18: The Voice of the Void
Darkness. Nothing but darkness for an infinitely long time. I have learned to love it. Learned to impose my will on it, to bend it, to let it flow into the world and let chaos rage. Glorious chaos… the despair of mortals, their suffering, their… ahhh their useless prayers and wails… delicious. But their cries… They are quieter. Something has changed, someone is interfering and I can't let that happen… It's time for me to have more influence, to play along, to change the rules. Mmmmmhh perfect …
Calm had returned to Leon City. Crime in the city was dropping steadily, although Caitlyn had thought that Judy's escape would lead to a portal to hell opening up. Not exactly an absurd scenario after she'd been properly introduced to Phae and Ifry and learned that there was fucking magic. But luckily, the most mischief she had experienced so far was the fun last Halloween with her friends.
"Hey, everything okay with you?" asked Jade, who was waiting with Caitlyn next to an old Ford outside her home.
"I've heard that question way too much lately," Caitlyn muttered, "Since I've been back here, I didn't realize I knew magic. More than that, Rilliana said I couldn't learn from her or Celine. Do you know why?"
Jade shook her head and took her friend's hand in hers.
"Because I don't get my magic from knowledge from books or nature, but that it's just inside me. She said that I can just control it."
"Isn't that… a good thing?"
"If I knew how, definitely. It's a good thing my mom was taken, or she'd probably disown me. I mean, it's in my blood, but I don't seem to have any talent. Why else can't I use it?"
Jade frowned.
"Are you sure you haven't used it before?" said Jade.
"Of course, I've never…"
"Think again. Did something happen to you that you couldn't explain?"
Caitlyn took a deep breath and looked towards the forest path, where she heard a car coming.
"Well… once, or twice maybe… a lock opening, a near impossible shot with my service weapon," she whispered thoughtfully, smiling painedly as she looked back at Jade, "Can't you stay a little longer? I'm sure you'll get on well with the others."
Jade put on the same smile.
"Phoebe's already waiting for me and besides… someone has to hunt the bad guys when you're asleep," she said, giving Caitlyn a quick kiss on the lips.
"Take care of yourself," Caitlyn whispered and their hands broke away from each other as Jade climbed into the old Ford. It grumbled loudly as Jade started it up and she rolled down the window.
"I'll be back by Christmas… take good care of Luke and your dad. They're really nice," the redhead said and drove off. Caitlyn stared after her until the car disappeared behind a group of trees. The young policewoman sniffled loudly and wiped away a tear before putting on a cheerful smile and turning to the car, which now stopped right in front of her.
"Hey Cait," Chloe said cheerfully, opening the passenger door for her.
"Hey Chloe," Caitlyn greeted back. She carefully got into the car, making sure her evening dress didn't get caught in the door.
"Wow, now I feel a little underdressed. What kind of place is this?" asked Chloe, who was only wearing a pair of old jeans and a sweater.
"Just the most popular theater in town," laughed Caitlyn, glancing to the back of the seat where an excited angel sat. Phaelyn hid her mouth behind nervously shaking hands and her eyes darted from Chloe to Caitlyn and onto the road.
"Hey Phaelyn."
"Hey… hey," Phaelyn said shyly, blushing instantly.
"Are you looking forward to the theater like we are?" asked Caitlyn as Chloe drove off.
"Yes… Yes, I am," the angel mumbled, trying not to seem rude.
"Phae talked about nothing else while we were working at Celine's and she was so unsure if she should really come along until I said you'd protect her," Chloe explained with a smirk, catching an accusing look from Phaelyn.
"Oh really? Aww, Phaelyn. You've got nothing to worry about. No one there is going to hurt you," Caitlyn said confidently and turned to the angel. The latter nodded, but didn't look fully reassured yet.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you. Just try to remember the wonderful performance by Tea and her colleagues," Caitlyn reassured her once more and held out her hand to Phaelyn. Phaelyn took it carefully and Caitlyn felt the trembling subside.
"Thank you," the angel mumbled, "I… I trust you… you saved me from the red witch too, after all."
Caitlyn giggled as she remembered the C&T event and said, "That's what we knights are supposed to do, isn't it?"
