This is it, guys. The final chapter to this story. It's been a fun ride, but all good things must come to an end. I want to thank Mandrakefunnyjuice, Fenrir of the Shadows, and AccessBlade for their reviews. Now you get to see how it all plays out, with Genis and Oni being held by Warner (AKA Aifread), and Gil's team on their way to the rescue. Once more, let's get moving!
Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. AccessBlade owns Cameryn Lachance. Fenrir of the Shadows owns Azul Kharlan. No Pain No Gain owns Oni Sheikah. I own Cabalina Ashton and Robert Ross.
"Oni, what's going on here? Who is that man?" Genis asked, still feeling woozy from that hit to his neck. He recalled seeing Oni unconscious on the ground with someone trying to grab the blond officer. In an attempt to save his friend, Genis cast Icicle to freeze the attacker's feet in place while calling the police on his cellphone. Before he could describe the scene, he was knocked out cold, only to wake up in this dark room with Oni being grabbed off his feet.
"Genis, don't make any sudden moves," Oni warned the young half-elf, his eyes tilting back to the man holding him, "Warner, Genis has done nothing to offend you. The one you want is me, so before you do anything, take Genis outside where he can at least call his grandmother." Oni's face was taut and stoic like a statue, hoping to plead for Genis' release. With the boy out of the way, at least Oni could figure out how to fight Warner without worrying about Genis' safety.
"Oni, I'm not leaving without you!" Genis retorted, his body slightly shaking but defiant. Genis was sure that the police was on the way, given he called them before he got captured. And if Mao and Chloe knew he was missing, he was certain they would have taken action as well. "I will not leave you here alone with him!" Genis declared, pointing at Warner.
"Watch your mouth, brat!" Warner roared, glaring menacingly and pointing the gun at Genis, "I had a perfect plan going, and it would have worked had it not been for you interfering. You think you half-elves are so great with your spells? We'll see how many spells you can cast to prevent a bullet from going through your belly!"
"Warner, stop!" Oni shouted, trying to wrest himself free from Warner's grasp. Oni's hands were still tied behind his back, limiting his upper body's mobility. But as long as Genis was still here, the rookie officer would do anything it took to protect the boy. "Your plan was far from perfect. In fact, Sergeant Irving long suspected you, and had been keeping an eye on you. The only reason you're in protective custody is because of his plan."
Warner whipped his head back to Oni, who glared defiantly at the renovator. "It was the day when you went to the mall to meet up with Cameryn. Sarge had a plan to make you come into the station, and he had Bob and I put it into action…"
"Bob, if the ethics commissioner finds out about our plan, he will eat our badges for lunch!" Oni exclaimed exasperatedly. Right now, Robert and Oni were standing at the second floor balcony at the downtown shopping mall where the police chase took place a few days ago. After Noishe's undressing by the ethics commissioner, tension was still high whenever a police mission took place. So for Robert to convince Oni to spy on Cameryn, this was very risky.
Robert, however, would not be denied. Waving at the Loni-Kyle shirt Oni wore, he pointed at the bare midriffs. "I heard from Sarge that your teacher Genis decided to get a bit fanatical about a certain body part," he taunted, gesturing at the navel, "You do realize this is perfect blackmail fodder, right? You want the entire station and your girlfriend to know that you just became the latest victim of Iselia's belly fanatic?" he sneered.
Robert shoved a small flower pot into the half-elf's hands, halting his protests. "I'll watch Warner, and when he comes near, I'll signal you to hurl this thing at him. Leave about six inches of space, as to not hit him. Fail and I'll get Genis to poke you again," Robert threatened, pointing to the floor below, "The Sages live within a five-minute walk from me. I'll distract Lynn and Raine while Genis has his way with you. We'll tape this and put it online too, got it?"
Oni swallowed hard. While he was good friends with Robert and the Sages, the last thing he wanted was the event of Genis poking his belly being known. What would Elyria think if she ever saw that happening? Gently cradling the flower pot, he glanced over the edge, keeping a watchful eye over Cameryn and Warner who were having their conversation a distance away.
Just then, Warner got up and turned to leave. Both Robert and Oni could see Cameryn still sitting there, a stunned expression on her face. As Warner got closer, Robert timed his every step on his watch. "Wait for it, wait for it," he murmured, lifting his right hand to Oni while his eyes alternated between the watch on his left hand and the floor below. With every step Warner took, Oni's heart pounded at his sternum. Even though Gil told them he would check with mall security over safety issues, he was still nervous at any slip-ups. What if he really hit Warner?
"Flower pot drop on three, Oni," Robert called, snapping Oni back to attention. The half-elf's hands were soaked with perspiration, so much so that he could barely grip the flower pot properly. From Robert's right, Oni peered over the edge apprehensively, not knowing what to expect. "One," Robert counted, much to Oni's displeasure, "Two," Robert's hawk-like eyes zoomed in on the redhead just below them. Oni could only whisper a prayer as Robert uttered the final word. "Three," he called, thrusting his arm forward to signal the drop. Squeezing his eyes shut, Oni hurled the pot down the balcony and ducked behind the railing.
Oni nearly curled into a ball when the explosion-like shatter echoed through the entire mall. "Direct hit, direct hit," Robert declared, pumping his fists in victory, "We hit the ground inches before Warner's next step. It was a total success!" Robert grabbed Oni's shoulder, almost hoisting the blond officer onto his feet. "We can't stay here and marvel at this for too long. We better get out of here before Warner realizes something is wrong. Come on!"
Oni barely got a chance to peek over the railing once more, catching a glimpse of Warner staring up at the balcony. Even though Warner's look was one of concern, it still sent shivers up Oni's spine. In his mind, Oni didn't know who intimidated him more: the psychotic killer they suspected was Warner or the ethics commissioner if he found out about this stunt. "Sarge, we got him!" Oni could hear Robert report to Gil over his cellphone, "Whenever you want to make your entrance, I'm sure Cameryn will be ready for you."
