A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! HistoryGeek and I appreciate them greatly!
…He was pulled from his thoughts by the deep voice of the medical examiner, Malcolm Flynn, "What did he take this time?"
"Eyes." Grunted Cragen as he tore his own gaze from the body to the deserted street around them. It was as if the people knew better than to wander the streets after dark, as if they sensed the dangers lurking in the mist.
"God help us all." Muttered Flynn as he removed the sheet covering the body.
"Not sure this has much to do with God." Replied Cragen still watching the mist in the hopes in would give him the answers he sought. Not looking away he asked, "Was he killed the same way?"
"Multiple stab wounds." Replied Flynn, standing up, he walked to Cragen's side and starred into the mist, "The nights, seem almost darker these days."
His attention still on the mist, Cragen gave a grunt of agreement his hand moving to his pistol as a shape detached itself from the mouth of the alley opposite, "Halt!" He felt the nerves of the doctor next to him as the shape grew closer and called out again, "Halt or I shoot."
"We come in peace." Replied a gravelly voice, "Lower your weapon."
"Step closer. Slowly." Ordered Cragen, as the two figures stepped into the light, their hands held high in surrender, he lowered his weapon but didn't holster it, "What do you want?"
"To help." Replied the taller of the men.
"You know who my killer is?" Asked Cragen.
"Not who, what." Replied the shorter of the men.
"Of course" Remarked Flynn with a snort of impatience.
"Quite Doctor." Replied the taller man a steely authority creeping into his voice, "Perhaps if you let us explain, we can help each other."
Sharing a look with Flynn, Cragen considered the strangers request, his desire for answers outweighing his suspicion. Giving a slight nod, he stepped aside his pistol still in his hand as the newcomers passed. "You won't be needing that." Offered the taller man as he passed, "Neither myself or Francis mean to harm you and your bullets are useless against that which you hunt."
"What exactly is it, I'm hunting?" Asked Cragen.
"Perhaps, you'll allow us a moment to examine the body before we talk?" Replied the man identified as Francis.
"That's all you have." Replied Cragen, watching the new comer with suspicion as they examined the body, speaking in a language he recognised as Latin from his Sunday school days.
"Who are they?" Whispered Flynn. "What do they want?"
"I don't know, but I intend to find out." Promised Cragen, giving his friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he passed, he headed to where the two men stood, "Would you care to explain now?"
Giving a tired sigh the taller of the men turned to Cragen, "I think this conversation is best had somewhere private."
"Do not test me with riddles, too many have died and my patience is thin." Snapped Cragen stepping towards the taller man who had yet to give his name.
"Easy Francis." Replied the taller man, holding a hand up to still his partner's movement, "He means me no harm. We have no intention of talking in riddles, but this is a sensitive subject."
"Fine." Sighed Cragen.
Handing the officer a slip of paper, Francis instructed, "Be at this address in one hour, and come alone."
Looking down at the paper in his hand, Cragen recognised the address as a small church on the other side of the river, giving a nod of agreement he asked, "Who are you?"
"All will be revealed this evening, I give you my word." Replied the taller of the men as he and his companion disappeared into the mist.
The sound of the heavy iron knocker against the wooden door sounded loud in the silent street, as he waited for the door to be open Cragen examined the building before him; the Gothic architecture, was starkly different from the houses around it, giving it an imposing feel. Hearing a noise behind him, Cragen's hand flew to his pistol as his eye searched the mist, which he swore was thicker than last he looked, hearing the noise again he felt his heart racing in his chest as the noise moved closer. Swallowing his fear, he tightened his hand on his pistol as the noise continued to grow closer, his eyes searching desperately for the source of the noise, before he could locate it he felt a burning pain in his cheek, squeezing the trigger he said a silent prayer the sound of the shot would alert those inside the church to his plight. Seeing a flash of silver, Cragen raised his arm to protect himself only to feel himself being yanked backwards, in the chaos he hadn't heard the door to the church open. As the door slammed closed, there was the sound of a blade imbedding itself in the wood, followed by an unnatural shriek.
Clutching a hand to his bleeding cheek, Cragen forced himself to his feet and glared at the four men around him, "What was that? What's going on?"
"Let us see to your wound before we talk." Replied the tall man from before.
"No! No, I want answers. Starting with who you are?" Demanded Cragen.
Realising the man would not be mollified, the tall man answered Cragen's question, "My name is Thomas Goodwell, you met Francis Smith earlier this evening, the gentlemen to your left is Clint Wheatcroft and the gentlemen to my right is Morris Carter. Together we make up the Order of The Pelican."
"Who's killing people?" Replied Cragen.
"That's a more complicated answer, perhaps we should sit." Replied the man introduced as Morris Carter.
"Fine." Grunted Cragen. Silently he admitted to himself that now the adrenaline had worn off he was exhausted and sitting of his own accord would be preferable to passing out.
Once they were seated Cragen once again asked for an explanation, "Have you noticed what's been taken?" Asked Francis.
"Legs, arms, torso, head and now eyes." Replied Cragen a bite of impatience in his voice.
"Do you see the pattern?" Asked Goodwill, seeing Cragen clench his jaw in frustration and pain he gave a small smile and continued, "Your killer is making a person, a companion if you will."
"How do we stop him?" Asked Cragen, having heard stranger reasons for murder to be committed.
"It's not a him as such, there is more in this world than we see. What you, we." Corrected Goodwell, "What we seek had been created by dark magic."
"Dark magic." Snorted Cragen.
"You doubt that?" Asked Morris, "You have five crime scenes, yet you have found no trace of the killer, no witnesses, no mistakes and you, did you see that which attacked you this very evening?"