Phaelyn nodded confidently and a smile appeared on her lips. Caitlyn smiled back and turned to Chloe, "The others are already on site?"
"Yeah. Our siblings are heading there straight after school, and Ava can come after all, thankfully. She said she's been busy with her training lately. See Phae? More people to look after you!"
"Wow, I thought this would be a small production, but this, it's beyond anything I imagined," Chloe said, twisting her neck to look back from her front row seat. Row after row of red-covered armchairs lay behind her and hundreds of people settled on them. The balconies at the edge of the enormous theater hall were also all occupied.
"Believe me, I was just as surprised when Tea finally handed me the invitation. She made a huge secret out of the whole thing," Summer explained.
"She's also been training for this for ages," Ava remarked, "understandably, everything has to run perfectly with these guests here."
She also let her gaze wander around the hall and recognized someone from Leon City's high society here and there.
"With these guests?" Chloe whispered and saw men in black suits and women in elegant dresses everywhere. Even her sister Kim was wearing an evening dress and whispering to her boyfriend Luke quietly. Chloe rolled her eyes and was about to complain to her friends that no one had told her how serious the theater was, when suddenly all the lights went out and the conversations in the hall stopped. The curtains opened and spotlights illuminated the first scene with a soft blue light. Sitting in the center of the stage on a rock, Tea, in a stunning white wedding dress, raised her hand towards a moon before she began to sing, mesmerizing the audience. Even Summer's mouth dropped open, as she hadn't known her friend could sing. Barely perceptible, Caitlyn heard Phaelyn whisper, "Wow," next to her and the angel released her hand from Caitlyn's and folded it tensely in her lap. Since they had gotten out of the car, Phaelyn had not let go of Caitlyn. But now she was captivated by Tea's performance and oblivious to everything around her. Caitlyn smiled and turned back to Tea.
Good thing she came along. Caitlyn thought, leaning back and starting to smile. Her smile disappeared instantly, however, when she suddenly got a queasy feeling. A feeling as if something was about to go wrong, as if something was about to go terribly wrong. She looked left and right at her friends, but none of them seemed to notice. Only Phaelyn had taken her eyes off Tea and looked up anxiously at Caitlyn. Caitlyn was just about to ask her what was causing it when suddenly a tremor shook the theater hall. Tea stopped singing and clung to the rock to keep from falling. Immediately all hell broke loose as people started screaming and dust trickled from the ceiling. Spotlights fell to the ground and sparks flew in all directions.
"LUKE! HELP ME GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE!" Caitlyn shouted over the screams, pulling Phaelyn out of her seat. From the stage, she heard a pointed scream as the wooden floor of the stage shattered, creating a massive crack beneath the rock. It tipped to one side and Tea lost her footing. She slid down and fell screaming.
"NO! TEA!" screamed Summer and tried to run after her, but she was pulled back by Ava as the crack widened and grew right in her direction. A woman running past the stage didn't react fast enough and disappeared into the darkness. Kim saw that the crack would engulf her and Luke in the next moment and pushed Luke forward. A ledge underneath her gave way and broke off. She fell into the crack. Chloe scrambled after her, but narrowly missed her sister's hand. The momentum sent Chloe sliding across the floor and she lost her footing too. Caitlyn barely caught her and groaned loudly as the weight tore at her arms.
"I've got you!" screamed Caitlyn, pulling Chloe out.
"KIM!" screamed Chloe after her sister, tears streaming down her face.
"Luke, get her out of here!" yelled Caitlyn at her brother as he stared at the rupture, horrified. He shook his head and grabbed Summer's arm, dragging her out of the theater with Ava.
"I'll… I'll get her!" shouted Phaelyn, plunging headlong into the hole before Caitlyn could stop her.
"PHAE!"
Is that supposed to be it? After finally making friends and a career? Tea thought as the screams above her grew quieter and quieter and she fell deeper and deeper into the darkness. Rocks rushed past her, the air grew colder and Tea felt like her tears were freezing to ice. She thought of Summer, of her new friends. All the adventures they had had and could have had together. She closed her eyes when she could no longer see anything around her, hugged herself and waited. Waited to be released. Instead, the noise stopped. Her legs were gently set down on solid ground.