"Bob and Cameryn were both behind the act, and Sarge just showed up later on to get info from you. Bob was able to use all that info to find out about your past, and that's why the police will be all over you," Oni revealed, his tone stronger and more confident than before, "It's no use trying to hide here, because my team will be here any minute. Give it up, Warner!"
Warner responded to Oni's taunts with another pistol whip to the chops. "Who said you can bargain with me?" he roared, his hand shaking in anger, "After I kill you and that little brat, my mission is complete. You think a bunch of cops can stop me after I did in four people?"
Just then, the youngest person in the room spoke. "No, the cops won't be doing anything to you," Genis stated, getting into a fighter's stance, "But I will." Taking a deep breath, Genis put his hands at shoulder level before pushing them diagonally down, aiming right at Warner's feet. "Stone Blast!" he yelled, sending boulders up from the ground.
Warner was upended from the floor, landing hard on his back. The young mage did not stop there, marching right up to Warner and casting Icicle once more. This time, he made sure the ice surrounded Warner's limbs, completely disabling the renovator. "Come on, Oni," Genis called, rushing up to his policeman friend, "We have to get out of here."
"Thanks, Genis. But can you get rid of the ropes on my hands first?" Oni asked, turning his back to Genis, "Can you cast a spell that cuts these things up for me?"
"No problem. Aqua Edge!" Genis called, sending three spinning water disks at Oni's wrists. Before long, the ropes were cut, allowing Oni's hands to have mobility once more. As Oni ripped the door open, Genis turned to Warner and cast another Icicle, keeping his limbs even more in place. "That's for knocking me unconscious!" he snapped before hustling out with Oni.
Unfortunately for Genis, Warner was far from finished. While the redhead was on his back, his limbs encased in blocks of ice, he could feel a heat source coming from his left. It was the heater in his warehouse, and it was doing just enough to weaken the ice binds on his left arm and leg. With the ice turning into running water, Warner flexed his left arm and leg. Like a vampire rising from its coffin, Warner soon cracked the ice off his body.
With one side now free, Warner reached into his left pants pocket and took out a lighter. One detail missed by Oni and Genis was that Warner still had Oni's gun in his right hand, and once Warner got himself free, he would make sure those two half-elves pay. Turning the lighter on, he aimed the flame at his right side and started melting the ice of his limbs.
Police cars lined the streets, alarms ringing through the night while a helicopter buzzed above the vehicles. In his own Audi V8, Gil was anything but relaxed, knowing full well that one of his team members and the grandson of one of his best friends were the captives. Moreover, the killer was a psychopath with unmatched intelligence, making this mission riskier than any he had ever taken before. If Warner followed Gil's novel that carefully, then it was possible that he knew exactly how Gil's train of thought went, and might even outsmart Gil himself.
"The warehouse is in sight, so everybody get ready," Noishe's voice echoed off the police radio. Gil could see the lights from the motorcycle unit leading them into the compound, which resembled a coliseum more than a storage area. The open entrance left the police exposed and vulnerable, while the large, two-storey building tauntingly dared them to enter. As Gil shut off the engine and hopped out of his car, shivers went up and down his arms, legs, and spine.
"Does everyone remember the plan?" Noishe asked, gesturing both the SWAT team and the plainclothes unit together, "SWAT team will be split into two, each one taking one entrance and clearing the way for us. Search the whole warehouse from outside to in, first floor to second. The helicopter above us will keep an eye on things around, in case Warner makes an escape. As for the motorcycle unit, they will block off all ground routes within a kilometre of here. Don't forget to get the two captives out safely, even if it means attacking Warner."
The teams soon split in their opposite directions, with officers in an extra cruiser blocking the garage where Warner's van was parked. Gil hustled off with Cabalina to one entrance while Noishe left with Azul and Presea, just as the motorcycles buzzed out to their respective areas. Not counting Gil signing Warner's book at the mall, Cabalina was the first to have contact with Warner, and she left with a sour taste in her mouth. The same thing also happened when Cameryn met Warner at the mall. Who knew then that the least likely person was the culprit?
"We're ready to bust in," the SWAT team leader informed Gil. The goateed staff sergeant could see a battering ram held by two SWAT members while the rest of the SWAT team waited behind with Cabalina. "Your orders, Sergeant?" the team leader asked.
Gil checked his gun one more time. Assuming Warner could hear them barge in, they literally had minutes to scour the entire compound for where Oni and Genis would be. While Oni and Genis might put up some defences against Warner with possible mana spells, Gil had doubts that they could last against Warner for too long. Turning to the SWAT team leader, he gravely nodded. "Let's make quick use of the time, alright?" he reminded the team.
Gil got behind the SWAT team, which slammed the ram into the metal doors. Three loud bangs sounded off before it burst open, allowing the gun-toting officers to charge in and clear the way. Aisle after aisle contained items used for renovation or other upgrading purposes, but there was no sign of Oni and Genis. There was also no time to scour the shelves for things that Warner might have used to kill his other targets. Would Warner make his last kill a simple one, like a bullet to the head, or would he go for something sophisticated, similar to his previous kills?
Before anyone could mull on that, a loud gunshot snapped everyone to attention. Gil and Cabalina rushed out to the open foyer and frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the shot. "Captain Noishe, can you see anything from where you are?" Gil called into his radio.
"We can't see anything from our end, but I hear some footsteps above us," Noishe replied frantically, amidst the footsteps of officers rushing into the open, "I think there's a walkway that leads to a set of stairs coming down from the second floor. Maybe Oni and Genis are trying to escape and Warner spotted them. Can you access the stairs from where you are?"
