Triple Digits

Corey Strickland

Claire had fainted, Corey now placing her down on the bed and grabbing for the phone again, listening as, on the other end, the officers crept up the stairs in Claire's apartment building. He heard one of them flicking the safety off their gun. They had sent only two officers, from the sounds of it, despite Corey's order for backup to be dispatched.
When they had ascended up to the third floor, he heard them opening Claire's door quietly.
Tamping down on his fear, he prayed they made it in time, that Claire would not lose a friend in her own house.
The other end of the phone was silent. He held his breath in nervous anticipation.
Then, there was a gunshot, followed by a scream of pain, and the phone dropped to the floor with a 'THUD!'.
Had they done it? Had they killed the killer?
There was a scuffling noise, like someone struggling, and then the 'CLICK!' of handcuffs tightening. He sighed in relief. They'd done it! He heard the phone being picked up once again.
"I left one of them alive for you, Officer." The voice on the other end of the phone was sickening in its amusement, and being swallowed by a widening void of panic, Corey did the first thing that came to mind, and hung up. The killer was a male, although he couldn't determine the age just from his voice.
The phone rang. He let it ring out, placing it down on the bedside table.
By now, Claire was beginning to stir on the bed, her eyes darting to the ringing phone. He shook his head, leaping for it before she could grab it.
Unfortunately, she was quicker than him. Answering the phone, she seethed, "Who the Hell do you think you are?!" Her rage made him blink in surprise. He'd thought she would be afraid. Instead, she was furious. That rage made every muscle in her body tense, her eyes lighting up with it, making the brown glow from within. Corey could almost imagine her smiting the killer from another city, with that kind of anger boiling under her skin.
The killer laughed on the other end of the phone, mocking that rage, the determination, and purred, "Wouldn't you like to know? Just like I'm sure Officer Strickland would like to know who you truly are, wouldn't he, Miss Miles?" He wasn't falling for this shit. Locking eyes with Claire, he opened his mouth to say something, and she shook her head, instead spitting into the phone, "How did you figure it out?"
The voice scoffed, "Please, it was easy. Anybody with eyes can figure it out. Now, I'm tempted to ruin your life before I end it. Tell Officer Strickland who you are, or I might just let my knife slip and cut off another one of Helix's fingers."
Corey closed his eyes against the string of curses that Claire unleashed, and she snarled, "How DARE you-"
Helix let out a scream of agony, and Claire's anger folded like a deck of cards as she begged, "Wait! I'll tell him! I'll do it! Leave Helix alone!"
Strickland looked to her, knowing it would be worse to give the killer what he wanted, and stammered, "What if I don't want to know?" Her eyes widened in hope, the both of them looking to the phone while the voice paused for a second.
Then- "Oh, trust me, Officer, you want to know. The knowledge could be life-changing, after all, and not just for you. Last chance, Claire. Tell him who you are."
Beside him, Claire's shoulders were rising and falling too quickly, like she was about to faint again, and seconds later, she did just that, crumpling like a wet napkin to the floor. The killer sounded curious when he questioned, "Was that Miss Miles fainting?" Clicking his tongue in distaste, he added, "My, my. Even Helix has not fainted yet, and I've cut off a finger, and sawed halfway into another. Too bad, I suppose. I was really looking forward to hearing her confession."
"Who are you?" Corey demanded. Damn it, he was going to find this killer!
"Someone you'll get to know very soon, I imagine. Goodbye for now, Officer Strickland. I do hope you try to keep Miss Miles safe from me. It will be entertaining watching you fail."
The killer hung up the phone, leaving Corey to stand there, staring at it.
Dropping it onto the bed, he knelt beside Claire, who was out cold, and shook her awake.
They left the motel five minutes later...