"What?" asked Tea, wiping away her tears. She still couldn't see anything. Even when she looked up, she saw nothing but blackness, "How far have I fallen? Damn it… I… I have to get out of here!"
Tea stretched out her arms blindly and cautiously walked forward. She had little hope of climbing out even if she found a wall, but just standing in the void felt terrifying.
"…" Tea heard a whiff, a whisper, and whirled around. Her eyes tried to pierce the darkness, but she saw no one.
"He… Hello?" she asked anxiously, "Is anyone there?"
"My poor, poor child," said an icy female voice.
"Oh, thank God. Do you know… can… can you get me out of here?" asked Tea, feeling a shiver run down the back of her neck.
"I don't have that power, my child."
A lump formed in Tea's throat as her last hope faded. She lost the strength in her legs and she slumped.
"What did I expect? I'm already dead, aren't I?" asked Tea.
"Do you want to be dead?"
"No! I don't want to die! I want to be with my friends, I want to follow my passion and make a career!"
"Friends? What friends, my child? You are completely alone."
Alone? Tea thought and opened her mouth to object, but her voice failed. Suddenly, Tea felt something wrap itself around her legs and grow up her body. Looking down, she could see shadows wrapped around her body like snakes despite the ever-present darkness, forcing her to stand up.
"Do you think your friends would be interested in someone like you if it weren't for Summer?"
At that moment, figures appeared in front of Tea, each of them looking remarkably like her friends. They were turned away from her, wearing ball masks and smiling maliciously at Tea from the side.
"None of them like you. They say you have no talent and laugh at you behind your back! I see your talent though, I know what you need."
The shadows formed a mask over Tea's face, hiding her expression. Her friends dissolved and a mirror appeared in their place. The mask in front of Tea's face was like the image of a goddess. Perfect and beautiful. She held out her hand to the mirror and as she looked at the image, she struggled to think clearly.
"Who…what are you?" she stuttered.
"If you let me, anything you want. Your friend, your mistress, someone who values you as you deserve and gives you the power to save yourself. Gives you the power to shape the world to your liking. Is that what you want?"
"Yes," Tea whispered barely audibly.
"Very well, my child."
More shadows spilled out of the mask and slid down her back past her neck, caressing her skin and removing her wedding dress. Tea felt the mist lift her up by her arms, and she felt like a puppet. She allowed her mistress to wrap her body and give her a black dress made of a shiny substance she knew only too well. The latex squeezed her body gently and Tea had the feeling that it fit even better than anything she had worn before. She felt a pleasant warmth between her breasts and when she looked down, she saw a red crystal set into her skin. Tea breathed a sigh of satisfaction when she saw it. Felt the power and closeness to her mistress that it gave her.
"I will do whatever you ask," Tea murmured before her thoughts became cloudy and she sank to the ground. Her dress turned white and lost its luster. Just before she passed out, she could hear screaming and someone calling her name.
Kim stumbled through the darkness. She was breathing heavily and she felt crushed.
"This isn't normal, surely it's just a prank by… by… by CELINE! Exactly!"
"…!"
"Who… who?" she squeaked, startled, and stood rooted to the spot, "Guys, this isn't funny! Celine, get me out of here!"
"Celine? That's a name I haven't heard in a long time."
When Kim heard the voice, she felt something grab her arms and she backed away. She tripped over a bump in the floor and fell. She squinted her eyes to brace herself for the impact, but she landed softly.
"Careful, my child, don't get hurt. Better I hold you so you don't injure yourself."
Kim's eyes widened as she felt her arms and legs being grabbed. She saw shadows wrapped around her despite the ever-present darkness.
"No! Let me go!" Kim screamed and tried to free herself from the iron grip. She braced herself against the ground and slid across it, but the shadows pinned her down. Her arms were forced under her chest and her legs were pressed together. She felt her dress being torn from her body and the monster lay against her skin.
"No, anything but that, please!" Kim screamed as the shadow transformed into the latex dress that had haunted her nightmares. The dress that Judy had given her. A straitjacket that made her absolutely helpless. Kim's pulse quickened and she began to breathe hysterically.
"Fight, show me what you can do."