Before Gil could respond, another shot rang out, followed by some inaudible shouting. "I can't see anything right now, but I think they're near us," Gil stated, craning his neck to look up. The whole area was blanketed by darkness, but Gil could make out metallic bars lining both horizontally and vertically across the structure, indicating there was a walkway. A series of clangs from above also made Gil realize that perhaps his two friends were closer than he thought.
"I didn't know the other way was blocked. I was unconscious when he dragged me in here!" the distinctive voice belonging to Genis Sage sounded off, followed but a quick change in direction in the footsteps. By the way things were going upstairs, Gil figured Oni and Genis were already out of Warner's grasp, and were probably trying desperately to find an escape route.
"How did he get us up here anyway? He couldn't have dragged two unconscious bodies all by himself," Oni could be heard replying, "Maybe he has an elevator or lift?" Sensing Warner was closing in on them, there was little time to waste. Looking around for his team, Gil spotted Cabalina and gestured to her, asking her to be his spotter while he contacted the SWAT team.
Lifting the radio to his mouth, Gil relayed his latest orders. "All team members look for a staircase leading down from the top. Our hostages have escaped, and Warner is chasing after them. Suspect is most likely armed and dangerous, so do not take any chances. Whoever gets to Oni and Genis first, make sure you take them to safety before we go after Warner!"
Gil's message was followed by another gunshot, followed by a loud metallic clang from the scaffolding above. "This is getting way too close for comfort," Genis was heard grumbling, "I'm going to see if I can distract him just to buy us some time." Then, to all officers' surprise, three fireballs zipped across the dark ceiling and towards where the gunshots came from. While Gil only saw shadows and silhouettes, he now had an idea where Oni and Genis were, and how close Warner was to them. If he could only locate the staircase, they would be home free.
But the supposed plan Genis came up with backfired, as a series of hurried footsteps echoed through the warehouse, followed by two more shots. Panicked screams were heard from the scaffolding, leading to mass chaos for the officers below. Gil quickly relayed more orders, his finger jabbing in various directions. "Oni, Genis, stay alive for another few minutes," he murmured. Despite help was on the way, Gil was now doubting if it could arrive in time.
"There's the stairs!" Oni exclaimed, shoving Genis in the direction of the exit. Even after they escaped from Warner, the two half-elves had no idea how to get out, taking too much time bumbling along the scaffolding. Now Warner broke free from the ice binds, had Oni's gun in his hand, and was chasing after them. Could they even get out in time to get help?
Before they could take another step down the stairs, a gunshot zipped towards them, causing both to duck. They could feel the bullet whiz above their heads, this shot the closest to hitting them yet. Warner was on their tails, and the only thing they could do was either outrun him, or turn back to fight him. "Let me hold him back first," Genis suggested, whipping his body around. Taking another deep breath, he thrust out his arm and called, "Wind Blade!"
A series of rotating air sliced at the renovator, giving Oni and Genis just enough time to navigate down the steep and narrow stairway. At the floor below them, Oni could see it was an open area, meaning Warner could still snipe them from above. With the way things were right now, they were clearly not safe. "We have to get to the exit," Oni announced.
Another shot rained down from the stairs just when both half-elves hopped off the last step. Genis turned back to see Warner at the top of the stairs, seething with anger and stalking down like a bear. His sleeves and pant legs were wet, courtesy of the ice spells from when Genis tried to bind him. His shirt was also torn in the front, thanks to the Wind Blade from earlier. It was evident that despite the damage done to him with two spells, Warner was not slowing down one bit. "I'll kill you both if it's the last thing I do!" he roared, charging down the stairs.
"Geez, Oni! How many bullets are there in that gun?" Genis questioned, his voice a mix of fear and franticness. He immediately rifled through his pockets, hoping to find his cellphone. Much to his dismay, it was no longer with him. "I must have dropped it when he knocked me out at the community centre," Genis muttered as they hustled off, "Now how can we call for help?"
"You're not the only person with something missing, Genis," Oni retorted, pulling Genis into the aisles of shelves, where they at least had a place to hide from Warner, "He's got my gun too, although I don't recall having that many shots. Before I left my apartment, I checked the gun cartridge, and it wasn't full. It won't surprise me if he only has a shot or two left. Did we manage to count how many shots he got off, starting from when we escaped?" Oni asked.
Genis had no response for that question, opting to holler out instead. Oni turned just in time to see Frank Warner charging into their aisle with the gun aimed at them. "Take cover!" Oni shouted, tackling Genis just as Warner fired another shot. Genis could only throw his hands over his head, his entire body solid as stone. Genis wasn't sure how many times he cheated death this night. Right now, his only wish for his thirteenth birthday was to get out of here unscathed.
Just then, a weak groan caught Genis' attention. "Oni, are you hurt?" he murmured, trying to lift his head. From beside him, Oni tried to get to his feet, only to show a grimace on his face. Genis craned his neck and all the blood suddenly rushed out of his head. Oni's left hand was around his right side, at around the height of his ribs. The hand was soaked in red, and Oni's shallow breathing only confirmed the bad news. "You've been shot!" Genis exclaimed.
Before Oni could even respond, Genis was tossed a side like a ragdoll in a hurricane. The younger half-elf hit his head against the vertical metal bar of the shelf, and while it didn't knock him unconscious, it made Genis see enough stars to render him ineffective. Flipping Oni onto his back, Warner pointed the gun menacingly at Oni's forehead. "Now that the brat is out of the way, I can truly finish you off. Prepare to go apologize to my crew for their deaths!"
