"They say we are asleep until we fall in love
We are children of dust and ashes
But when we fall in love we wake up
And we are a god and angels weep
But if I die here tonight
I die in my sleep"
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Benicia almost felt professional with Ellison behind her as they entered the apartment complex. She paused at the door and knocked, "Doctor? Doctor, my name's Benicia Duterte, I..." There was the sound of television static behind him, "Sir, I know your testimony in the case against Frank Castle hurt your career. I think... I can help you. But I also think there are other people involved who could really use your help."
Tepper opened the door and stared directly at Benicia, "I remember you. You were with the defense."
"I'm not with them now." Benicia breathed out.
Ellison stepped in so he was in view, "We're with the New York Bulletin."
Benicia took a look at Ellison and then glanced back at Tepper, "Please."
Tepper stepped back to allow them into his apartment, "After what happened at the courthouse, the mayor asked me to step down. I know I sound paranoid, but... there have been people following me."
"You're a target because of what you know." Ellison explained, "Cause whatever that is, they-they want to keep in the dark. Benicia has found something that will bring the truth to light."
"Here-" Benicia tugged out one of the photographs, "This is the body they asked you to make you disappear?"
Tepper swallowed nervously, "I shouldn't be talking to you-"
"I understand you're afraid." Benicia cut him off before he could go any further and kick them out, "You can either continue to be scared and trapped by what you've done or you can tell us what you know so that we can go out and expose the real bad guys. I've been in this position before. Scared and unsure of what to do with the information I have, but I did the right thing. You can do the right thing too. And then you can just go back to living your life, because this place is not where your story ends."
Tepper sighed at her words, "That's him... That's the John Doe."
"Okay, um, did he have a wallet?" Benicia asked as she glanced at Ellison for a moment, "What about any identifying marks? Scars? Tattoos? Any-"
"I tell you this-" Tepper paced past them and whipped around to look, "-you have to substantiate it before you print a word of it."
Ellison walked up to stand beside Benicia, "Of course."
"All right, he didn't have a name, but tucked inside his left shoe, he had something."
Benicia was expecting him to continue but he just stopped, "What?"
"A police call sign. A special code." Tepper shifted uncomfortably, "Look, John Doe wasn't a criminal, and he wasn't some innocent bystander in the park, either. He was an undercover cop."
"Holy fuck..."
Later that day, Benicia and Ellison had gone back to the Bulletin. But Benicia's mind was running incredibly fast as all the different things jumped around in her head.
