When a rookie detective is thrown into the twisted world of Jigsaw and his games, everything she knew is turned upside down. Whilst trying to keep her arrogant partner in check and the FBI out of their hair, her own dark past is thrown into the spot...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
NO AMOUNT OF COFFEE COULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PREPARE FOR THAT MONDAY. In true irony, the sombre sky had been pouring all morning. The heavens opening. Savage enough to awaken even the most tech obsessed city dwellers, people dashed from the subway to storefronts, desperately seeking shelter. It had taken many a victim by 9am, and showed no sign of stopping its rampage.
Paper cup grasped firmly in hand, Veronica made a dash for the doors of the station. She did not look back, but waited under the awning until her headlights flashed. As always, in self doubt, she clicked the button again. When the lights flashed for a second time, she was satisfied. A 1970 ford mustang, the car was her only joy in life. The model had been inherited after the loss of her dear Father. People often joked that she was more attached to the vehicle than any living being. The bitter reality beyond the punchline made her teeth ache.
The empty smiles that greeted her in the hallway did little to soothe her reluctance. It had only been three weeks, yet it felt like stepping onto a new planet. Casual news observations over dinner had revealed new games, new theories, new victims. The Jigsaw killer's ever-growing repertoire seemed to be seeping into the bones of the city. Her colleagues seemed indifferent, greeting her with clueless enquiries and faux concern. They didn't care for her wellbeing. They wanted to squeeze out every last detail of her absence to stir into their office gossip pot. Admittedly, Veronica had never made much of an effort. Aside from those in the Homicide department, they were all just nameless faces. Ghosts in the hallway. That, and there was nothing really to tell. Nothing that she was willing to share, at least.
Closing the door behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief at the silence around her. The break room was rarely busy outside of lunch hour. The perfect spot to gather one's thoughts. Her macchiato had been watered down by the storm, practically sewer water by now. Dissatisfied, she pressed a manicured finger to the coffee machine. As it brewed and whistled away, Veronica found herself lost in her own reflection. The face staring back at her didn't feel like her own. Something was off. She looked sharp. Honey locks slicked back into a classic 90s style updo, a few face framing pieces left loose. The fitted blue pinstripe suit hugged each and every curve of her body, the skirt lying perhaps a little too high for the workplace. A lick of mascara and lipstick were all she'd opted for today. It seemed pointless to put in too much effort - who returns looking their best after three weeks of medical leave? Albeit lacking vanity, Veronica knew her beauty. Pragmatic in her approach, she never crossed borders into egoism. Still, she thought nothing of using it to her advantage to intimidate a weak suspect. She wasn't unassuming like Kerry, and lacked the strong physical presence of her male counterparts. They'd gladly trash the interview room if it meant nailing a confession. So why shouldn't she develop her own strengths too? Good cop, bad cop.
"Myers... I didn't expect you to be back so soon"
The gruff tone made her head snap up instantly. His piercing gaze was upon her, returning that familiar feeling of transparency. Whenever he was present she felt as though every negativity she had, every insecurity, was oozing from her pores. Dark hair slicked back as usual, the man looked a little tired. The light stubble on his jaw indicated a lack of sleep, for he tended to be clean shaven. Despite the inconsistencies, Mark Hoffman always seemed to come out on top - and god did she hate him for it.
"And I didn't expect to be out at all" she replied dryly, eyes drifting back to her coffee cup.
Hoffman seemed to rouse at her tone, setting down his own cup. "See, there was just one thing" he began, eyeing her carefully.
Veronica's jaw clenched, already irritated by his presence. "What might that be?"
"You don't strike me as the type to have a mental breakdown"
The combination of his harsh words and smug tone almost made her boil over. Unwilling to give him the satisfaction, she set to pouring creamer into the coffee as calmly as possible. Their time together over the last few years had proven that a level-headed approach was best. Hoffman did not play well with others.
"I didn't have a breakdown, Hoffman" she retorted, finally meeting his gaze. "I was having a bit of a tough time with the... Matthews stuff. They were just being cautious"
At surface level, he seemed to absorb the lie. It wasn't difficult to believe. Eric Matthews had been her first partner, he showed her the ropes. Everything she knew now was thanks to him. His disappearance had rocked the whole department. Admittedly, she felt a little guilty for manipulating the unfortunate situation for her own benefit - but if anybody was going to find out the truth about her absence, it certainly wouldn't be Hoffman.
"It's never easy losing a partner, kid. When you've been in the field for a while, properly, it'll get better"
Mark Hoffman was only ten years her senior, yet he took every opportunity to remind her of that. "A loss is still a loss, Mark"
His name left a sour taste in her mouth. It felt unnatural. Her colleague was silent for a moment, as though sizing her up. She shifted uncomfortably on the spot, refusing to give up the challenge. A smug scoff left his lips, his palms pushing himself up from the counter. Veronica felt her body tense as she watched him, calculating his next move. In silence, he eyed her, then turned slowly to click on the TV. The screen lit up instantly, a solemn news reporter staring right into her soul.
"The latest Jigsaw victim has been identified as Twenty-Nine year old Tyler Reed, controversial Vice President of the Morton Group. The victim was discovered in a grizzly..."
Broadcast fading into the background, her head began to spin. Her blood ran cold. She was more aware of his gaze than ever now. It seemed certain that he had timed it perfectly, rather than being an unfortunate coincidence. Forcing a tight lipped smile, Veronica retrieved her coffee.
"I've gotta head, need to see the powers that be before I start..."
Heading for the door, she didn't expect as much as a nod from him. Hoffman stood too, surprising her. Offering a blank expression, he reached to grab the door for her. If there was one thing she could give him, he was certainly never predictable. Taking a step into the doorway, she avoided his eye.
"Stop by my office later" he said suddenly, posing his words as more of a demand than a question. "I'll get you up to speed"
Veronica didn't bother to acknowledge him, heels clicking as she headed out into the hallway. She could think of nothing worse than another conversation with him today. Avoidance wasn't her usual approach, but on her first day back it would be easy. The entire department had her pegged as a fragile little bird, broken wing in tow. Burying her head in paperwork seemed appealing. It would have lacked satisfaction of course, for she was desperate to get back into the field. The past few weeks had been mind numbing. There are only so many times a person can visit the gym or binge daytime television before losing their mind. Further still, the only thing worse than obliging Hoffman's request, would be backing down.