Oni hissed in pain as Warner constricted his left hand against Oni's throat. With his body too weak to physically fight back, and Genis out of commission for the moment, there was only one thing Oni could do. Sneaking his left hand under his shirt, he thrust a finger into his belly button and rubbed it in and out. "Any last words, scumbag?" Warner growled.
Oni tried to block out the pain on his ribs, the pressure on his neck, and the unusual sensation from his navel. He did not have a cellphone charger or electrical wire, but static electricity was probably his only friend right now. Struggling to stay focused, Oni defiantly stared back at the gunman. "Yeah, Lightning," he uttered, much to Warner's surprise.
The split second was all it took for Oni to pull up his shirt with his left hand. With his navel now showing, a small spark of electrical mana shot out the deep depression and right into Warner's abdomen. It was enough to shock Warner off of Oni, lifting the gun away from the blond half-elf's forehead and letting a wayward shot into the air. With Warner hit by electricity, Oni gave the renovator a good kick, pushing him away while hobbling off the ground. "Genis, are you okay?" Oni asked, approaching the pre-teen sitting on the ground holding his head.
Genis shook his head a few times, trying to get the stars out of his eyes. He tried to stand up, but to no avail. Whatever hit Genis took to the head, it was enough to knock his balance off. "If it weren't for how serious this is, I would have shown you how I managed to improvise a belly shot," Oni murmured, grabbing a hold of Genis' hand. Realizing that his progress wouldn't be that fast either, Oni could only hope the exit was close, before Warner could strike again.
But Oni and Genis barely got past two aisles before Warner got back up. From the open area ahead of them, Oni could hear sounds of footsteps and orders being yelled out. Figuring it was the police, Oni tried to cry out for help. "Hey, we're over here!" he shouted.
"You're not going anywhere!" Warner yelled from behind. Both Oni and Genis turned to see Warner within a foot of them, the gun pointing at their faces once more. Realizing they were inches from the police, Oni shoved Genis into the open area, ordering him to get reinforcements. "You're like the cockroach that just won't die, aren't you, rookie?" Warner snarled.
Oni's heart pounding on his sternum did little to ease the pain throbbing from his right side, making his every breath painful to take. Tilting his eyes to spot Genis stumbling to get help, Oni did the only thing he could do. "I tackled you and held you long enough to let the police arrest you when I was a cadet, and I can do it again now!" Oni launched himself at Warner, placing both hands on the barrel of the gun, pulling it skyward and away from himself.
Unlike two years ago, the injured Oni was no match for the much stronger Warner, who soon flipped the rookie officer against the wall. The collision did the right ribs no favour, and the arm twisting action made Oni feel like his shoulder had been dislocated. He did everything to hold on, even when the footsteps were getting closer. "This is the police," he could hear someone call, "Release your hostage, drop your weapon, and put your hands in the air!"
Warner didn't even pay attention to the warning, his mind too blinded by hate for Oni. This was the man who haunted him for the last two years, the man who made him lose his crew all because of a traffic check gone wrong, and the man who had the one thing Warner didn't have right now: support and encouragement from his colleagues and friends. Oni was the one who ruined his life, so even if the police was surrounding him, Warner was adamant to kill Oni on the spot. "If the police take me down, then you're going down with me!" Warner yelled.
But just as Warner brought the gun close to Oni's head, a strange click was heard from the trigger. Oni barely lifted his eyes and realized the dilemma: Warner was out of bullets. Oni wasn't sure if Warner or the police knew the gun was empty, but it gave Oni a huge advantage. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the pain to the deepest part of his mind and shoved Warner to the direction of the police. "The only one going down today is you, Warner," Oni retorted.
The two men tumbled into the open, where Oni could see the SWAT team assembling. He couldn't make out where Genis was, but given officers from his unit were around, Genis was most likely safe. "Release the hostage or we'll shoot," the SWAT leader warned, all firearms drawn and pointing at the wrestling duo. Warner gained the upper hand once more, pushing Oni to the ground chest-first. Pointing the gun against Oni's temple, he prepared to pull the trigger.
But Warner could not even finish that before several bullets hit him. The SWAT team saw Warner try to blow Oni's brains out, and opened fire on the red-haired renovator to save one of their own. Oni couldn't even holler out to the SWAT team, trying to tell them there were no bullets left in Warner's gun. Before long, the weight off Oni's back was no more. Warner slumped backwards onto the stone-cold concrete, stone-cold dead.
Oni panted in fear, the pain from his ribs returning once more. His heart threatened to pound a hole through his sternum and into the ground below. Before long, the SWAT team members gathered around Warner's corpse, making sure he was no longer a threat. Gil's team soon followed, with the relieved face of the goateed staff sergeant coming into Oni's vision. "Are you alright?" Gil asked, extending his hand to Oni, "We got Genis already, and we'll get an ambulance for him. Why don't you come to the hospital as well, just to get checked up?"
"Dad, there you are!" Lloyd exclaimed, hustling into the waiting area outside the operation room, "We came here as soon as we could, after you called me earlier. Is everything alright?" Lloyd asked. He approached the row of seats lined outside the operation room, sliding into a seat directly to the right of his father, who sat stoic in a middle chair at the front row.
Gil rubbed his face with both hands, the fatigue and stress making him look at least ten years older. "Oni has been in the operation room for an hour now, and I've already called Elyria to come," Gil explained monotonously, "How did Genis fare? Did he make it out unscathed?"
Lloyd rubbed his fingerless-gloved hands together, anxiety taking a toll on the brunette as well. "Genis is diagnosed with a concussion, and the doctors want to keep him hospitalized for at least the weekend," Lloyd described, his arms and legs still shaking, "Raine and Mrs. Sage are staying with Genis, but Colette said she'll come over here a bit later on. Mao and Chloe are still there, but Mrs. Sage will call their families to pick them up after she makes sure Genis is okay."
