Inherently Evil (A Hiei Story)

Chapter 4: The Game Changes

"I tried to warn you," Koenma was apologetic.

"I know." Nunnally was squatting, her head between her knees. "Call it a fluke." She stood, a little queasy.

"This is why I didn't call yesterday. After I saw pictures of the body, I thought it was best to not include you."

"So that's what 'mutilated in a particular way' meant."

Koenma nodded. "You can go home if you want, I'll understand."

Nunnally shook her head. "I'm going to take another look. I'll be fine this time, I promise." She walked back up the alley, ignoring Kuwabara's look of concern and knelt down next to the body that was now covered up.

Hiei was still there, scrapping under the women's finger nails. He was wearing black boots, black pants, a black t-shirt and medical gloves. He eyed her briefly then he turned his attention back to the body. Nunnally pretended not to notice and reached for the sheet.

"Are you sure you're capable?" Hiei was patronizing her.

"I blame acute PTSD for earlier, not like it's your business. I'm fine now." Nunnally pulled the sheet back.

The woman was more like a young girl, not human but demon. Odd. She looked young but who could really know. She had brunette hair, soaked in blood. There were several stab wounds covering her naked body. They were on her chest and abdomen.

"Was she stabbed in the back, too?"

Hiei peeled off a bloody glove. "Several times."

"How many stab wounds in total?"

"Forty five."

Nunnally pulled the sheet back farther. Her stomach had been cut, no, gouged open. The cut started from just below her breasts and went straight down and stopped a few inches below her bellybutton. Nunnally had had enough. She covered the girl back up.

"She's missing her womb, as well. Or did you figure that out?" Hiei's voice had a hint of sarcasm.

"Sounds like Jack the Ripper." Nunnally shuttered at the thought while trying to match Hiei's tone.

"If this were 19th Century London." 

Despite her new found composure, there was a phantom pain in Nunnally's stomach after listening to Hiei. She rubbed her hand against her stomach; it seemed to ease the pain. However, something wasn't right. This was very particular, very particular indeed. It was hard to wrap her mind around it but a shout brought her back to reality.

"Kuwabara!" Hiei took off the other glove. "Make yourself useful." He gestured to a gray case that he had been using.

"Got it." Kuwabara rushed over, grabbed the case and took off.

Nunnally looked at Hiei. "How'd you end up examining the body? Do you have the medical training for such things?"

Hiei stared at her, a smug look on his face. "You would know, wouldn't you?

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you not capable?"

Hiei almost laughed, or so it appeared to Nunnally. It did only take her a whole five minutes to throw that back in his face. "I'm fully capable; I'm surprised your research didn't turn any of that up. Also, I'm not inept like Kuwabara or prissy like Koenma."

"Research?" So he did know.

"Don't play dumb." Hiei was walking away, his back to Nunnally.

"Who said I was playing?"

Nunnally felt her breath catch in her throat when Hiei turned and looked at her. His expression was hard and cold. "I can't say I'd be shocked, but I know better. In fact, I've been conducting my own research."

"Based off of what?"

"You're cluelessness is becoming less endearing. Or should I chalk this up to post traumatic stress too?"

He's doing his own research? Yikes. Nunnally had no idea how to react to that. Playing ignorant won't last but she wasn't ready yet.

"I'll take your silence to mean you're finished with your game. I don't need to know what exactly you were playing just yet, but that time will come when you'll explain." Hiei turned his back to her and started up the alley. "Just know I'm watching."

It took a moment for Nunnally to realize she was holding her breath. It almost hurt when she exhaled. She wasn't expecting him to backdoor her. He was intimidating. Somewhere inside, Nunnally felt both anxious and exhilarated.

"Nunnally." Koenma snapped her out of her thoughts. "I want you to come with me. I'll show you the other bodies...if you want."

She nodded. Hopefully things would make more sense.

                                                                                                       * * * *

"I wasn't aware that you had your own morgue." Nunnally commented dryly. The room was cold with three metal tables lined up in a row across the floor. There was a sink, a cabinet full of instruments and other medical supplies. One whole wall was nothing but refrigeration cabinets. That was ominous.

Koenma walked over to one of the cabinets. He opened the door and pulled on the rack. Then he pulled the sheet back to reveal another young woman. She was blonde but her roots were black. Nunnally nodded and Koenma pulled the sheet back further. She had the same stab wounds and her stomach had been gouged open too.

"You found her yesterday?"

"Yes."

"She's human. The one from today was a demon."

"Indeed. That's another loose end. Here, let me show you one more." Koenma pulled out another body only it didn't look like a body under the sheet.

"Why is it shaped funny?"

"Because it's only partial body parts. We found the arms, the head, and a thigh."

"That's awful."

Koenma nodded grimly. "The thing is, this girl was certainly killed by our suspects. I'm not sure the other two are their victims..."

"You can't possibly think he had anything to do with this." Nunnally felt sick again.

"I don't know what to think. Most likely it's some gruesome coincidence."

"Coincidences don't occur like this Koenma."

Suddenly the door to the morgue burst open. An ogre was rolling in another body. From the look of it, it wasn't fully intact either.

"Lord Koenma sir," The ogre bowed. "Yusuke and Kurama have returned. They wish to speak to you in your office."

"I take it you can handle things here?"

The ogre nodded. Koenma gestured for Nunnally to follow. On their way out the door, Nunnally kept looking back at the half filled body bag as the ogre shut away the other bodies. A lump rose in her throat. What was happening?