'E'

"Hey, Smith, you in there?" Will inquired.

"Wha- yeah, yeah I'm here, sorry I wasn't paying attention," Smith answered.

"Are you sure you're 'okay' because you have been lost in thought this whole ride to the facility. You've never gotten like this, did you see someone or something out that window you were staring out back at the hotel?"

"No, I didn't see anything I was just trying to see and escape route he might have taken."

"Right... and I'm a professional detective."

"Are you making fun of me because I may be lost in thought but I still know how to knock someone on their ass if I need to."

"No, no I wasn't meaning anything by it. Plus we are almost to the facility and we can start our investigation there. To make it up to you I'll write the report for today."

"Thanks."

They arrived at the facility which happened to be a few miles away from the murder scene. They looked at previous murder cases that have been unsolved and have corresponded with each other to see if this may be another one. Smith looked at each file carefully trying to be a good mentor for Will, but even he was struggling to see the similarities in the cases. He knew that this was deliberate and that each case that corresponded with each other seemed to be one of those wrong-place-wrong-time murders. But this was different, not only were they placed together, but the lady's blood was on the man. They had been seeing each other, or possibly they were having an affair. All possibilities were too great to be marked off. What they knew was that people had been murdered. The only thing they could do now checked the backgrounds of those people.

Smith began to search for the people by media, but there wasn't anything in the shallow parts of the internet. Time was flying by as they continued to search through files, media's, services, and any other information outlet they could get their hand on. The man had owned the hotel that he was murdered in. His wife had died from cancer just a few years ago, and his son was no longer in contact with him in any way that Smith could tell. There was no other living family member that was around to give any sort of information.

Smith looked at the clock as it read 9:30 p.m. and decided to pack up for the day. He said goodbye to Will as he left and got into his car. He offered to take Will home since he didn't have a car, but Will was deep in research, just as Smith had been, he wouldn't be leaving till later in the night. Smith drove home and on his way, he stopped at the grocery store to pick up the single-serving dinner plates. Smith had lived in solitude since high school and he was fine because he was waiting for somebody to arrive in his life again. He remembers the note and like a headache, he resisted to let it overcome him. He paid for the groceries and left the store alone.

He drove home and ate the crestfallen dinner that tasted bland and monotone. Its lack of flavor was like a numbing cream for the loneliness. Smith took off his clothes and looked in the mirror as he went to get into the shower. His body was physically fit since he did enjoy small bits of exercise. He still looked as if he were close to the end of his teens, though he was twenty-eight. He still had is dark brown hair and eyes and bushy eyebrows. His skin was tan most of the time even when winter became of the city he never seemed dull of color.

He took a shower and decided to go to be early alone. and that thought never left his mind, that he was alone. Like a thought that kept whispering into his ear saying 'you're alone. You're alone.' The once it told him he wasn't alone. He opened his eyes and ran to his apartment window. The curtains were shut and it seemed a figure was standing there in the shadow. Street lights would send bright lights at night through his window and now there was something other than his curtains blocking the lights. Walking slowly and cautiously he made his way towards the window. Reaching through where the curtains are riven he pulled them apart like ripping off a band-aid. He squinted his eyes at the sight of the bright light, though nothing was there.

Suddenly as he was making his way back to his bed there were knocks and scrapes of the wall of the apartment next door. He heard it following him next to his bed. He stopped, feeling his breathing slow to a soft pace. His ears perched high listening to everything surrounding him. Without warning, bullets flew through the thin dry-wall shattering any and all glass in Smith's room. His TV burst and his lamp exploding. His table and bed were full of holes, and his room was nothing but a disaster. Smith though figured something would happen like this. He ran to the window and climbed out onto the rusted metal stairwell that was the fire escape for the building in which he lived. He walked over to the next room to see the window was smashed, but there were materials outside to smash a window without making much noise. He crawled through the window and could see only what was sitting in the path of the light that came from the window. He walked over and turned on some lights to see a room that was even more disastrous that his. He looked around before seeing blood splattered all around the wall. Smith was never phased by the sight of blood, but this was an excessive amount. It seemed almost deliberate that there would be this much blood for him to find.

He looked more about the room but couldn't find anything, not even a body. There was blood all around the room looking as if someone was struggling to escape. There was a closet in which he had yet to check that had very little blood on it. In fact, it was very out of place considering the look of the rest of the room. Smith opened the door to see a woman and a man naked and tied up. Both looking at him in desperation. Their mouths were tied up and so were their hands. Smith reached out to untie them when he heard movement behind him. He stood up straight trying to move fast enough to see the imminent danger behind him, but it was too late. Two guns loaded beside his head, pointing at the two people in the closet. The triggers were pulled and bullets flew in almost a dramatic slow-motion before hitting the terrified people on the ground. Blood spurted from each of their heads as they stopped resisting the tight knots around their mouths. Smith fell to the ground as his vision became blurry. He felt like puking which had been something he hadn't felt like doing for a while. His perception and hearing had been compromised by the loud bang of the guns. He recognized them as revolvers which seemed very classical of this type of murderer. He laid on the ground as his eyes flickered around the room trying to focus on something. He saw the murderer in which his body type gave the assumption that he was a man. He seems somewhat muscular and broad, but his face was hidden behind a mask.

The murderer stood for a moment as if he was considering whether to murder the detective or not. It was different from any other murderer Smith had seen. After almost being murdered by the bullets that came from his room he expected the murderer to not hesitate to kill him. Other creeps from the past would take a second glance at this opportunity. He was so open and free for the kill it was a hard opportunity not to grasp. Then the murderer did something that not even Smith could assume was going to happen. He kneeled down with his face right next to Smith and lifted his mask halfway. Smith was petrified and could move, but his sight had been able to somewhat focus now, but his hearing was still shot. The murders face was pale and sickly looking, his lips were a pinkish read but that was all Smith could gather. The mask was just black, the same as the rest of his attire. The murderer then said something that Smith could make out before he pressed his lips against Smiths. Smith's eyes widened as he felt the murderers' soft and almost calming lips against his. He felt this sort of wonder go through him, and he was no longer tense. He no longer felt alone, but rather loved. If it hadn't been for the circumstances he would have stayed there the entire night, but he knew he needed to stop this, but how? His body was still under the effect of the recent trauma and the murder began to move away from him. Smith wanted to tell him to wait but he was in shock and he couldn't.

Smith blackout but he couldn't stop thinking of that moment. He dreamt about it a thousand times before waking up to see Will standing above him with a key. "What are you doing here?" Smith asked sluggishly.

"I'm here to get you since your late for work," Will answered.

"Shit! What time is it?"

"It is 10 in the morning."

"Why do you have a key, and why is my head aching?"

"Well, it seems like you had a rough night. Your apartment is torn to shreds and you are chained to your bed with a note and key in your hand. I found that the key could unlock the chains but I have been having trouble getting this last one unlocked. Oh, and did I forget to mention that you are completely naked."

"Wha- yeah you did!"

"don't worry I covered your Manhood with your comforter, but that too has holes in it. Anyways what happened to you last night?"

"Well, have you seen the room next door?"

"No, why?"

"Because there was another murder last night. I just want to warn you now that this murder case will include your personal life if you continue to investigate with me."

"Don't worry after I get you unchained I pledge I will stick by your side."

"Good, I need that courage. Okay, get me free and I'll get dress and we can continue this case from there."