Gil nodded. He kept an eye on the main doors, wondering when his team would arrive with Elyria. Lloyd tried peering into Gil's eyes, realizing Gil was troubled by the last battle. "It's almost ironic that a police sergeant wrote a book that inspired a serial killer," Gil commented, giving off a hoarse chuckle, "Warner used my book to justify his actions after feeling society wronged him. Normally, I would say Warner made the wrong choice to begin with, but somehow I have some responsibility to take as well. Do you think I should have done more to convince my fans to truly think about the story, rather than just let them interpret it however they like?"
Lloyd took a deep breath, thinking over his words carefully. Being the site administrator, he also witnessed extreme fans like Warner and Cook, meaning he could have stopped them as well. But now, he was thinking about this from a different angle. "I think as the writer, your job is to guide your readers, but not dictate to them how they should think," Lloyd replied, steady eyes focused on his slouched father, "Like you said, Warner had psychological problems for years, and held a grudge against Oni and the police for something preventable. Given his mind is set on breaking the law to get his way, I think him using your book is just a side event."
Gil turned his head around, his eyes neither surprised nor disappointed. Part of him was proud of his son for that very detailed and logical answer, but another part of him was intrigued at how Lloyd arrived at this conclusion. "What's your reasoning behind that thought?" he asked.
Lloyd licked his lips, his chocolate eyes reflecting steel-like resolve in his answer. "Before Ratatosk split in half to seal the Ginnungagap, he and Emil took on some members of the Vanguard on the way to there," Lloyd explained, trying hard to recall each detail, "Two people named Alice and Decus fought Emil and Marta before they reached the Ginnungagap, and Marta wanted to save them by convincing them to leave the Vanguard instead of killing them. But in the end, both Emil and Marta realized Alice and Decus joined the Vanguard on their own volition, and no amount of help offered would make them change their minds."
Gil straightened up his body, staring silently at his son. "Even though Warner's supposed to be mentally unstable, I think he was aware of his actions," Lloyd continued, "He wanted to kill anyone that resembled Oni, and used the pettiest reasons to justify his actions. There wasn't anything we could have done to convince him to stop, and like how Emil himself pointed out back then, trying to convince ourselves that Warner could be saved is ego on our part. I don't see anything more that I could have done, other than to help you track down the suspect. I don't hold it against myself for my actions, and I don't think you should hold it against yourself either."
Gil smiled weakly. Usually, Lloyd was the one at the receiving end of one of Gil's life lessons, but the tables were turned completely today. Maybe this was a sign that Lloyd had fully matured as a person. "Thanks, Lloyd," Gil replied with a small nod, "If I do continue with my mystery novels, I will be diligent and interact with the fans, just to ensure nothing tragic like this happens ever again." With that, father and son held each other in a warm embrace.
Just then, a young woman with dark brown hair and tan skin charged into the waiting room. She was followed by members of Gil's unit, including Cameryn, who wasn't part of their operation. Even Robert showed up, taking a seat to Gil's other side and glancing nervously at the operation room. "Captain Noishe is still outside with the SWAT Team, trying to deal with the press. Is the rookie okay in there, Sarge?" he asked anxiously.
Before Gil could answer, the operation room doors popped open. A doctor in a full-body green operation gown stepped forward. Upon seeing him, Elyria instantly jumped forward. "I'm the girlfriend of the patient. Is he alright in there? Will he survive?" she demanded frantically.
The doctor waved his hands in assurance. "Officer Sheikah has suffered a bullet wound to the right side, and it did fracture a rib. We did manage to take out the bullet and patch up the wound, but the rib will take about six weeks to heal," the doctor explained the situation calmly to Elyria and the team, "I think it'll be in his best interests to stay in the hospital for a few days, just to observe the progress and giving him the right support for his ribs. But the surgery is a success, and he is in no life-threatening danger right now, so we will transfer him to a room soon."
"Alright, he'll make it!" Elyria exclaimed. She happily bounded over to Cabalina and Azul, giving them both a huge hug. The pony-tailed brunette and the elf were both caught off guard, but gladly welcomed the gesture, knowing that their friend would make it through.
As Elyria hopped over to give Cameryn a hug, Presea approached Gil. Taking a seat at the second row, on the chair directly behind Gil's, she asked, "So now that Warner is shot dead, and we have evidence pointing to his involvement in those deaths, do you think that pretty much closes the case? I don't think we have anything else left to do, right?"
Gil gave off a wide grin. "Other than making sure Oni and Genis get out of the hospital completely healthy, I doubt it," Gil responded, turning around and leaning his side against the back of the chair, "But I have to say we made quite a few friends on this adventure, and I think some of those relationships may last a bit longer than the case being closed."
"Looks like we can finally close this case, Robert," Noishe stated to his former team member sitting across from him at the captain's office. Even though it was Sunday, with virtually no one in the office, Noishe wanted to finish the file before taking off. Robert was asked to come along, having taken custody of the file for Archives, now that it was finished.
Even though he was asked to come in for the weekend, Robert was in an upbeat mood. "I don't mind coming in this weekend, just to finish clearing this up," he replied, taking another set of files from the former Protozoan, "After such a crazy case, with so many deaths happening, I'm just glad we've finally cracked it. By the way, how's Sarge taking it so far?"
Noishe shrugged. Gil seemed uncertain after the case was over, almost feeling like he partially caused it by his book. While Lloyd told him not to worry about it, both Noishe and Robert felt that Gil had some baggage to drop off before he could be at peace. "Gil went through a lot, but I'm sure he can handle it," Noishe explained, handing off the last set of documents for Robert, "Lloyd really put things into perspective for him, and that's always a good thing."
