{LeviHan} Underground King

Chapter 4: Victimized

Levi took me down to where this new body was... and the state of it... just like the first victim. I knelt down to look closer to the body... and the stench was unbearable. I counted 33 stab wounds... much more than last time... the unsub is getting angrier. But because of what? Did this guy knew about our presence in the area?

I stood back up, taking a look around the scene. "Disposed in the middle of the road... no sign of showing remorse... not a close person to the unsub." I mutter under my breath as I continued to analyze the scene. "No apparent warnings... full of rage-"

"Rage?" I turned to see Levi listening in into my mutterings. "What are you talking about?" He rose an eyebrow, fully confused.

Sighing, I faced him and began to explain my thoughts. "This unsub-"

"Unsub?"

"Short for 'unknown subject.' Now, back to what I was trying to say, this unsub, he's killing for rage. He killed a manger, perhaps is responsible for Alyssa's disappearance... and now this murder. Who was this guy?"

Levi looked down, closing his eyes- respectfully?- and he opened his eyes, hardened steel. "Duncan O'Connell. Up there, he was just a man trying to pay child support to a wife who disowned him and a son who doesn't know a thing about him. He came down here when he got kicked out- get this, his wife was the one who cheated on him and kicked him out. Rough life, huh? He began selling drugs, getting arrested... but he began getting good jobs after awhile."

"Good friend of yours?" I asked curiously, perhaps finding my connection. If he says the words I hope he would say... then I found my connection.

He nods, "I guess so... helped him off the streets." Bingo. Alyssa and O'Connell were directly connected to him. Perhaps an attack on him? But that doesn't explain how Landrew was connected to Levi... 

"Levi, do you know Mason Landrew?" I asked him, hoping for an answer. 

"Heard his name. Alyssa brought him up a couple times. Why do you ask?"

I sighed, looking down. If Alyssa and Landrew were dating, Landrew had to be killed first. With him killed, Alyssa would be submissive to the unsub. Which means he had complete control over if she desired to stay alive. Now O'Connell? This shows rage towards Levi. If something happened between the unsub and Levi... Levi had to be the key.

"Hanji, why do you ask?"

I turned to him, looking at him in his gray eyes, "This... killer. He's after you. He's showing rage because of you. I do need your help in finding this guy, Levi. Please... you're the key player in my case."

"Key play- I'm not interested in your case. People I know are dying, and I want to know why you are asking me these questions." Rage began to fill his eyes, "What the hell is going on?"

"Levi, I can try to explain. But you need to listen to me. This guy, he's raging against you. He wants you to make you pay for some reason. He won't stop killing until he has you in his sights. I'm trying to see if we can stop him before he goes after you- do you know this kind of person?"

"No." He simply says, walking away from the victim. "If I did, why should I reveal it to a cop?"

I clenched my fists, what was it between him and cops? I'm trying to save his life... and he doesn't want me to help? He still lives and this case is over. "I'm trying to save your life! Can't you accept my help for onc-"

"Accept your help? Motherfu- you don't know what cops do around here. You just don't. Why don't you stay down here for a night and see what we deal with? Oh wait, you're too busy solving cases to even care about us!" He began to shout, attracting people to look at us. "Why should I listen to you?"

There was no reason for me to explain further. If I wanted to save his life... I would have to be as close as I could. "You can't... you won't. But for one night, let me stay here. Okay? I'll see how life is down here and to see if your life is really in danger or not."

Levi then begins to laugh it off, scaring me a bit. "Oh... haha, Hanji, do you even know who you're dealing with? I'm Levi motherfucking Ackerman. I can handle myself. But you? You won't last down here if I wasn't here to protect you. Perhaps you need to protect yourself."

Ackerman? Did he reveal his last name unintentionally? If I can reach the police office... I can research on him. Understand him a bit more. "Just let me go home and get my stuff. I'll come back here."

He chuckles, "Fine. I'm keeping my eye on you then- all night. You won't last a night here without me."

*   *   * 

I quickly went to my apartment and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt before going back down to the office. Quickly, I logged onto the archive, and began to research Levi Ackerman. The results... were saddening...

I received a death certificate of his mother, died from a disease that couldn't be cured on the streets- they were too poor. And looking at his birth certificate, born on Christmas, Kuchel Ackerman died when he was 7. No father was listed... was his mother... a prostitute? There was an uncle listed on his mother side, but so far, didn't seem like he was around Levi.

Then the reports of violence came in. He wasn't a pervert like most people would think, but he constantly got into fights. Winning against adults when he was 9. I chuckled as I read the reports of those events- he beaten practically every guy that stood against him. But deep in my mind... I felt bad that he grew up an imperfect life.

"Whatcha reading there?" Erwin pops his head into my area. "Levi Ackerman?"

I nodded, seeing another pair of eyes staring at my screen. "Officer Geterson, I need you to file something out for me, I say to him, handing him a small manila folder. And he walked away. I turned my attention back to Erwin, "I just want to research on him... quite sad."

"Don't feel bad about it, Hanji. Trust me. If you ask me... I think he's the one killing them all."

"Killing? Why? He seems capable of doing so, but I doubt he killed them."

Erwin shook his head, "Listen to me, look at his past, look at his connections. He's connected to almost all these victims. He's full of violence and rage. I think you're wasting time searching for a false killer out there. To me, Levi looks capable of all these murder. You're just blinded by him." He leans in to kiss my cheek, but I pushed him away.

He couldn't have killed them all. I doubt it. "No... I think I'm on the right track. Unlike you, I don't frame people for murder without hard evidence. Erwin, please, trust me. I will get to the truth."

"You're wasting time, as I said. But, whatever. Just be safe and cautious around him. I don't believe him... and he could hurt you. If I find evidence that he assaulted you, I will arrest him for not only hurting an officer, but for 3 murders."

"3? Alyssa's whereabouts were unknown-" He shook his head. "You found her?"

"Yeah, we did. She's been in the morgue, unnamed, unclaimed. Her report? No drugs or alcohol in her system... but she was badly beaten. She died from internal bleeding. As you said, this guy is raging. Perhaps Levi is angry that they were all leaving him. And if you're not careful, you might be his next victim."