“Creatus are smart, as we all know.” Michael looked to his father, as if challenging his earlier assessment. “Even the so-called crazy ones. One of the signs of a rogue kill is separating the body so the authorities won’t have any identifying marks. They take what they want and leave the rest. Unlike an animal that rips a human to shreds and leaves the carcass, a creatus will pull the human apart with his bare hands and take the parts he wants.”
Collective gasps filled the room.
“Okay, Michael,” Derrick interrupted. “I think we get the point.” Derrick, as he assumed a few others felt, was glad he hadn’t eaten lunch yet. He didn’t like to think that there were animals that would do such a thing.
“He asked,” Michael defended his repugnant answer. “But here’s the part that baffles me. Whoever this is, they want us to know.”
“How’s that?” Dean spoke up again, curiosity lighting in his eyes.
Michael moved backward toward the desk, resting on the edge as though he was a professor addressing his students. “Even though a creatus is smart enough not to give any indication of how the person was killed, they usually hide the victim, bury them. These victims have been left for authorities to find.” Michael paused for effect. “The rogue wants us to know.”
“So, as Michael and I discussed earlier, there’s only one answer,” Derrick cut in. “We need to start watching again.”
Vic burst to her feet. “What? What happened to ‘the rules’? Isn’t that why you banished Jonas?”
Derrick shook his head, casting a glance in Ryan and his mother’s direction, wondering if they had thought the same thing too.
Michael also stared in the direction of Ry and Margaret and then hopped off the desk to answer. “We didn’t banish Jonas; he left on his own. Jonas was a good friend of mine, but he used watching as an excuse to fight. He didn’t care about humans any more than you or I, Vic. He was only looking for a fight. And he was sloppy.”
“So we’re supposed to put our existence in jeopardy because a few humans are dying.” Vic raised her hands in the air and paced. “Derrick’s just worried about his new precious human.”
“Sit down, Victoria, or leave,” Derrick ordered. “Your choice.”
Vic inhaled a deep breath as though she would argue, but then flopped down in her chair again.
Derrick held up his hands in a silent request to the rest of the group. No one as much as breathed. “They are the rules, and I intend to keep them. As for Kristina, she’s my concern.” He leveled his eyes on Victoria. “No one will get near her; I will make certain of that. As for the rest of you, we will set up a perimeter around Boston where the killings have occurred.” Derrick glanced around to see if anyone else dared to question him. “Per ‘the rules’, as Vic pointed out, I do not want you to get involved with a crime; we’re only looking for the rogue. Only interfere if the rogue is involved. And make sure you are always dressed in black with a knit ski mask you can shield your face if need be; we don’t need to start any vigilante investigations again.”
His father stood up again. “So, if we see a human getting attacked, you want us to stand by?”
Derrick’s stomach plummeted. No, he didn’t want that. What would Kristina think of him saying such a thing? But, it was the only way. “We don’t have a choice, Dad. It’s not like it was when you were protecting the streets. Humans are busy 24-7. They never sleep, it seems. Also, everyone has a video camera on their cell phone. We’d be on the front page of The National Enquirer the next day.”
Chapter Twelve
After Michael presented the map and the schedules of where he wanted everyone stationed, the barn cleared.
“Hang on a second, Vic,” Derrick called as she made her way toward the massive doors that were big enough a tank could fit through.
She threw her head back in disgust, acting like a
Collective gasps filled the room.
“Okay, Michael,” Derrick interrupted. “I think we get the point.” Derrick, as he assumed a few others felt, was glad he hadn’t eaten lunch yet. He didn’t like to think that there were animals that would do such a thing.
“He asked,” Michael defended his repugnant answer. “But here’s the part that baffles me. Whoever this is, they want us to know.”
“How’s that?” Dean spoke up again, curiosity lighting in his eyes.
Michael moved backward toward the desk, resting on the edge as though he was a professor addressing his students. “Even though a creatus is smart enough not to give any indication of how the person was killed, they usually hide the victim, bury them. These victims have been left for authorities to find.” Michael paused for effect. “The rogue wants us to know.”
“So, as Michael and I discussed earlier, there’s only one answer,” Derrick cut in. “We need to start watching again.”
Vic burst to her feet. “What? What happened to ‘the rules’? Isn’t that why you banished Jonas?”
Derrick shook his head, casting a glance in Ryan and his mother’s direction, wondering if they had thought the same thing too.
Michael also stared in the direction of Ry and Margaret and then hopped off the desk to answer. “We didn’t banish Jonas; he left on his own. Jonas was a good friend of mine, but he used watching as an excuse to fight. He didn’t care about humans any more than you or I, Vic. He was only looking for a fight. And he was sloppy.”
“So we’re supposed to put our existence in jeopardy because a few humans are dying.” Vic raised her hands in the air and paced. “Derrick’s just worried about his new precious human.”
“Sit down, Victoria, or leave,” Derrick ordered. “Your choice.”
Vic inhaled a deep breath as though she would argue, but then flopped down in her chair again.
Derrick held up his hands in a silent request to the rest of the group. No one as much as breathed. “They are the rules, and I intend to keep them. As for Kristina, she’s my concern.” He leveled his eyes on Victoria. “No one will get near her; I will make certain of that. As for the rest of you, we will set up a perimeter around Boston where the killings have occurred.” Derrick glanced around to see if anyone else dared to question him. “Per ‘the rules’, as Vic pointed out, I do not want you to get involved with a crime; we’re only looking for the rogue. Only interfere if the rogue is involved. And make sure you are always dressed in black with a knit ski mask you can shield your face if need be; we don’t need to start any vigilante investigations again.”
His father stood up again. “So, if we see a human getting attacked, you want us to stand by?”
Derrick’s stomach plummeted. No, he didn’t want that. What would Kristina think of him saying such a thing? But, it was the only way. “We don’t have a choice, Dad. It’s not like it was when you were protecting the streets. Humans are busy 24-7. They never sleep, it seems. Also, everyone has a video camera on their cell phone. We’d be on the front page of The National Enquirer the next day.”
Chapter Twelve
After Michael presented the map and the schedules of where he wanted everyone stationed, the barn cleared.
“Hang on a second, Vic,” Derrick called as she made her way toward the massive doors that were big enough a tank could fit through.
She threw her head back in disgust, acting like a
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