Robert chuckled. The taxing experience showed him that even though Gil seemed almost invincible, he was still a human inside. "With his son going to college in a few months, he'll have a whole new set of challenges to deal with. I wonder what will stress him out more: dealing with the ethics commissioner at the station or dealing with Lloyd's tuition fees."
Noishe laughed along as well. "On the topic of the ethics commissioner, here's a bit of news that I think you may be interested in. Due to the death of Peter Cook so soon after his release, the police chief will investigate if the ethics commissioner did the right thing in letting him out with the real killer still at large," Noishe described, clasping his hands and looking at Robert eagerly, "I'm sure the ethics commissioner will justify his actions with policies, but I find it ironic that he's now on the receiving end of an investigation into his potential wrongdoing."
Robert snickered. This was one moment he had been waiting for even before this case. "Well, I'm taking all these to the Archives Department then," Robert announced, tucking all the files under his arm, "Keep me posted on the unit's events, okay?"
Noishe waved goodbye to Robert, leaving the captain all alone in his office. Taking a glance around, he picked up his phone and called up his staff sergeant. The very least he could do right now was to make sure Gil was fine with everything that happened. "Hi Gil, it's me," Noishe greeted just as Gil picked up on the other end, "Just wanted to see how you're doing?"
"Captain Noishe, thanks for calling, but you really don't have to worry about me," Gil responded amidst some static in the back, "I'm doing fine right now. In fact, I'm just at a coffee shop with my son and his girlfriend, and they're having a discussion with Cameryn on saving up for college tuition. I'm also fielding a Skype call right now, so I can't talk for too long."
"Well, glad to know things are going okay," Noishe replied. It was so out of character for Gil to have this event affect him the way it did, but just like he had predicted, the unflappable Gil Irving would pull through once more. "I'll see you on Monday at work then, alright?"
"Make sure to thank Jade Curtiss for me, for all his hard work on the case," Gil added before ending the call. Turning back to his laptop, he continued the three-way conversation with Regal and Zelos. "The captain just called to make sure everything is going fine," Gil assured his two friends, "You both did lots to help me crack the case. Zelos, your testimony pretty much put this thing over the top. And Regal, you did a great job on the history of the Loni-Kyle."
"I'm glad I was able to help you, Gil. Anything to help a friend in need," Regal pointed out, "I told you earlier that I found it improbable to have such remote things be connected to your case, but here I stand greatly corrected. Looks like I have a lot to learn if I ever want to be a detective. Maybe I should take up your offer and buy a copy of your book!"
Zelos chortled on the other line. "Well, glad we're all mystery hunters now, but I'm more concerned with letting my hunnies hear about my exploits," Zelos declared, grinning maniacally and flexing an arm, "Tell the hunnies that I have the looks, the muscles, and the brains to attract them. I bet even those in your unit, like Presea or Cameryn, are bound to be impressed!"
Gil could only chuckle and shake his head. Either way, with friends like these, there was no way anything could get him down. He was more determined than ever to keep solving cases and writing novels in the future, and would bask in the support and encouragement of his family and friends. As Gil continued his chat with Regal and Zelos, a couple tables over in the coffee shop were Cameryn, Lloyd, and Colette, talking about something related to their future too. "And that's the most effective way to save up for your college years," Cameryn concluded.
Both Lloyd and Colette nodded. It was the first time either one of them thought about their future in college, but neither seemed ready to digest all this new information. Part of this was due to having to face being independent, but also because of the unusual and taxing case they both just solved. "Are you guys still thinking about the case?" Cameryn asked.
Again, another set of weak nods from the teenage couple. "I guess this case changed me a lot, because now I see there's so much more out there that I haven't known yet," Lloyd reflected to Cameryn, "Maybe, just maybe, this will prepare me for college and beyond."
Colette placed her hand on top of Lloyd's, their eyes meeting right in the middle. "At least we can get through it together," she stated before turning her eyes to Cameryn, "Cameryn told me about how she kept her faith in supporting others even when her first attempt failed, and now she's more determined than ever to keep inspiring others. If she can do it, then so can we."
Cameryn beamed warmly at the twosome. "Lloyd, Colette, this is the very thing I tried to help Kate with, but failed," she recalled, thinking back to the plainclothes unit's first case, "Kate wanted to be independent, but didn't know how to put things into perspective. Unlike you two, who have an eye on the goal and have a way of getting there, Kate lost her way by not realizing her best options. Right now, the only thing I can hope for is that when she does make it through her trial, she can find the right path again. And when she does, I'll be there to help her again."
Lloyd and Colette both nodded once more, realizing Frank Warner lacked that very thing as well. He pushed his hatred for the fault done to him in the foreground, rather than accepted what he couldn't change and tried to get help and support for moving on from the event. For Lloyd and Colette, they would always cherish their relationship, and support from their friends and families. There would be nothing stronger than the bonds they had right then and there.
Gil and Presea guessed correctly when they claimed the bonds created in this experience would last a lot longer than expected. For Cabalina, her bond took her back to the ranch near the scouts' camp, where she was now meeting with Jack Azmenak. "My brother Fil is finishing his first undergrad year as a veterinary science major," Cabalina described to the young rancher, "Will you or anyone you know want some help over the summer?" she asked, tugging on her jacket on this cool but sunny morning. She leaned against the wooden rails that lined the perimeter of Jack's field, watching the young man busily ship equipment out from the barn.
Jack nodded thoughtfully. "I can definitely ask my parents for you, and if they say yes, then Fil can send his resume over. We'll work out his duties and pay later on," he responded, shoving his working gloves into the back pocket of his pants, "I'm just glad I can help you guys with that death at the scouts' camp. Hopefully everything will be alright now."