"Please… please don't!" Kim whispered as the shadows crept up her neck. Her fear paralyzed her as memories of the cell flashed back into her mind. Of lying blind on the floor, waiting for Judy to come to her.
"You're weak."
Kim didn't answer. The words dug into her chest like a dagger.
"You're nothing without your friends. You know how they talk behind your back? They call you little Kim. So sweet, so innocent and helpless."
"I… I…"
"A ballast, a mascot!"
"That's not true!"
"Are you sure?"
Kim fell silent as her voice faltered.
Is the shadow right? Kim thought, and she felt her bonds tighten, seeming to crush her.
"Come, free yourself, prove me wrong."
"I can't, please let me go," Kim begged, but the shadow only laughed.
"I can't free you, Kimberly, only you can."
"Please help me."
"Help you? Do you want my help? Do you want to own the power that can protect you? The power to conquer your demons?"
At these words, there was a flash of light and Kim found herself in Judy's atelier. Kim stood in front of a mirror, a shadowy figure beside her. She had her claws pressed into her arms, forcing Kim to look into a mirror. Kim's eyes grew cloudy, but she kept her gaze fixed on the reflection of the demonic figure next to her, staring at her expectantly.
"I don't want to be weak anymore," she whispered, "Please give me the strength I need."
The demonic figure began to smile and lost its form. Kim felt a pleasant warmth between her breasts, and in the mirror she could see a blue crystal burning through the latex.
"Fight, show me what you can do."
Kim's body was filled with new strength and she pulled at her restraints. This time the latex could do nothing against her power and ripped apart. Kim inhaled sharply, the warm air as she stumbled forward and the straitjacket dress took on its original shape. The shreds that fused together on her arms and legs came together in a neat seam, leaving Kim in the mirror wearing a dark blue latex dress. Without the long sleeves and without restricting her leg freedom.
"Wow."
"Serve me and this power will remain your own!"
"Yes… Mistress," was the last thing Kim said before she closed her eyes and fell gently to the floor. The latex disappeared and Kim's evening dress appeared in its place.
"I really needed to sit this close to the damn stage too," Vale muttered, trying to make out something in the darkness. She didn't know how she'd gotten through the fall unscathed, she just knew she had to get out of here. But as far as Vale could tell, the rift had taken her to a magical dimension where there were no walls. Vale shook her head at the thought. She had never thought anything so nonsensical.
"…"
"Hello? Is there anyone else down here?" Vale asked, frowning as she looked around in vain.
"Isn't it annoying?"
"Annoying? Of course it's annoying to be down here!" said Vale, raising her hand uncomprehendingly.
"I mean, your freedom."
Vale opened her mouth only to close it again.
"You long for something else, don't you? For a mistress who will always stay with you and tell you how to find happiness."
"I… I already have a mistress," Vale whispered, smiling as she thought of her burglar friend.
"My child… I'm talking about a real mistress," Vale felt someone grab her shoulders and squeeze them gently, "Someone who will always stay with you."
"… And knows what I need?" Vale asked hesitantly, lifting her right hand to touch the stranger's hand. It felt warm and she stroked Vale's shoulder gently.
"And knows what you need. My closeness, my chains and the pleasures I can give you… if you want them."
"That sounds tempting indeed," Vale murmured, closing her eyes. The hands came off her shoulder and wrapped around her body, gripping her neck.
"Tell your mistress what you want. Tell me you want to feel my chains on your skin."
"Mistress… put your shackles on me," Vale whispered. She moaned as the hand tightened around her neck and turned to black steel. They turned into a collar, and it fell heavily on her shoulders. Vale lost control of her body as the shadows gripped her limbs. They turned into shackles as well, and Vale was pulled to the ground by their weight. As she knelt on all fours in the darkness, heavy chains manifested and attached themselves to the bands on her wrists and ankles. They wrapped around her arms and legs, around her body, forcing Vale to lie on the floor.
"Enjoy my chains, my child. As long as they are with you, so am I."
Vale looked up at the shadowy figure standing over her, which dissolved moments later. At the same instant, Vale felt a warmth between her breasts, and when she looked down, a golden crystal appeared there.
