Chapter 30: Stolen identity
Paige's Pov-
It was midnight and me and Robin was on our midnight patrol, there had been a new killer in town, the killer had left its victims dead on the street with their faces cut off.
We had just found another victim lying on the cold street, the face was cut off so the killer was done with the victim and had just left it without leaving a trace.
"What kind of sick person would do something like that?" Robin said as he saw the corpse.
"Someone who can use a scalpel. You see? No sloppy cuts over the face just in a clean line so the face would get ruined." I said as a studied the dead one.
"How can someone just kill a person, steal the face and just leave the body?" Caleb said as I scanned the body for fingerprints without finding any.
"The question isn't how, the question is why." I said as I called Oracle over the Comm link.
"Oracle we've found another dead body, no traces from the killer" I said over the Comm link.
"Dammit, nothing. It's like we're chasing a ghost." Spencer said.
"I know and this isn't one of A's MO's A's henchmen would ever do something sloppy as leaving a dead body like that." I said.
"You think there is a new killer in town?" Oracle said over the Comm link
"Yes and from the look of things not a bright one." I answered and hanged up on Oracle.
"A killer more like a psychopath, that's the sixth girl who has died and they were all from our school the first two were from the school's debate team." Robin said
"I know they expect someone to do something about this... They expect me to do something about this." I said as I took a final look at the corpse.
"Don't blame yourself too hard, unless you were right there where she was killed there was no chance that you could have saved her." Robin said in an effort to comfort me.
"I know it's just... lately it feels like I'm losing more people than I save." I said as we left the dead body for the police to find, there was nothing else we could do.
Once we got to a rooftop Robin pointed to a small store "Hey, there are some men trying to break into that store" He said as I saw five men that just had picked the lock to the security gate and were about to enter the store.
"Good I want to fight something ugly." I said and we both jumped off the roof and glided to the stores front door.
We both walked in silently and we spread out to take out more of the burglars.
I snuck up behind one and quickly grabbed him by his mouth with my right hand and moved my left arm around his throat choking him unconscious without him making a sound that would alert the other burglars.
Robin sneaked up behind the next one and quickly choked him unconscious with his staff.
One of the villain's walked into a separate room probably the stock, Robin followed him. Darn I wanted to do that, anyway I needed to focus on the other two burglars I had enough of sneaking around now. I got up and ran up to both of the burglars punching the first one in the jaw so he fell to the ground.
The other one reached for his pocket but I was faster than him I kicked him in his chest so he fell to the floor just as the first one got back up. I grabbed his arm and broke his left forearm. He fell to the ground holding his arm in pain.
Then I heard a loud thud behind me, I looked behind me and saw that the burglar I had kicked was lying unconscious on the ground with a gun in his hand. Then I saw Robin standing next to him holding one of his batrangs. "Thank you Robin" I said as we exited the store. I was really not at 100 percent today.
"Oracle we stopped a break in can you report it to the cops?" Robin said as I figured it was time to go home and maybe get some rest.
I got back home and I sat down next to Spencer in the bat cave.
"Six girls have been murdered, their faces are gone and the killer has left no trace whatsoever. Dammit this sucks!" I said and leaned back in the chair.
"Paige, doesn't let that get under your skin. If I hadn't thrown my batrang to that last burglar he would have shot you." Caleb said as he took off his cape.
"Yeah I know that, but how can I stop that killer, I have to stop that psychopath, but I don't know how." I said as I took off my mask.
"Maybe you should take a break for a while and just let Spencer and I take care of things." Caleb suggested.
"I'll rest once I have..."
"You have what, stopped A? Listen there will always be an excuse but if you don't rest in your bed for days you'll have your next rest in your grave." Spencer said cutting me off.
"I know that you think so guys but..."
"No but, get out of your suite and go to bed before I use bull to tranquilizer on you." Spencer joked and I got upstairs to get some sleep.
"Paige! You're still wearing your suit." Caleb and Spencer yelled after me as I was walking upstairs.
The next day:
I woke up the next day and saw that it was noon. I had been sleeping longer then I had expected when I got to bed last night.
I got up and went to the kitchen and made myself some lunch since it was too late for breakfast anyway.
As I baked my food I saw that I had a text from my aunt.
It said that she wanted to see me today since it had been a while, I thought it was about time that I saw my aunt so I called her and said that I was coming over for the day which she immediately responded very happy to hear.
I drove my motorcycle to my aunt's home and knocked on the door. No one opened, I knocked again but there was no response. That was odd since she said she would wait for me at her place. I opened the door with my key and once I had entered there was no one there.
"Hello? Hello? Auntie Anna are you there?" I asked as I walked around in the empty house. I took out my cell phone and called her number.
I heard it ring at the other end of the phone but after seven dial tones I was surprised, normally her phone goes straight to voice mail.
Just as I was about to hang up I heard some buzzing sound coming from the bathroom so I walked to the bathroom door where I stopped outside and knocked at the door.
"Auntie, are you in there?" I asked, but I didn't get a response. "Anna!" I said a bit louder and knocked again.