Sighing as he realised there was an unnatural silence and feel to the attack that took place outside the church, Cragen asked, "Say I believe you, what are we facing and how do we stop it?"
"There is a magician by the name of Nordling, he found a way to reawaken the dead, there was just one problem when re-awoken the corpse would seek out their family, you can imagine the problems this caused. So, he decided to try and build the ultimate solider out of pieces of multiple bodies would be better, he created one, the one who is doing the killing now. Now that he knows it works, he intend to raise an army."
"How do we stop him?" Asked Cragen, as much he cared little for the reason behind wanting an army, and just wanted the killings to stop, he didn't want to imagine the number of dead needed to build an army.
"We set a trap, you see for the original 'puppet' to function Nordling must put his consciousness into it and so we need to trap the puppet and bind Nordling to an object, an object we can destroy." Explained Goodwell.
"What kind of trap?" Asked Cragen.
"By coming after you, Nordling has marked you as his next victim, that he drew blood means that outside of these walls he can track you anywhere..." Started Morris.
"So, you want to use me as bait?" Asked Cragen, wondering if they had allowed him to be attacked, giving them a way to trace the puppet.
"Yes, but we'll protect you. This can all be over by sun up, if we work together." Replied Goodwell.
Such was his desperation to end the brutal murders Cragen agreed and less than an hour later, he found himself seeming alone on the bank of the Thames, the mist was thicker by the water only the smallest amount of moonlight filtered through. Moving his hand to his side Cragen took comfort from the pistol on his hip, even though he knew the bullets were useless, the feel of something solid in a world of magic grounded him. Hearing a distant crunch of gravel his heart leapt in his chest, he knew his four 'protectors' were hidden in the mist, yet the powerlessness he had felt earlier that evening, made his chest tight with fear. Hearing the noise again, closer this time he reached for his pistol and ordered, "Show yourself." Getting no response he began turning in a tight circle, searching for any sign of his prey, before he could complete his circle he was knocked to the ground, a shockwave of pain radiating though his body.
The four members of the Order of The Pelican stepped forwards as one, their hands raised, their chanting breaking the silence, "Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum" *
Looking up from his spot on the floor, Cragen watched as the figure in the middle of the circle fell to its knees, a screech of agony tearing from its chest as the four men closed in tighter around him, their chanting louder, drowning out the screeching until a flash of light forced him to look away. Pushing himself to his feet, Cragen was forced to cover his nose and mouth with his hand as the stench of rotting flesh hit him, "Is it done?"
"Yes, your part is done." Offered Goodwell as he approached Cragen his hand outstretched, "Thank you."
"You're sure it's over?" Asked Cragen.
"Positive." Replied Morris.
"Then I will bid you goodbye, you understand when I say, I hope we have no reason to cross paths again." Replied Cragen.
"Indeed, we do. Be safe Officer." Once the four men were alone, Goodwell issued orders, "Wheatcroft, you and Morris will take the first ship leaving in the morning, when you are at the deepest part of the sea, drop the book to the bottom. There is will lay forever, unable to hurt another person."
"You hope, should we not burn it?" Asked Francis. "You know as well as I, if the pages were to be opened and the tale of this night spoken aloud, I dread to think what will be unleashed."
….I fear, I have little time to finish my tale, so heed my words, if the evil has been released you must follow these steps, surround the one possessed and recited the words; 'Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum' binding it to an object that can be destroyed by fire or water…
Kim takes a breath the Latin says, "*By the power of the Savior's blood, we order you banished and your soul bound for all eternity."
Kim looks down at the book in her hands suddenly becoming very aware of how shaky her hands are and just how painstakingly cold she feels. Closing the work, she shakily passes it back to Casey. The second it leaves her hands she becomes fully aware of Abbie's ridiculous laughter.
"Kim knows Latin. Why do you know Latin? No one speaks Latin or needs Latin. It's a dead language." Abbie smarts off.
Kim uncharacteristically shoves Abbie in the side, "Shut up Carmichael! Stop being a bitch."
Abbie immediately quiets looking shocked by Kim's outburst. All eyes on the two, Addison tries to diffuse the tension, "All premeds are required to take a year of Latin."
Abbie still looking at Kim thinks she notices a darkness to Kim's blue green eyes, touching Kim's arm she maintains eye contact as she says, "Kim, I am sorry. I was just playing."
Looking back at the group across the fire, Abbie tries to lighten the mood. "So if I was a serial killer I'd want my name to be 'The Suspense.'"
"Okay, I'll bite, why 'The Suspense?'" Teddy asks.
Abbie grins wide proud of her soon to be answer, "So my victims could scream 'The Suspense' is killing me!" Everyone gets a little laugh out of the lame joke, even Kim.
"Okay Kiddos, time for bed." Teddy teases as she stands and helps her girlfriend up.
"If you hear screams from our tent, don't come to investigate!" Casey jokes as she and Alex follow Teddy and Addison's lead for bed.
"Casey! Shut it!" Alex scolds.
"Please Cabot, we've all heard you. Well poor Addison and Amanda might still have virgin ears so actually try to be quiet for their sakes." Kim laughs returning to her normal self.
Everyone starts to file into their tents while laughing and joking. As Serena heads into her and Olivia's tent, Amanda moves to sit next to Olivia. Just as another round of laughter fills the circle around the campfire, Amanda leans into Olivia's ear, "What have you brought me to? These people are crazy."
Smiling at the blonde, Olivia whispers back, "Look on the bright side they'll think it's Alex screaming when I make you come tonight."
"You want to here? With Serena feet away!" Amanda whispers back frantically.
"Just think how hot it will be with the risk of getting caught!" Olivia whispers standing to go into her and Serena's tent.
As the group separates for the night no one seems to notice the foggy most rolls around the campsite...