Detective Rosya woke up following an incident involving a fire in the warehouse that Gustav had walked into, and hadn't heard anything from him. It wasn't like him to go radio silent for so long.
She followed her usual morning routine, had a light breakfast, a shower, and checked messages on her phone. None of them were from Gustav. She grimaced. Picked up her gun and badge and walked out the door of her apartment.
When she finally arrived at the 24th precinct, expecting not to run into Gustav. But she still had work to be done, and couldn't allow her personal feelings to get in the way.
It was quite a surprise when she saw Gustav sitting at his desk. She was quite relieved and angry at him. But glad he was still alive.
"Where did you go?" She asked him, trying not to sound angry.
Gustav turned his head. It was Rosya standing behind him. She didn't look very pleased. He knew very well why. After everything that happened at the warehouse and that strange facility, Gustav didn't check in at the 24th precinct until the following morning.
"I thought you died in that fire," she chided.
That caught Gustav's attention. "What fire?"
Rosya drew out her smartphone and passed it to Gustav. On the screen there was a news article about a fire that had broken out at the warehouse that Gustav and she went to investigate.
Gustav tried to hide his relief. If there was a fire, the freaks inside had died in the fire. How he wished he could've seen them burn to a crisp.
"It says that it took the firefighters four hours to put out the fire," Rosya commented. "You were there. Were there any chemicals that could've caused that fire?"
Gustav pondered for a second what to answer. There were chemicals, but not in the warehouse, but underneath it, along with other horrors. He couldn't tell Rosya what had happened. It was too unbelievable, even to him.
He went back to read the article. Perhaps it would help him come up with a convincing alibi. Now he knew how the people he called to interrogate felt.
"Yeah, there were some dangerous chemicals stored in that warehouse." Gustav finally said. I planned to inform the captain so he could dispatch them properly. But my phone had died out. But I gathered some important leads."
Ugh, he felt so awful and that had been the lamest excuse he had ever thought of.
"Uh-huh, is that why you're browsing through the missing person's database?" Rosya leaned forward to get a better look at Gustav's computer monitor.
"That's the lead I mentioned," Gustav said. "Several girls went missing before Abbey Dodson was found murdered. They all went missing under mysterious circumstances."
"Mysterious circumstances?" Rosya was genuinely intrigued.
"For the few girls I manage to find on the database, I tried to contact relatives, friends or coworkers. They still get text messages from them, but haven't seen them in person. The mother of one of the girls sent over a video her daughter sent a while ago, so she dropped the missing person's report. Thankfully, some desk jockey forgot to update the database."
"Is there anything peculiar about the video?" Rosya asked.
"Sent it over to IT to analyze it and pick it apart, see what they can find." Gustav replied.
"You think it's fake?" Rosya felt a little unease. "Can't imagine how heartbroken that poor mother would be if she found out it was fake."
Gustav didn't think it was fake. He knew it was. He only hoped that IT would find something useful in the video. Something that would help him find the mastermind behind the homunculi breeding.
Ansem had mentioned, homunculi were artificial human beings created inside flasks using esoteric methods. They were a mockery of creation. But why would they need these girls? What made them special to them?
"Oh, I wanted to ask you something." Rosya pointed at Gustav's right hand. "What happened to your hand?"
Gustav had forgotten to wear something that would cover his scar to avoid rising suspicion. Rosya could only see the reverse side of his hand, but evidently some of the disfigurement of his palm was visible.
"I burnt my hand on the stove." Gustav hid his hand inside his coat.
"On the stove?" Rosya drew closer. "Didn't know you cooked."
"Yeah," Gustav replied, drawing away from her.
"Never thought that you were that clumsy," Rosya chuckled. "Let me see."
Gustav stood up from his chair and walked away. "Sorry, gotta go. Have to check if IT has made some progress on the video I sent them."
Rosya puffed her cheeks in frustration. "Spoil sport."
**
The room was pitch black, an unnatural darkness that no light could dispel. Yet, a lone figure draped in a hood and cassock walked along the darkness, as if it knew the path. The sound of its footsteps echoed in the darkness until it stopped.
"Let us begin," a voice called out in the darkness.
Heavy torches burst into giant balls of purple flame that cast heavy shadows, allowing the figure to view the figures sitting on a high dais. Dressed from head to toe in white robes and masks that concealed their faces and distorted their voices. It was impossible to tell if they were men, women, or even human at all.
These three figures belonged to the 'Council,' a secret society made of the most powerful individuals on the planet. They control everything, manipulating humanity's fate from the shadows for almost 500 years. A dangerous group, but if you wanted to be someone powerful, joining them was the only option. But for that to happen, you had to be an exceptional individual. Or you could be eliminated altogether without ever knowing you crossed them.
"Did they tell you why we summoned you?" The center figure asked. Its tone of voice is severe, like a knife cutting through the chest.
The figure didn't answer and just nodded. Rarely had this council had summoned the figure. The hooded figure was indebted to them. Their vast resources had allowed it to pursue its investigation without being bothered. So, when they summoned the figure had to answer. They summoned most of the times the hooded figure was to give reports on how the investigation and the preparations were coming along.
This time, it was different.
"We lost one facility, and an important sacrifice." Another masked figure chided.
"We will not tolerate carelessness," the third figure warned. "What are your plans to remedy this problem?"
The hooded figure clenched its fist. It had taken all precautions to keep the project and the facilities a secret. But somehow, intruders got into the facility. How it was that possible? It had no straightforward answers to give the council. But had to think of a solution, and fast.
"The intruders may have gotten away with the sacrifice," the hooded figure said. "But I've taken measures to get it back."
A colossal figure entered the room. Its heavy footsteps gave away its massive size. The unknown visitor was dressed in a black cape and hood, its face and other features completely hidden.
"What is that?" the leading masked figure asked, intrigued.
The hooded figure smiled. Behind him stood the pinnacle of its experiments. A homunculi unlike any other. Stronger, faster, and more intelligent. It far surpassed the sacrifice the intruders had stolen from the facility.
"Council members," the hooded figure began. "Allow me to introduce you to the Spartan. The latest result of my homunculi experiments."
"Secrecy is of the utmost importance." One of the masked figures chided. "We can't have a brute tearing through the city in search of the sacrifice that was stolen from under your nose."
"To me, it's clear that those that stole it aren't ordinary," the hooded figure began. "They're out there and hiding the sacrifice somewhere in the city. That's why I devised an extraordinary measure to get it back."
The three masked figures kept silent. The hooded figure knew this would convince the council to let him use the Spartan, and probably allow him to develop more of them after the ritual.
"Can you guarantee that creature will bring it back before the time of sacrifice?"
The hooded figure bowed in reverence. "I can stake my life on it. It will bring it back without fail."
"Good," replied the leading mask figure said. "However, a warning. If you fail to bring it back, you'll be the one to pay the price."
The hooded figure covered their face so the Council wouldn't see the look of shock in its eyes. Failing the Council was a fate worse than death.
"We're adjourned," the lead figure said. "Carry out your task, find the sacrifice and eliminate those that stole from you."
"I will do it, as your lordship commands."
And with that, the fire went out, and it again swallowed the room in the unnatural darkness from before.