Now I was worried my aunt used to have narcolepsy so if she would have fallen asleep in the bathtub it was a small risk that she would drown. I tackled down the door and saw my aunt lying in a bathtub with no water and her wrists had deep cuts, It was obvious what had happened someone had soaked in and tried to murder her then left her in the bathtub to bleed to death.
I had to act fast I grabbed the first aid kit and grabbed the bandage wrapping it tight around her wrists and used some band aid to make sure that the bandages would stay on.
As I applied the bandage to my aunt I prayed that she still was alive. I checked her pulse and I was very relieved that she still was alive, but who would have done this to her or was it someone that was trying to get to me. All those thought and a lot more passed through my mind as I called 911 to get an ambulance to come and get my Aunt.
They got here fast and they picked up my aunt. I chose to stay here because I wanted to set up a crime scene before the cops arrived. I started to check the windows to see if there was some that was forced open, since I hadn't brought any of my bat gear it would be a lot harder to find anything that would lead me to the one responsible for the murder attempt on my aunt. I checked all windows, there were no signs of them being forced open so either they were already opened or the one responsible had walked through one of the doors.
I checked the doors but I couldn't find anything that hinted a break in, how did the person get inside, I walked back to the bathroom and checked for any clues. I got in but I couldn't find anything out of the usual in there except for the blood stains. I checked the floor for a blood stains but I didn't find anything, but I did notice one small thing, a smelled bleach and it was a strong sent like someone had emptied an entire bottle all over the floor to cover any track.
I heard sirens from a police car and they were coming closer so I had to quit my investigation, aside from the bleach smell I didn't find anything that would lead me to the one responsible. I decided to leave my motorcycle in my aunt's house since I was in no shape of driving, not after what I've seen today. I walked home to Rosewood very slowly having a million things going through my head, mostly if my aunt would be okay, she is the only living family I got left and I couldn't lose her to, she had been there for me ever since my parents had died and been nothing but accepting of me, she didn't even freak out once I came out of the closes there even was a time where she had tried to set me up with one of her coworkers niece.
I was so lost in my thought that I didn't noticed that I had walked all the way back to my mansion, I walked inside and for the first time ever I felt that my big mansion was empty, it just felt like something was out of place and that there was something missing. For the first time in my life I fell down to my knees and cried, as I cried I slammed my fists to the floor if the one responsible for what had happened to my aunt wanted to get under my skin that person had succeeded. I had most of the time when bad things had happened I had just sucked it up, but now I just couldn't do it.
I was still on the floor crying and rolled myself into a ball, not really sure why, but I didn't care I felt like I was a child again, I felt just as when I had lost my parents like there was no more hope for a bright future, like there would only be misery in my life like I was cursed.
The next morning:
I felt the warmth of the sun hitting my face, it stung a bit in my eyes so I flipped to my side and opened my eyes. I had cried myself to sleep last night, but now it was time to get back up and get back up even stronger than before. I adjusted myself on the floor to stand up, my legs were a bit stiff since I had fallen asleep with my pants on so getting up was the day first challenge, but after a few second I was back up and now I was determined to protect the people that I loved from anything even from A.
I got to my phone and called the hospital where my aunt been hospitalized. They said that she was alive but she couldn't see any visitors for the time being.
Just knowing that she was alive was just what I needed today, knowing that the only blood relative that I still had left was alive was relieving.
I was ready to find whoever did that to my aunt and bring whoever it was to justice, tonight.
I remembered the pattern from all that had been killed, they were all from Rosewood high and now I had to make sure Emily wouldn't get hurt or worse.
I grabbed my cell phone and called Emily
"Hi Emily It's me!" I said as Emily answered.
"Hi me." Emily joked.
"Where were you yesterday? I've missed you so much." Emily said.
"I had some family stuff to take care of, but I'm back now." I said leaving the part about my aunt.
"Ok so is it something you want to tell me?" Emily asked.
"Yes, you know about the killer who steals people faces?" I asked.
"Yes, what about that maniac?" Emily asked
"I'm going to chase down whomever it is down tonight and I want to know that you're safe since the only once that the killer has targeted are girls around our age so I'm worried that you'll be the next victim. Once you get back home tonight lock the door and don't open it unless you know that it's me." I said over the phone.
"Wow Paige that sounds a bit scary. You're going to chase down the one that leaves no traces at all." Emily said sounding like she is worrying over me.
"Sometimes the lack of evidence is all the evidence I need, but I want you to stay safe tonight. I'll come and get you once it's safe." I said over the phone.
"Okaaaay" Emily said confused.
"Don't worry Em, just stay safe, lock the door and don't open unless if you know it's me. Please Emily promise me that." I said over the phone.
"Ok Paige, I will. I love you" Emily answered.
"I love you to Em." I said back and then we said our goodbyes and hanged up.
Emily's POV
I hanged up the phone and thought about what Paige had said, she has been acting a bit odd since A had beaten her.
After that strange conversation with Paige it seemed that she was even more worried about me than herself, Now she calls me to say that I should lock the door and stay inside like it was me who was getting targeted by A. I think that tonight I'll have a talk with Paige, but right now I'll do what she told me since she has saved my life before so if she asks me to stay indoors that's what I'll do.