Cabalina shrugged. "It's like what Sergeant Irving said, right?" she replied, recalling Gil's words on how Warner ruined it for himself during the Luin traffic check, "If all citizens took the time to just calm down and acted carefully, rather than running around like a chicken without its head, there would be a lot fewer tragedies. I'm just glad you were able to show that calmness when we interviewed you, but I guess that's natural, given you deal with animals."
Jack nodded. "Dealing with animals means you have to be analytical, diagnose what's wrong with the animal, and how to fix the situation," he explained, "If your brother will work for my family over the summer, maybe we can go over some of these skills. Anyway, would you like to look around the farm, just so you can tell Fil what it's like if he does want to work here?"
While Cabalina was at the farm, a different group of people were also commenting on the serial deaths at the University of Iselia. Raine Sage was on the phone, taking a long distance call from her friend and colleague Sheena Fujibyashi. "According to Gil, the killer made all these kills because of his vast knowledge in a variety of subjects," she stated, leaning her back against the rolling chair at her desk, "It's truly a shame that he chose this route, because it pretty much wasted all that potential to do so many great things."
"Yeah, I guess," Sheena trailed off, her tone still somewhat hesitant, "Even though I feel a lot better knowing this killer won't hurt anyone again, the scene of Andy being electrocuted by that fish tank pretty much reminded me why I fear electricity in the past. I'm just thankful you and Gil supported me through it. By the way, will Professor Albane ever get a new fish tank?"
"The replacement tank arrived earlier today," Raine answered, tilting her watch to note the time, "I have to go soon. I have tutorials to teach later in the afternoon, and I may even have to miss out on taking my brother out of the hospital. Grandma will pick him up when he gets released, but I'm just glad he'll be okay. Maybe it'll teach Genis that even though mana spells are powerful, he still can't be reckless about it, or he'll just end up in the hospital again."
After a quick goodbye, Raine ended the call with Sheena and trotted out of her lab. She hustled over to the Albane lab, where Miguel Albane had many parts laid out on the ground for assembling the fish tank. While the older man was on the ground identifying the pieces, a young man with sandy brown hair and a red bandana tied around his head looked on anxiously. "Dad, you can't be serious, right? Why are you asking me to help you assemble this fish tank?"
The professor glanced up in annoyance. "Sergeant Irving told me you can't even tell two light bulbs apart, which indicates your cluelessness around the home. What if there's a bulb that burned out after you move out, and you have to fix it?" he retorted, "Don't tell me you're calling your mother or me to come fix it, Cress. From now on, I'll teach you how to fix common home appliances, starting with light bulbs. So come here and help me assemble the fish tank, starting with the wiring to the lighting!" Albane ordered, jabbing a finger at the part.
Raine could barely hold back her chortles when Cress tried every excuse in the book to refuse his father, only to get all of them shot down. In pure frustration, Cress let out a loud scream, shaking the entire lab in the process. Sensing her cue to leave, Raine slipped out from the Albane lab and back into her own, noting another fun story she could tell to Gil and her other friends next time they met. The score as of now: light bulbs two, Cress Albane zero.
Gil and Presea, on the other hand, had some other issues to deal with. Even though Gil's wallet dodged a bullet after not having to treat Reid Hershel to a buffet lunch, both of them still felt they owed it to the MMA fighter for his actions. Moreover, after a quick talk with Regal, who happened to be a mixed martial arts fan, Presea decided to look into the subject as well. "It's just one more new thing I get to try out in my life after the Exsphere," she informed Aylmer, the dojo owner, "So if Reid is available for lunch, maybe he can join Gil and me."
"He finished his training today and just hopped into the showers," the dojo owner pointed out, gesturing to the back, "Although if you want, I can give you some information on our club right now, and show you a schedule of when our fighters may compete…"
While Presea was occupied with Aylmer, Gil sneaked into the male locker room to surprise Reid. He stepped in just in time to hear the water stop flowing, followed by a silhouette figure moving out from the back. Before long, Reid appeared into view, tossing the towel over one shoulder while adjusting the waistband of his white boxers. Reid looked up before Gil could even greet him, and immediately an exasperated expression appeared on his face. "Please don't tell me you want me to pick another lock," he groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration.
Gil lifted his hands and waved them in assurance. "No locks to pick this time, Reid," he informed the MMA fighter, "I want to personally take you out to lunch. Even though you failed to pick that lock, I still feel I owe it to you. Besides, Presea, the officer I came with last time, is gaining an interest in mixed martial arts. If you can enlighten her over lunch…"
"You'll really take me to that buffet? No tricks involved or strings attached," Reid demanded, his eyes lighting up in excitement, "Then just let me get dressed first…" he trailed off, bounding happily to his locker. He pulled out his pants, his sneakers, and the membership Loni-Kyle shirt. After that frustrating exercise with the lock last time, Reid was finally being rewarded. "You guys have something to celebrate too, since you caught Kent's killer, right?"
Gil smiled and nodded. With the support he got from his son, his unit, and all his friends, knowing they would always be there to ensure extremism didn't rule the day, he didn't have a worry in the world. For now, the only thing he had to be concerned with was how many plates Reid would go through at the buffet table before the manager threw him out. "From now on, if I ever want someone to pick a lock, I'll turn to the guy in my unit," he told Reid, "His name is…"
"…Azul Kharlan," Oni greeted the elf standing before his hospital bed, "I'm glad you can see me get discharged. You don't want your trainee to get hurt, right?" he joked. A weekend of observation led the medical staff to conclude that Oni's ribs would heal well. With nothing else hindering the half-elf from a full recovery, Oni was about to be sent home. He sat upright on the hospital bed, trying now to move too much while his girlfriend helped collect his belongings.
