Chapter 12:

The investigation

Cyberpunk Ghostwriter


The detective and Elusia examined the crime scene. 

Red stains could be found on the ground and walls, next to some rather large gashes.

“TOX show us the crime scene 2 days ago”

“Yes, sir. Starting the recreation.”

The floating triangular bits of TOX started to spin rapidly and a holographic display was projected over the entire crime scene.

The detective walked over to the holographic image of a man and woman standing in the alleyway.

“Ok, so they were standing right here…”

He looked at the trajectory of the blood spatter.

“The thing that killed them came from that way. Elusia stand over there and hold out your bat.”

“Okay.”

Elusia moved to where the detective thought the killer came from.

“TOX move the timeline a couple minutes forward.”

The images flickered a bit before changing positions. The display now showed the fresh bodies of the 2 on the ground, sliced up. 

The detective crouched down to look at the bodies.

“Eck. Well this is disgusting. The bodies were sliced up and thrown all over the place. From the incredibly even wounds, it looks like the killer used some kind of gigantic blade and had the strength to bisect ‘em with one swing. Then they somehow left the scene without a trace. Elusia, how long is your bat?”

“Eh…about 3 feet. Why?”

“If the killer was standing there, the weapon had to be at least twice as long and sharp as hell but at the same time a bit blunt. I can’t think of anything that could match these marks. If they swung it around the gashes on the walls would’ve been much deeper or less even.”

He moved to examine the gashes on the walls.

“It looks like there are gashes on both sides of the alleyway, across from each other and completely symmetrical. TOX is there anything that could match up with these conditions?”

“Analysis of the evidence is not giving any conclusive information. I need more info to determine what the weapon is.”

“Damn it. I guess we’ll just have to look a bit harder. There’s not enough data for a full reconstruction of the murder so I guess we’ll just have to look for clues we can still find right now. End the recreation.”

TOX stopped spinning and the holographic display disappeared.

“So far we haven’t found anything that wasn’t in the original police report. I guess we’ll have to ask around for anyone who knows something about what happened that night.”

Elusia sighed. She felt as if they were just going around in circles without making any actual progress.

“Does detective work usually take this long? We’re never going to find this thing at this rate.”

“Be patient. This stuff usually takes a while. It’s not like on TV, where everything gets solved in like an hour.”

“Damn.”

“It also doesn’t help that you are probably not the smartest detective in the city.”

“Hey! You wanna get scrapped?!”

“Well, I remember you tackling an old woman in an amusement park because you thought she was part of some terrorist organization that was holding them hostage.”

“What kind of old lady goes to amusement park alone! Not to mention she was in line for a roller coaster! Anyone who thinks it through a little would’ve come to the same conclusion!”

No, they wouldn’t have.

“No, they wouldn’t have.”

“So what happened next?”

Elusia moved up next to TOX and asked curiously.

“He was incorrect, of course, and the real terrorists escaped. He did manage to chase them down later though.”

“Don’t remind me. That screw up almost cost me my job, not to mention some jail time. Luckily, the police chief owed me a favor and she managed to get it down to some community service.”

“He had to work as assistant for the old woman for a month so she wouldn’t sue. LOL.”

“Ok that’s enough about that. Let’s go talk to the locals.”

“Aww…I wanted to hear more details!”

“Come on.”

The detective pulled Elusia towards the street.

==============

35 minutes later

Elusia and the detective had been asking around for info about the case for the last half hour or so. TOX was floating and spinning around the area looking for clues.

So far, it was not going well. 

No leads to speak of. 

A complete waste of time.

“Yes. Yes. We got it. No need to rub it in.”

“What are you doing?”

Elusia was wondering what TOX had been doing for a while. They were walking through the crowded marketplace area looking for clues and any leads. 

She walked up closer to TOX with a curious expression on her face.

“Looking for any relevant information on the case. It is proving to be extremely difficult to locate anything of note.”

“Ya, I got that. Who were you just talking to?”

“Unknown. I have been receiving odd transmissions from an unknown source. I may need some maintenance. The detective often skimps on my regular check-ups because he considers them ‘a waste of time’.”

“Damn. Oh well. Did you get anything from your investigation yet?”

