Chapter 1

The fifth victim

Heavy rain fell from the sky, Lin frowned, glancing out from the car window. The clouds loomed menacingly low as she drove through the countryside. Gradually Lin sensed a disturbance in astral space while driving through the northern reaches of the Tai Mo Shan region, the signature is similar to the other victims and this also meant that she was nearing the crime scene. She had to practically head out on short notice the moment Code 1 40 was issued. The smell of steaming hot coffee in the tray board helped her find solace in these miserable circumstances.

By the looks of it, the homicide took place in a small abandoned apartment complex in the remote and desolate Kadoorie farming community, an ideal place for shamans and mages who want to harness the foul energies and spirits from the incident that devastated the region.

She exited the car fighting through her tiredness and took in the scenery. She tightened her collar and tried to turn her face from the biting wind. The cold rain kept pouring down. If it weren't for the leather coat, Lin would have been soaked wet by now. The wind changed directions numerous times as the raindrops whipped her exposed naked skin. Carrying the unpleasant odor of cold dirt and filth. Just outside the building where the homicide took place Lin could see a familiar dark-skinned figure leaning at the building entrance, his arms crossed, with a slender frame and a Knight Errant Police(KEP) uniform.

"Looks like someone is in dire need of some hot coffee," Lin said cheerfully as she approached.

"Hell yeah, this is the real deal, not the cheap soy knockoff crap"

"Here you are"

Terrance took a sip and a moment to savor the taste. "Thanks…. This does really hit the spot... you know. you are not like the others in KEP uniform Miss Caihong: You are ok in my book."

"So is it the same as the others?"

"Yes, the same old shit. Anonymous call. No witnesses and another dead girl. This one more banged up than the others when I got here. I figured it was your killer handiwork so I didn't bother reporting it to everyone I... I just called Pauline."

"So are you the elven popsicle yet"

"Can you believe this fucking weather? I mean shit! It was raining yesterday and now today too. Luckily there are no mudslides but do you have any idea how hard it was driving through the countryside to get here?"

"Besides you, who got here first?"

"Holden about 10 minutes ago Pauline followed a few minutes later"

"Holden got here first huh? Did he do it again?"

"Yeah, he did!" Hehehe! Pauline is pissed as hell too. She threw him out into the hallway."

" Well, ok, I guess I head in and see how Holden is doing. By the way, where is the crime scene?"

"The crime scene is through the entrance up the stairs and to your right. Holden will be outside as a chicken shit… And Miss Caihong, be careful in there: I will probably need a tetanus shot just looking at this damn place."

Making her way past Terrance, Lin finds refuge from the weather, the wooden staircase creaks under her weight, and shortly after spots Holden leaning towards the wall and holding his stomach next to the sink. The smell was unpleasant, one of the disadvantages of being an orc woman like herself is the superior sense of smell, still, she smiled as the scene reminded her of some good times.

"Woah, you remind me of when I was at the academy. I was forced to run through the obstacle course after eating a late breakfast. I lost everything, it was a gruesome mash of mozzarella pizza and lasagna, the leftovers that I had in the fridge."

"If you are trying to cheer me up….(Glup)... it is not working" replied Holden

"I brought coffee, it might help things go down more smoothly… then again maybe not."

"Thanks…"

"So… what can you tell me?"

"If our guys work alright if the astral signature strips are any indication of it, the victim is in an old bathtub. I could not see much, thank god."

"Where is Pauline?"

"There is an old saying: follow the stench… you will find the pale-faced yellow troll woman"

"Christ… Holden, I am really not in the mood. I know she can be a hard ass sometimes but you could have contaminated the crime scene for all I know."

"Sorry… just follow this corridor to the end and it is a door to the left, it is hard to miss considering the blood trail. She is working near the body… You will have to help her take a look through the apartment. Here take the camera… Pauline doesn't want me around so you will have to take the pictures"

"Wonderful… and Holden: At some point, you will have to stop trying. You and dead bodies do not mix well together. I suggest you wait for us next time. We can't risk any more donut-contaminated crime scenes."

"Yes I will agent Caihong"

"By the way can you drop: Agent Caihong… please, just Lin will be fine alright?"

"Will do… Lin"

"Anyways out of morbid curiosity, where did your Martian land this time?"

"I hurled it in the toilet…(Glup)... Can we drop the subject now, please?"

"Well, take it easy…See you in a bit."