"Well, I care about my teammates, and I want to make sure they're okay," Azul replied, shoving his hands in his pants pockets, "I do know for a fact that you won't be doing any active police work for four to six weeks, if my research into the healing process of broken ribs is correct. In that case, just stay at home and don't do anything crazy."
The lone female in the room giggled. "I'll take care of you real good, Oni," Elyria suggested, helping Oni put on his brown jacket, "For starters, I'll take away the keys to your motorcycle," she stated, twirling a set of keys around. Luckily, Oni's motorcycle was returned to him in relatively good condition, even after the crash after Warner swerved into him. But with his health, Oni was in no position to drive it for a while. "Now all I have to do is call a cab."
Azul chuckled and shook his head at his half-elf trainee. "Speaking of not doing anything drastic, I'm guessing that also means no spell casting for a while?" he pointed out, "It's a shame too, since I wondered how Genis will react when you show him how you improvised the belly shot. Guess that will have to wait too, huh?" Azul ended sarcastically.
Oni shrugged. "I still have a lot to learn from Genis, that's for sure. If we're both healthy enough, maybe we should start again," he responded, "By the way, don't you have something to give back to Genis? I heard the police have his cellphone, so how do we give it back to him?"
In a room located in another wing of the hospital, Genis' cellphone was in the hands of one Mao Orselg, who ran into Azul when he and Chloe Device arrived at the hospital earlier. It was the beginning of spring break, and the two caught a bus to the hospital before meeting up with Lynn and Azul. "Sergeant Irving and Officer Kharlan want us to get this back to you," the red-haired boy informed his half-elf friend, handing over the cellphone.
Genis cocked an eyebrow. Like Oni, he was sitting upright on the hospital bed, changed back into his street clothes, while his grandmother was outside signing the discharge forms. Tugging on his open-fingered gloves, he gently took the phone and held it like a baby. "So I heard most of you didn't recognize that this belongs to me? Didn't any of you just look at the number and find it matching to ones you have in the phone directories in your own phones?" he asked, flipping his phone open and recalling the events that occurred on that chaotic night.
Chloe sighed. "Genis, it was Sergeant Irving who had the phone, so we couldn't check anyway," she pointed out, "Besides, most phones are usually pretty generic. Unless you put in something special to make it stand out, I don't think too many people will notice that it's yours."
"Oh, in that case," Genis stuttered, getting off the hospital bed. He was already back in his usual attire of blue shirt and vest, and that meant it was easier for him execute his ingenious plan. Mao and Chloe watched Genis lift his shirt and, using the camera application in his cellphone, snapped a photo of his navel. A couple of clicks later, and it was done. "Now, no one can claim it's not recognizable," Genis exclaimed, a huge smile on his face.
"Genis, what are you doing?" Lynn asked in shock, tilting her eyebrows at her grandson. Mao and Chloe both turned their heads back and forth between the elderly woman and the cellphone, which now had brand new wallpaper. "Did you just do what I thought you did?"
Genis grinned from ear to ear. "That's right, it's the belly button cellphone wallpaper," he declared, lifting his phone triumphantly while prodding his own navel. With the youngster posing dramatically and his grandmother shaking her head, Mao and Chloe couldn't help but burst into laughter. This was one friendship that they were sure to never forget.
But for the issue of never forgetting, it was in Luin where someone had the most to remember. It was early evening in that city, and a silver-haired young man wearing a white leather jacket and dark motorcycle gloves approached a headstone in a graveyard. The setting sun cast long shadows over the hills, and a light breeze gently pushed the young man to his destination. Standing before the headstone, he paused for a moment in silence before kneeling down, brushing the top of the stone. "I miss you, Stella. It's been a while since I last came," Senel Coolidge whispered, placing down some flowers on the grave.
Senel paused for a moment before continuing his speech to Stella. "Every day I think of you, but after an investigation related to the sinking, where my testimony aided the police in catching the culprit, I realize maybe it's time to move on," he stated, gently brushing the smooth stone face like he was brushing Stella's cheeks, "Wallowing in the past turned someone into a ruthless killer, and I'm determined not to repeat that. I'll continue to take care of Shirley, but hopefully something new can grow from the special bond between Shirley and me."
Senel stayed for a few more minutes before stepping away, knowing Stella would want both he and Shirley to live happy. Even though it meant a new direction for their relationship, Senel knew he made the right choice, and that Stella would not be against this either. "Maybe I can ask Bob about this, just to see what he thinks," Senel muttered, trotting out of the graveyard. The wind around him died down as Senel stepped onto the main path, leading him to the exit. There was nothing but a scene of serenity for Senel, who just found a new path in his life.
As the sun slowly dipped into the horizon over the oceans near Luin, it was like everyone, not just Senel, had closed this chapter of their lives. For everyone involved in this adventure, a new chapter of their life stories had just begun. Gone were the past and all the sad events that led from it. With lessons learned from the experiences deep in their hearts, every participant in this case now had a new goal to head towards in this next step of their journeys.
I tried to give every cameo character a mention or an extra scene before ending it, and I'm grateful for all the great and helpful reviews from my fans. Unless things change, I will keep all OC's, the usual suspects as well as the cameos, in this franchise in the near future. Unless OC owners tell me they don't want their OC's involved anymore, I will assume they will show up again in my next installment. They have truly become part of the "Gil Irving Files" series now, and I can't imagine moving forward with the series without them.
I will move back to the Avatar fandom for the next year or so, doing another modern day story using that franchise's characters. I still intend to continue with TOS and Gil's cases, with my next target being to include Emil and Marta (and other DotNW people) into the series. That may not show up for another year and a half, so hopefully you guys will still come by to see it. Until then, I thank you for your undying support, and I'll see you again soon. Take care and have a great year!