He returned as the troopers kept an eye on each suspect. He returned to the kitchen to see the Sniper, left hand behind his head, right one in a relaxed fist on the table, and leaning back.

"Where would this 'black book' be?" Sven inquired.

"She kept it on her nightstand." he said without moving.

Sven nodded as he returned to the scene of the crime. He returned to the table, which he had placed the two of diamonds. Given the testimony from Boone, she apparently didn't think much of whoever left it. The card could've been left behind from a previous time, or it could've been from that night. He hoped that the black book could give more details.

The elusive black book was not where Boone said it should've been, and Sven began to look across the room. He looked around, finding another small blood spatter trail that crossed the room and a stain on the wall, he found the manuscript on the floor. Carefully he picked it up, and leafed through it. Finally, he came to the current date, as times were written down the side, as well as card designations and some names.

That night, she had "Benny" written down for 8:00p.m., and next to it in the margin, she had written: "Was wrong, nothing but a joke - better dead, just as he thought of me." This evidence corresponded with the Joker card that was left in his suite, and he basically could use that as her confession to his murder. Next, she had: '10:00 p.m., Jack of Clubs, Legionary that got away. Can't have two lousy lays in one night. Though I'm sure he'll take me roughly like a slave. I would be his any day. Mmmm. If not, 11:45, two of diamonds, Charlie from the Tops. Cute ass, little skittish. Possible Virgin.'

The two pieces of testimony corresponded with the notes in the book. But if he was supposed to show up at 11:45 p.m., would it be possible he came early? Could he be one of the Chairmen? And if so, would he take revenge for Benny's death? Without further ado, he placed the book on the desk in the room. He took a second look at the bed, the marks, and reminded of himself that the stab wounds seemed to be done by a left-handed individual.

He emerged from the room, calling one trooper from each suspect to instruct them to have each of them write the sentence 'The quick, lively fox jumped over a lazy brown dog.' five times with both hands, just to confirm none of them was the killer. In the mean time, he mentioned to them that he was going back over to the Tops.

He took the elevator to the bottom floor, sneezing at the dust in the casino before he made his way back to the Tops. Swank immediately called him over.

"Hey, have you found out what happened yet?" Swank asked eagerly.

Sven's face was charmingly stoic, as a slight-smiled poker face. "Getting closer."

"Good. I'm beginning to wonder about that broad that was in here earlier."

"Before I can come up with a conclusion, I need to ask Charlie some questions." Sven's voice was straight and to the point.

"Charlie is a…well, he's not available at the moment." Swank said cryptically.

"Why not?" Sven said with some surprise in his voice.

Swank sighed. "He's taking the death of the boss kind of hard. He's not fit to be seen at the moment."

"Why would that be?" Sven said as he leaned on the counter.

Swank shook his head. "It just isn't right."

Sven sighed as he forcefully gripped Swank's lapels with his hands, tone dangerous. "Look, if you want me to get to the bottom of this, you will tell me where he is." Swank was a character that had always gotten on his nerves.

"He ain't got nothing to do with Benny's death." Swank said indignantly. "If you want to see him, he's at the Aces, sulking."

Sven gently let go of the man's lapels and straightened them. "Now was that so hard?"

Swank grunted, as Sven smirked and proceeded up the stairs to the Aces. The nightclub was dead that night, and no one lingered. There was a shadowy figure in the corner by the bar, but otherwise there was no one.

Sven strode over to the figure as more details of him became clear. He was as Henry had described, young no more than 15. He wore a t-shirt and dark dress pants, staring at the wall. The vibe Sven picked up was an unstable one. Cautiously, he approached him. "What's happenin' sport?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" came a low, threatening growl from the teenager. "Get the fuck out."

Sven shook his head. "Ain't happenin'. I've got to ask you a few questions, first."

He spat at the darkly suited detective. "Fuck off."

"Look, kid. I know what you're going through." Sven's voice was even and slow, thinking back to his own past.

"You don't know shit!" the rough looking teenager said as he downed what appeared to be a double shot of whiskey. "How the fuck would you know?"

"I was in a similar situation once. Not too much older than yourself." He said calmly.

"The fuck you weren't. You're just trying to get me to open up." He said as eyes of a daemon reddish-brown glared at him. "Well, I've got news for you fuckwad. It' ain't happenin'!"

"So much anger." Sven's voice was astounded. "Can't say that I blame you. Can you tell me your name, at least?"

The boy scoffed. "Charlie. What's it to you?"

Sven nodded with a smirk smile on his face. "It's been quite a night for you, hasn't it?"

"What the hell would you know about it?"

"I know that your boss was murdered, and more than likely seduced before hand." Sven started.

"He wasn't my boss…" Charlie stated as he seemed to turn more sullen. "…he was my father." Sven watched him carefully as the teen poured himself another double shot of whiskey with his left hand and downed it. "That bitch killed him."

"Ms. Garrison?" Sven inquired, noting that his left hand seemed to be stronger than his right, as it did not waver in the slightest.

"How the fuck should I know? The bitch who seduced him murdered him. Afterwards, she had the balls to try to do seduce me too! Fuckin' broad didn't know when to quit! She said that he was lousy, and wanted to 'break me in'" Charlie scoffed, as he poured himself another glass.

This time Sven swiped it from him, "I think you've had enough."

"The fuck I haven't! Who the hell asked you?" He said as he tried to grab the glass back, but to no avail. Sven had downed it before sliding it down the bar and off the edge, shattering on the floor. He then took hold of the neck of the bottle.

He was stopped by a strong grip on his wrist. "Look, drowning yourself in booze won't make Benny - your father come back. Nothing could bring him back." Sven countered.

"She had no right to kill him!" Charlie seemed to wail.

"Ideally, no one has any right to take another's life. However, that's just not the world we live in. From what I've gathered, your father shot her in the head, and she repaid him through killing him. Does that make her actions right? No. Did she admit to killing him? Yes. Did that fulfill her life? No. She still had a vice with sex." Sven carefully considered what to say next, but he watched the teen's eyes well with tears of fear.

Charlie let go of the bottle, and Sven moved it away from him, thinking there was no reason to waste good whiskey. Liquid salt seeped from his eyes as it ran down his cheeks. "An eye for an eye…" He started, voice shaking. "I won't be killed, will I?"

Sven thought long and hard for a moment before softly answering. "I cannot guarantee that, but I can try. However, I do have to take you in either way, and release the three other suspects that are confined." Sven calmly reached out his hand. "I will do what I can for you, I promise."

Charlie nodded as he stood, remnants of the spatter on his t-shirt. "I just thought…"

"I know." Sven said gently. "We've all been there at one time or another. From an NCR Sniper to A Brotherhood Follower to the Legion. All of us face the same problem of mortality, and the urge to take revenge for those who have fallen. The difference is the choice to continue in the pattern of our conditioning, or to try to rise above it." He took Charlie by the arm. "We're all human, no matter what anyone says. No faction is greater than another, as we are all the same at the core. Just because one crosses another doesn't mean that you can take an eye for an eye, as it leaves the world blind."

"I'll never take another human life…ever." Charlie said between sobs. "The weight is too much."

"As it should be."

The End! Like I mentioned in Chapter 1, this was my first attempt at a murder mystery, so hopefully it was enjoyable to read! Please R&R and thanks for reading!