The apartment was a wreck, there are boarded-up windows and graffiti everywhere. The stench of rat urine assaulted her senses, not to mention the astral atmosphere was disturbing. She doesn't envy the shaman consultant who will astral project themself here in the investigation. She could see a blood trail, the body was dragged across the floor from the living room to the corridor. Following the blood trail through the corridor to the left Lin saw the familiar grumpy huge troll figure with the KEP logo across Pauline's back as she was working on the floor with something. Lin could also tell she was not happy considering the smell.

"Hello Pauline… so, What all the fuss about?"

"Let's see, I have an idiot who throws up at a crime scene. I'm understaffed since I am the only one crazy enough to work during the holidays, I am wet and cold because of the rain… and what else…"

"This might actually help… coffee"

"Yes please, no wonder you were my best student."

"So…how can I help"

"Have a look around, gather any evidence you can find. I've wasted enough time getting the body ready for the meat wagon. You know how they can get pissy sometimes. Anyway, I saw bloodstains as I came in; you can start collecting some of that and look for any more evidence. Grab the forensic tools from my briefcase in the kitchen. Once done, come and help me out in here."

"You do realize I am a field agent right? I think this is a little out of my league."

"Lin Caihong is out of her league? This is the first! Where did that come from?"

"I don't know I think I need a vacation"

"Sweetie you can't always catch them on the first three or four victims… "

"I know I know…hey maybe you can take it easy with Holden…"

"Take it easy?!" This is the second time I have had to go through his vomit To see if there is any hidden evidence under that pile. No! I do not think so!… Anyways thanks for helping out"

"My pleasure Pauline"

"Oh, stop that!"

Lin made her way to the kitchen or what was left of it, the room was small and the wall was torn down on one side. There is also a doorway leading to the living room. She took the last cup and drank it before discarding it into the sink. On the counter, she found the briefcase and picked up the items inside. Cotton swabs, tweezers, and a spray bottle of luminol. Entering the living room the smell of urine hit her again, piles of trash and rubble could be found on the floor and at the corners of the room. She could see a blood-soaked mattress on the floor along with dirty quilts and rags. There is also a pile of clothes and shoes nearby. Lin made her way to the wall where there was a wooden plank with nails. One of them seems to have hair or fibrous material. Bingo, we got a possible hair sample. Putting her gloves on, she took a picture before using the tweezers to put it in a bottle labeled evidence.

Lin walked to the doorway to the entrance, took a picture of the bloodstain on the floor before using the cotton swab to sample it, and put it in an evidence bag. She later started spraying luminol on walls and floor to look for any signs of blood stains that were cleaned up with her flashlight. Glowing enochian symbols drawn with blood were revealed just like in the other crime scenes Lin's neck hair rose as she took more pictures. This should be it.

"Ok all done…" said Lin as she made her way to the briefcase "...neatly packed too"

"Great thanks a lot sweetie"

"So what's next?"

"I need some shots of the body before we move things around and disrupt the original crime scene"

Entering the bathroom the first thing Lin notices is the corpse's head and shoulders covered with a cloth and the body seems to have been stabbed repeatedly in the gut. It is a gruesome sight to behold.

"Ok…so what can you tell me so far?"

"Not much right now. Probably like the other four… cause of death drowning but I will make it official after the autopsy"

Lin took a few pictures.

"She was stabbed numerous times and eviscerated. Nothing indicates a struggle or resistance on the victims' part. My informed guess is that she was unconscious during this stage of the assault"

"Can you walk me through what happened here?"

"Not now. I would rather do preliminary lab work and analyze the evidence you have gathered, I would also want to hear the shaman consultant's input. I can give you a briefing after I finish a few tests…OK, I think you can remove the cloth from her face now."

"Aw, you spoil me" Said Lin sarcastically with a grin, revealing her lower canine teeth as she started to take the cloth off. "Shit… oh god look at the scar tattoos, she is a spirit dancer! This girl sure likes pain."

"I had a feeling that she is a pro. I don't know why, just call it a hunch."

"Which should be a first according to the killer's MO and profile. She has a SIN. I would like to run the victim's name through the database to see if we hit something… what is her name?"

"According to the SIN, it is Lei Na. Now you can take a picture without the rag on her face"

Lin took a picture uncomfortably. "So…do you still need me here?"

"Not really, I just enjoy the company. But I can see you rather be somewhere else… Listen. I can handle things on my own until the boys arrive. Anyhow you look tired as hell."

"Oh…Thanks for letting me off the hook. But seriously if you need me I will stay"

"It's fine sweetie. And you are not completely off the hook: I will see you back at the morgue for my briefing."

"I would not miss it for the world. See ya"