"Thank you mistress," escaped Vale's lips before she lost consciousness and her chains and shackles disappeared.
Phae shot into the depths with her wings spread. It was immediately clear to the angel that this tremor and the crack in the theater hall had no natural origin. It was immediately confirmed to her when she shot through a wall of shadows and Phaelyn suddenly found herself standing on solid ground. Confused, she stumbled forward a few steps and looked around. Despite her eyes, which could normally penetrate any darkness, she could see nothing down here. Frowning, the angel grimaced and raised her hand. A small light appeared in her palm, but it was so faint that Phaelyn could barely see her upper body.
"That's new," she murmured, "Tea? Kim? Can you hear me?"
"…"
Phae narrowed her eyebrows into slits as she sensed someone else. Someone who possessed ancient magic, similar to her friend Ifry's, but darker, more sinister.
"Rilliana must have missed a few spots of magic… WHO IS THERE, SHOW YOURSELF!" Phaelyn shouted into the darkness and she could make out shadows approaching her.
"Hooo? An angel in my realm? I didn't think I'd ever get to see one. What brings you here, my child?"
Phae took a step back as the shadows reached for her, waving her glowing hand as if to shoo away a fly.
"I'm looking for my friends, do you know where they are?" said Phaelyn simply.
"Aren't you looking for something else? Are you happy here? Wouldn't you rather go back home?"
Phaelyn quirked a brow as the figure approached again.
"Not really," Phaelyn replied as she thought back to the time before she had come to Earth with Ifry. She shook her head to get rid of the thoughts and thought of her new home in the cursed forest, "I'm quite content on Earth. I've made a life for myself here…Now tell me, where are my friends?"
"Are you sure?" the figure said, trying to reach for the angel. Phaelyn was tired of the conversation and disliked the figure. She spread out all eight of her wings and let them shine. The light burned away the darkness in one fell swoop and the figure hissed angrily before disappearing. Phaelyn breathed a sigh of relief when she felt no other magical presence and knelt down as her magic took its toll and she felt dizzy.
"Good thing it was still enough for that," Phaelyn muttered, breathing heavily before looking up and scanning the ground. She could see three women lying on the ground a few steps away. Phaelyn could make out Kim and Tea, but she didn't recognize the third. Panicked, she stumbled over to them and fell to her knees beside them. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that all three women were breathing.
"Huuh… you seem to be all right," Phaelyn looked up. The darkness had receded, revealing the ceiling of the theater hall, "Soooo… how do I get you out of here without attracting attention?"
"Come on! One more little bit!" Summer cheered her friend Ava on. The brunette had already run countless laps in circles and was now on the verge of total exhaustion. If anyone else had been in the gym, all they would have seen was a pink-haired girl sitting on a sports mattress while another girl in a cheerleading outfit ran her laps around the gym.
"Sorry… I'm sorry… Summer," Ava panted, collapsing on the gym mat.
"Mmh, I guess your stamina hasn't improved… but you're not sweating. Do you feel warm?" Summer asked disappointedly and noted the results on a clipboard. She scooted over to Ava and patted her back.
"No… My costume is still absorbing any liquids and is at a comfortable temperature. Can you explain to me again why I have to run to exhaustion in this costume?" Ava asked, staring tiredly at Summer.
"To find out what superpowers your suit has, silly!" said Summer simply, tapping her pen on her clipboard.
"Don't you have anything better to do? Can't you torture Tea instead of me?"
Summer's lips narrowed like a line and Ava could see that her friend was carefully considering her next words.
"Things have changed at home after the incident at the theater."
Ava sat up and stared at Summer seriously.
"Does this have anything to do with the incident? Is Tea okay?"
Summer started to smile and put a hand on Ava's shoulder to reassure her.
"Oh, she's fine. I'm sorry, haha. No, um, I forgot to pick Tea up from the station the other day and as punishment for me, she's in charge now, haha. I was a bit surprised and unsure at first, but she seems to like it. I think it's great too. Being a sub has its advantages… even if I haven't been able to play as much lately," Summer laughed brightly and helped Ava up.
"Hehe. I think I'll come over sometime. Seeing you under Tea's thumb is surely a fascinating sight."
