's face. Everyone's face contorted to shock and unbelief as the video paused. Charlie blinked as she pointed to the screen again.
"My friends..." She started, "That...is a zombie..." She denounced before breaking away from the group and walked towards Nygma, giving him a pat on the back, "The killer's a zombie!" She exclaimed for everyone else to hear.
Hello! Chapter 4 is up! I've based this chapter on an episode of Castle because it seems to fit things that would happen in Gotham. This is gonna split in 2-3 parts cause it's long. I won't be updating a for but because my finals are coming up, but once they're done I'll continue to update although not a often. Either way enjoy this chapter. Thank you for the follows, fave, and reviews!
Warning: Grammatical and possible spelling mistakes; unedited