“No. Nothing of note anyway. The locals seem to have almost no recollections of the night, and no material evidence could be found. Perhaps the detective is doing better. Well, probably not. As a side note, I am concerned about the amount of stolen goods that you seem to be carefully stuffing into your coat. You do realize that theft is illegal.”

“Well, ya but I’ve been doing this a lot lately. It’s basically a reflex at this point. Besides, there’s so much stuff around it’s not like anyone’s gonna notice a couple things missing.”

Elusia proudly strutted along the street, quickly stuffing her pockets with whatever caught her interest. Her coat was now full of various knickknacks, food, and some kind of weird tech stuff with unknown functions. 

Her pockets bulged at the seams.

“You’re likely going to get caught you know.”

“Nah, no ones noticed so far.”

Elusia and TOX continued to walk down the street and met up with the detective.

He was holding a stall owner up by his neck and aiming his gun at his face.

“Where the hell is my car!?”

“Eeek! I’m s-sorry! I looked away for a minute to sell some stuff and some kids from the local gang were stripping it down!”

At the spot where the car once was parked, there was now an object that could only be described as a thick sheet of metal with four wheels attached.

“You think I’ll just leave it at that and walk away with a smile on my face!? Tell me where the hell they are!”

“I d-don’t know! And even if I knew, what are you going to do if you find them!? Your car is gone!”

“I’m going to beat the crap out of them, tie them up, drag them back here, and make them pull what’s left of my car around town like my personal carriage!”

“Damn dude. Chill.”

Elusia felt like she had to intervene here. 

She made him put the man down and pulled him away.

“Like hell I will! Do you know how much that car is going to cost! I can’t file an insurance claim for this hunk of metal that doesn’t even look like a car!”

The detective’s finances were going into the toilet.

“Well, it could be worse.”

“We should be grateful they left something behind at all.”

“You should be grateful that I won’t sell you to those scrap merchants for some pocket change!”

“I’m really grateful. I’m exploding with gratefulness. Can’t you see how grateful I am.”

Suddenly the three heard shots being fired.

B-b-b-b-bang

They turned to see a large man, in a striped apron and hat that did not at all suit him, holding up a large mini-gun.

He looked around, until his murderous gaze stopped on Elusia.

“You think you can steal from ME girl! ME!”

“Get down!”

The detective quickly pulled Elusia to the ground and covered her as bullets went flying over their heads.

“This is what happens to people who steal from ME! Hraaaaaa!!!”

The detective and Elusia crawled behind the stand of the stall owner he just pulled a gun on.

He was cowering under the stand too. TOX was floating next to him.

Bullets were spraying everywhere as the large man fired his mini-gun.

“Who the hell is that guy!”

“Umm…I’m pretty sure he was one of the merchants from around here!”

“What did you do to piss him off so much?!”

“He was selling some candy flavored corn! I just took some because I was hungry and I thought he wouldn’t notice!”

“Well obviously he did!”

The detective gripped his gun and slowly peeked over the stall.

“This is the police! Drop the fucking gun!”

“You think you can steal from ME!”

The detective ducked as the corn seller fired his gun at them.

“Shit! This guy is a corn merchant!? He looks and acts more like a freaking hardened mercenary!”

Elusia and the detective had no way of knowing this, but the corn mercenary was previously the leader of a large gang who had retired and gone straight.

Apparently Elusia stealing from him triggered some kind of psycho PTSD.

“This is why you shouldn’t steal from strangers.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it!”

Elusia peeked out of the stand.

“Hey! Can’t we just talk this out! I’ll pay you back for the corn! (Or at least the detective will).”

MEEEEEEE!!!”

Elusia ducked back down as the corn gangster shot at them some more.

“Ok, so not happening. I guess we’ll just have to get out of here.”

“Shit!”

The detective and Elusia prepared to make a run for it.

Suddenly they heard another sound.

Vrooom’’vroooooom

“Hm?”

They peeked over the stall.

MEEEE-“

A hover bike slammed into the corn man at high speed, sending him flying into another stall.

The thing riding the hover bike got off and started walking towards the pair.

“Oh damn.”

The terminated was coming for them, it’s mask destroyed, and it’s horrible features in plain view.