"Ha, very funny! There's another test for that. Come on, chop-chop," Summer ordered, pointing to a barbell with heavy weights attached to it. Ava groaned and stood up, swaying.
Scowling, Summer drummed on her clipboard. Ava hadn't shown any particular improvement in any of the categories.
"Mmh, too bad," she muttered and looked up at Ava, who drank a bottle of water in one go. Even if the suit did nothing for her, it still made her extremely thirsty. This was already the third bottle since she had started.
"Haaa, Haaa, Summer? Can I change again now?" Ava asked, panting and putting the bottle back in her bag.
"One last test," Summer muttered thoughtfully, rummaging around in her bag, "we still need to find out if you're bulletproof!"
"You… you are not se… serious," Ava stuttered, stumbling back.
"Naa's just a water gun," Summer confessed, spraying Ava with it. She laughed out loud when she saw her friend's pale face.
"YOU LITTLE…!"
Ava's left eye began to twitch and Summer fell silent as she realized she had gone too far. Ava raised her hand and immediately ribbons shot out of it like tentacles, coiling around Summer like snakes. Startled, Summer dropped the gun as her legs were bound together and her arms pinned to her side. The straps lifted her into the air with ease and held her two steps above the ground.
"We already know about that superpower though, haha. But I see you've been practicing a bit without me!" Summer laughed nervously as the bandages tightened around her, "Can you put me back down then, please?"
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think so Summer, first we'll have… I'll have some fun!"
Only now did Summer realize that Ava's face, red with anger, had changed to a leering one. Her suit seemed to be taking its well-earned nourishment and had invaded Ava's crotch, causing the young woman to want only one thing. To make sure her special friend had plenty of fluids to drink. The ribbons wound their way up Summer's neck, threatening to obscure her face as Ava walked determinedly towards the equipment room so they wouldn't be disturbed.
"Ava, I don't think Tea is going to approve of this!" cried Summer in a panic as Ava closed the large door behind her.
"Don't worry, you're just watching," Ava mumbled almost as if in a trance, lying down on a sports mat and while the tentacles held Summer above her to the ceiling. Before Summer could say another word, the bands pressed into her mouth and fixed her head so that she couldn't help but look down at Ava. Ava's leotard deformed and melted over her body until only her eyes were visible and the rest of her body was hidden under a cocoon. Beneath its thin layer, Summer could see the tentacles driving her friend ever closer to orgasm. Ava's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she groaned, but her suit just kept going. Wave after wave crashed over Ava. She began to twitch, but her cocoon held her firmly in place and her suit only seemed to be spurred on by its wearer.
This could be another long night. Summer thought, enviously, and just decided to enjoy the show.
"This is your first night shift, right Boot?" asked Caitlyn's instructor Ruiz as they drove down the main road. Caitlyn nodded and looked through the raindrop fogged windows.
"Yes sir! But don't worry, I'm wide awake and ready for anything," Caitlyn explained.
"Mmmh," her instructor grumbled thoughtfully, "Good to know. After the incident at the theater, the city seems to be going down the drain again. So many new kidnappings… we can't afford any missteps."
"Sir?"
"Yes, Boot?"
"I've only been on the job a short time, but already I think we're fighting windmills. I love this job, I love helping people, but I'd like to do more… but I feel like the laws that are supposed to help us protect the citizens are more for the benefit of those we're supposed to put behind bars."
Ruiz exhaled heavily.
"The laws separate us from the crimes Taylor… but I…" Ruiz fell silent as the police car's radio picked up, "Theo 109, got a call from Decstreet 256. Apartment 914, they heard fighting and screaming. Can you check it out?"
Ruiz immediately picked up the radio.
"This is Theo 109, we're on our way," he switched on the siren and swerved out of the way of the car in front of him as he accelerated.
"Can you tell me why we should proceed with extreme caution when heading to Decstreet, Boot?"
"We don't know exactly why we were called there. Could be domestic violence or could be a break-in," Caitlyn said, holding on tight as her instructor steered hard into a turn.
"Right, and why else?"
"Falenplaza at night?"
"Falenplaza at night," Ruiz confirmed, "I hope you're really prepared for anything, Taylor."