I walked to the living room to watch a movie, my mom was going to work at Radley tonight so there was no telling of when she would get home.
I sat down and checked my movies but there was no one that I felt like watching, so I got back up and walked around the house, all I could think about was what Paige had told me. If she was worried about something it must have been something really bad and it also felt like she was hiding something from me, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind, it was bright outside so there was no risk that I would be kidnapped right now.
I got home by 18:00 and it was getting dark, so I locked the door and looked.
"Ok Paige, now it's up to you." I said as I looked out the closed window.
Paige's POV
I had put on my batsuit and now I was back where I had found the last body, but this time I had a new idea of how to find the killer. I filtered my computer to find traces of bleach, the trash was cold but I found a trace of bleach in the air, finally I had a trace from the killer. I followed the trace to an abandoned apartment.
I went inside and what I saw was enough to know that this was the killer's lair.
There were head shot pictures over the victims, they were not randomly attacked the killer had planned this very closely.
Suddenly an electric fence was triggered and I was locked in, since there weren't any windows just the door where I had gotten in from.
I saw that behind the fence there was a person wearing a trench coat and the person's entire head so I couldn't tell who it was.
"Well this is a surprising change, the famous Batgirl caught in my trap." The person said.
"I see you've found my experiments, well to put it bluntly it was a success." the person said, I could tell that it was a girl, but I had no idea who.
"You're a psychopath you've killed six people, now why have you stolen their faces?" I said.
"Well how about you take a look." The person said and removed the bandages around her face and once they were off I couldn't believe what I saw. She looked just like me.
"I'm happy that I found the right donators to make my face look this good." She said as she moved her fingers over the face.
"You killed six persons only so you could pretend to be Paige McCullers!" I shouted at her.
"Hey, they think that I'm Paige McCullers, yesterday I had a little visit to her dear aunt and she really got surprised when I attacked her." She said and laughed insanely.
I charged at her but the electric fence was too powerful so I got pushed back.
"Paige McCullers dated me for a while and then she dumped me, just to live with her billions of dollars now I'll get even." She said and that when I recognized her voice, it was Shauna. She had pretended to be my girlfriend just to make me buy her stuffs so I broke up with her since she never loved me only my money.
"Now I'm going to enjoy her life, but first I'll do a little stop on the way to see what her new girlfriend got that I didn't have." She said and walked out.
So she didn't know that I was Batgirl so that's the only advantage I had right now, I had to stop Shauna before she got to Emily and who knows what she'll do to her. I was trapped like a rat in the apartment and time was running out, I had to act fast to get out of here.
Emily's POV
I sat on my bed and waited for Paige, I had no idea what to expect when she would show up.
I heard some knocks at the door so I checked through a window to see that it was Paige standing there. I ran down the stairs and opened the door, once I saw her I threw myself in her arms and gave her a tight hug.
"Hey, Em let's take a walk now while we got this beautiful full moon." Paige said and I agreed and grabbed my jacket.
"So is there any specific place you want to get to?" I asked as I stepped outside.
"How about the park?" Paige suggested and I nodded.
We walked to the park, but I couldn't help but notice that Paige was acting a bit unusual tonight, maybe the Batgirl thing is getting too much for her. We didn't talk much we just walked until we reached the park. Not much to see there just some broken swings, a sand box and a pond.
Paige sat down on a bench (probably the only thing here that wasn't broken) and I sat next to her. She grabbed a cigarette and started to smoke it. I was a bit surprised because I had never seen Paige smoking before.
"Listen babe, we need to talk." Paige said. "We had some fun times together, but I don't think that this is going to work. Emily it's over." Paige said, hearing these works broke my heart.
"Don't worry we can still be friends, with benefits." Paige said and forced a kiss.
Once I broke the kiss I jumped off the bench and yelled "What is wrong with you?"
"Fine let's just fuck here." Paige said and moved towards me.
"Get away from me!" I yelled as Paige walked up to me, she looked very aggressive so I started to run and Paige followed me.
I started to get away from her when I suddenly fell to the ground and twisted my ankle. Paige noticed that and walked slowly towards me whit a sick smile on her face.
"Now I got you, let's have so fu..." Suddenly Paige was cut off by someone appearing from out of nowhere and kicked her so Paige fell to the ground.
I think I'm getting crazy, the one attacking Paige is Batgirl, what is going on here?
"I thought you were stuck" Paige said as she got up on her feet.
"I blow up a wall" Batgirl answered raising her fists.
Batgirl attacked Paige with brutal hits and then she lifted Paige and head butted her before throwing her unconscious on the ground. Then she turned to me.
I was still scared since I had no idea of what was going on, Batgirl seemed to notice that and removed her mask, I saw Paige's face looking at me with her big brown eyes and I felt safe. The real Paige walked up to me and lifted me in her arms, I responded by kissing her cheek.
"That woman was an imposter, she wanted to ruin my life because I dumped her." Paige explained to me.
"Really you dated her?" I said.
"Yes before I moved here, she never loved me anyway only what I had, Emily I love you and I'll never let anything happened to you." The real Paige, my Paige said and she helped me home.