The next morning, Lennox received a call from Detective Everly, who sounded excited to inform him about a couple of developments she needed to discuss with him and Kira. Lennox, equally thrilled, saw this as progress toward apprehending Nightshade and removing a looming threat for Nexarcs.
Lennox quickly arranged to meet with Kira to share Detective Everly's news before heading to the precinct. Upon entering Everly's office, he found her whiteboard covered with sticky notes and pictures.
"Good morning, Detective," Lennox greeted Everly as he stepped into her office. "So, Detective, what have you learned?" Lennox inquired.
"Alright, here's what we've got," Detective Everly turned around with a smile. "What you said was true. A couple of months ago, there was a significant altercation between two Nexarcs, resulting in extensive property damage, including this apartment building and even part of a school," she pointed to the pictures showing the burnt marks.
Lennox's voice rose with anger and disbelief. "How could the academy overlook such a massive altercation?" he demanded.
Lennox sensed there was more at play, especially considering the potential harm to innocent children during the altercation. Memories of his mother's tragic death and the possibility of school children being harmed haunted him.
"It's as if someone deliberately concealed it, possibly someone from the government or the academy itself," Kira mused aloud.
"Unfortunately, incidents like this do occur, but I've managed to uncover some corruption in the past. However, not all of it can be stopped," Detective Everly explained.
"Did anyone get hurt during the fight?" Lennox asked, hoping for a negative answer.
"Yes... it's heartbreaking," Detective Everly responded. Her fists clenched in frustration as she continued, "As Kira mentioned, tragically, one child didn't survive the ordeal at the school."
Kira and Lennox were stunned by the news. Kira's anger surged, recalling her own loss due to nearby conflicts her Nex went wild out. Lennox, feeling a pang in his heart, didn't fully understand his reaction, but he knew they needed to focus on their next steps.
"Kira, let's calm down and think about what to do next," Lennox suggested, pushing through her Nex placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, Kira regained her composure, nodding in agreement. Everly, observing Kira's strong reaction and her proximity to Nex energy, realized that Kira had the potential to excel in the Nexarc ranks.
"Did you find out about the family of the child?" Lennox inquired.
Detective Everly handed over a file to Lennox and Kira. "Yes, a single mother who works as a surgeon at a nearby hospital next to the school," she said.
Lennox quickly skimmed through the file detailing what happened to the child and mother. "She's the prime person to check, right? Should we go?" he asked.
"No, let's head to the school first and search around. If she's Nightshade, I'm sure she still frequents the area," Kira suggested.
Detective Everly nodded as Lennox and the others made their way to the children's school where the altercation had occurred. Upon arrival, they observed multiple children leaving the school. Lennox noticed the intense burn marks that still lingered months after the Nexarc fight, even feeling the residual heat.
They split up discreetly, blending in with the pedestrians, ready to warn each other if they spotted Nightshade. After a few minutes, they noticed no suspicious activity. Instead, they witnessed parents picking up their children, a stark reminder to Nightshade, if she was present, of the children she had lost.
Lennox and the others regrouped, planning their next move. Lennox speculated that Nightshade might have retreated home or laid low since being spotted, possibly planning her next move or reeling from her failed attempt on her last Nexarc victim.
Just as Everly was about to speak, Alexel interrupted with a surprising revelation. "Guys, I feel something," she said with a furrowed brow.
Concerned, Kira asked, "Alexel, what's wrong?" This was unusual for Alexel, who rarely spoke up. Whatever she was feeling must be significant.
"I feel like there's a bone of decay," Alexel replied, peering down the alleyway.
Kira and the others weren't entirely sure what she meant, but they understood that bloodlines, like elements, could sense sensitivities between each other. The mention of bone decay heightened their worries.
"Alexel, can you lead us to it?" Lennox asked urgently.
"We should call for reinforcements," Kira suggested.
"We don't have time," Lennox countered.
"But—" Kira began, but Lennox was already moving, determined to follow Alexel's lead.
"Sorry, Kira, Lennox has a point," Detective Everly interjected. "Time is of the essence here. We can't afford to delay. Whether this individual is still out there or if Nightshade is implicated, we need to act swiftly and locate them," she urged.
Kira fell silent, realizing the truth in what they were saying. Distracted for a moment, she then noticed Lennox and the others had already sprinted off down the alleyway, following Alexel. She hurried to catch up.
After a minute of navigating the alleyway, Alexel mentioned feeling the bone decay getting closer. She also noted that this type of decay wasn't natural, and it likely indicated a slow and painful process. Worried, she stopped as she sensed the decay coming from underground.
"There," Alexel whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of their racing hearts.
They halted by a manhole, exchanging serious looks. "We go in together," Everly whispered, his voice barely audible above the pounding of his heart. "Stay close, and watch each other's backs." before descending, Lennox using his fire as a source of light.
As they approached, a vile smell assaulted their senses. Kira, Everly, and Alexel recognized it instantly as the smell of a dead body. Though Lennox had never encountered such a smell before, he fought back the urge to vomit, driven by the determination to apprehend Nightshade.
Arriving at the bottom, they discovered a series of interconnected rooms in the tunnel. Suddenly, a rat darted out from the corner, causing Alexel to scream and retreat behind Kira as the rat scurried away.
Lennox and Kira refrained from laughing, mindful of the overpowering stench. When they looked up from the rat, they were met with a shocking sight: jars filled with body parts, causing everyone to cover their noses. Detective Everly signaled for them to look around as she went back up the ladder to call for backup.
As Lennox and the others explored the room, they observed bones on tables and blood splattered everywhere. The gravity of the situation sank in as they contemplated how Nightshade could stomach such gruesome acts for the past few months.
The flickering light from Lennox's fire cast eerie shadows across the macabre scene, illuminating the horrors that lay hidden beneath the city streets. Each step echoed with a sense of dread as they surveyed the room.
Kira's jaw clenched as she took in the sight, her fists tightening in anger. The smell of death hung thick in the air, suffocating in its intensity. She could feel the bile rising in her throat, but she pushed the nausea aside.
Lennox's expression hardened as he surveyed the grisly tableau before him, his mind racing with a mixture of disgust and determination. He couldn't fathom the depths of depravity that Nightshade was capable of, the sheer brutality of her actions sending a chill down his spine.