Ruiz and Caitlyn stood outside the apartment. The door to it had been pried open and was hanging crooked on its hinges.
"Police, is anyone here?"
They got no answer, and Ruiz pushed the door open.
"Oh damn… what's happened here?" he muttered as he looked at the devastation in the apartment. Almost all the furniture had been torn to pieces and splattered with blood. They secured the apartment until they arrived at a closed door. Caitlyn immediately noticed that it had been reinforced to suppress noise. The walls also appeared to have been covered. Ruiz nodded to her and Caitlyn opened it. He glanced inside with his gun drawn. His eyebrows drew together and he lowered his weapon before pulling out his radio and beckoning Caitlyn into the room.
"This is Theo 109, need eight ambulances…" Caitlyn didn't listen any further as her jaw dropped. There were countless cages in the room, in some of which trembling women were cowering, sometimes more, sometimes less clothed. In front of them sat men, bloodied, beaten and chained. Caitlyn felt their pulses and nodded when she sensed that the men were still alive. They would be spending a long time in prison.
"Hey, we're from the police. Are you all right?" she asked quietly, running her eyes over the distraught faces of the women. They nodded hesitantly, "Do you know who that was?"
"N… no, we only saw a woman who unlocked the… door and tied up our kidnappers," one of the women explained as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Can you describe her to me?" Caitlyn asked as she inspected the padlocks.
"No, she… she was… hooded."
Caitlyn looked up in surprise when she heard that.
"Mmmh, vigilante justice?" she muttered, studying the battered bodies of the men below her. They were badly beaten, countless broken bones and barely recognizable faces. The woman seemed to have been extremely angry with the men. With so many crimes in the city, it had only been a matter of time before the citizens struck back. Caitlyn could almost understand it too, but only almost. One of the men winced in pain and Caitlyn backed away. As she did, she noticed that the knuckles on his hand looked battered, as if he'd hit someone.
"Maybe you hit her too?" she mused in a whisper, but her train of thought was interrupted when Ruiz entered the room.
"Taylor, please get the ladies out of there and escort them to the hospital. We need their testimonies," Ruiz ordered, tossing her a key he had found in the wreckage.
Caitlyn gently closed the door to the hospital room. She had spent all night taking down every detail of the women's statements.
"This is not how I imagined our first night shift together…" Ruiz explained, patting her on the shoulder.
"Were the kidnappers able to testify?" asked Caitlyn.
Ruiz shook his head and said, "Naaa,… whoever did it did a really nasty job on them. You can call it a night."
"All right, see you next shift," Caitlyn said, stifling a yawn, which earned her a smile from her instructor.
"See you then… and um boot one more thing," he said, turning off his bodycam and putting it in his pocket. Caitlyn followed suit, "You're right, sometimes it's frustrating and sometimes I wish it was easier…" He fell silent as he struggled for words and glanced through the glass where one of the kidnap victims lay.
"Still, vigilante justice isn't something the LCPD should be promoting… even if the women probably think otherwise…"
Caitlyn drove thoughtfully through the streets of the city, slowly lit by the morning sun. She stopped at a set of traffic lights and let her mind wander. What would she have done instead of the woman? Caitlyn would have arrested the men and not necessarily beaten them to a pulp like this, right? She had rules, the vigilante didn't. And then there was that unbridled rage. Caitlyn looked up when she noticed movement in an alley. She saw a woman limping and got out of her car, worried.
"Hello? Do you need help?" Caitlyn called after her.
She heard a surprised squeak.
"No, no! I, uh… just slipped," Caitlyn heard the woman say.
"Then maybe you do need help?" Caitlyn replied and went into the alley. She found the woman on a crate, most of her body hidden by shadows, but her face looked familiar to Caitlyn.
"Cass? What are you doing here at this hour?" asked Caitlyn as she remembered her fellow prisoner from the Bondage Hotel.
"You know me? You're…" Cass's face brightened as she recognized Caitlyn, but she froze instantly when she saw her uniform.
"I… I was jogging officer," she said simply and tried to stand up, but she grimaced involuntarily and dropped back onto the crate, "Fuck."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Caitlyn asked anxiously, taking another step closer. Only now did she notice that Cass's face was bruised and her top was torn and stained with blood.
"Cass, were you at Falenplaza today by any chance?"
The young blonde leaned back against the wall and looked tiredly at Caitlyn.
"We both know I was there…" said Cass, slumping to the side as her eyes closed. Caitlyn caught her quickly.
"Whoa, careful Cass…" said Caitlyn, straightening her up before reaching for her handcuffs, but pausing. Cass heard the click and smiled weakly.
"Are you detaining me now, officer?" she asked, opening an eyelid.
"I…"
Caitlyn bit her lower lip and looked around the alley for help, as if someone could make that decision for her.
"Officer?"
"Shut up and come on," Caitlyn ordered, snapping the cuffs around Cass's hands and walking her to her car.
"Am I under arrest?" Cass asked, frowning, as Caitlyn pushed her into the passenger seat.
"Not quite…" Caitlyn confessed, "I… I need to figure some things out first."
Cass stared at her, dumbfounded, before shaking her head.
"And what do I have to do with it?" Cass asked, annoyed. Caitlyn didn't answer and drove off in the direction of her home.
Caitlyn led Cass into the living room and carefully sat her down on the sofa. Cass grimaced briefly before relaxing and looking up at her abductor.
"So what now?"
Caitlyn skimmed over a note saying that her father was away on business again and Luke was visiting friends. So she had a couple of clear sailing at home. Caitlyn looked up and sat down in the armchair opposite Cass, tapping her finger on the armrest as she thought about her next move.
"Not quite sure yet… how about breakfast?" asked Caitlyn. Cass stared at her blankly.
"You kidnapped me to make me breakfast?"
"No, I… I need to talk to you about… what you do,… how you do it," Caitlyn explained, falling silent when she saw Cass's annoyed face.
"I'm afraid I don't feel like talking to you, officer. So I'd be much obliged if you'd take off my handcuffs and let me…" Cass' stomach growled loudly and she rolled her eyes.
"So breakfast after all?" Caitlyn asked, standing up and uncuffing her hands, " See… I'll just get changed and make us something to eat. Surely we could talk a bit afterwards, right?"
Cass rubbed her wrists and looked at Caitlyn as if she'd lost her mind.
"Look, you're hurt and you need to rest. I could have taken you to the police, but…I have a feeling that with the right push, you can do a lot of good in the city," Caitlyn explained, smiling encouragingly at Cass.
"Can I go then?"
"As soon as we've talked."
Cass leaned back and crossed her arms.
"Go on then, I don't have forever."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" said Caitlyn, beaming, and headed for the living room door. Before she went into the hallway, she glanced back into the living room, "But don't run off, all right? I'd get really pissed if you screwed me over like that."
"Yeah yeah," Cass said, waving it off.
Caitlyn smiled contentedly and went up to the bathroom. She took off her uniform and folded it carefully before hopping in the shower. The warm water was like a balm to her exhausted body, and she groaned contentedly. She almost wanted to spend longer under it, but Cass was waiting for her, so she only washed herself briefly and dried off quickly. She put on a dark blue bathrobe and pulled the fluffy hood over her head before going into the kitchen.
"Do you like scrambled eggs? I've just got a real craving for it," Caitlyn called out loudly, but she got no answer. She twisted the corners of her mouth and exhaled in disappointment. With a shake of her head, she only prepared scrambled eggs for herself, since Cass obviously didn't want any. As it finished frying in the pan, Caitlyn raised her voice again.
"You know, Cass, I really thought we could handle this like normal people, but since you're being obnoxious and my family isn't here right now…" Caitlyn called out, grabbing a plate and loading it with a large portion of scrambled eggs, "you're going to be my prisoner for a while so we can talk at length."
Caitlyn walked down the stairs to the basement, where Luke's security system was in the process of securing Cass's wildly wriggling cocoon with more bandages. Caitlyn saw that it was already the third layer.
"If I were you, I'd hold still," Caitlyn muttered over Cass's angry shouting, but she didn't seem to be listening to her. Caitlyn rolled her eyes, pulled up a chair, crossed her legs and began to eat her breakfast. She watched Cass with interest as she tested more and more of Luke's alarm system.