A Crow's Odium

BLOOD STAINED

JAY/ACE
The cool liquid slides down my throat, it feels good after a long, arduous training session. I forgot how great bottled water can be when it's been sitting in a refrigerated vending machine.
A few of my colleagues sat chatting cheerily at the other end of the cafeteria.
And to be honest, I'm kinda jealous...
I never opened up or talked to anyone because back then I had serious trust issues; and who could blame me? But, no one really wants to be around me even now. I have to admit, despite my rivalry with Carson, it gets pretty lonely.

Just me. Me and the dark hallways that stretch far in front of me, I question it every day. How do I escape? Is there even an end?
I try not to focus on the past, but even if I were to look behind me, the darkness consumes the image and I'm lost in my own mind.
I always was- lost.
No one ever reached out to me.
I hold my own hand.
Find a way out.
Alone. Find a way alone.
They only held me back anyway...

"Oi Ace!" I swerve my head to see Marissa, she was transferred to this unit about a week ago but she's already super popular with the higher ups. Good for her. "Are you seeing this?!" She points at the tv screen that usually displays the watch list or even the game if we're lucky.
But, not right now, the tv had been turned to the main news channel.

The cafeteria was completely silent as we all listened to the man explaining the murder of a man in his 30s. "He was discovered in downtown New York, the location is classified. He was found to have no internal organs, so the motives were relatively clear. Also, the mark of who the internet community calls 'RedCrow's mark has been left. Is this a warning? A threat? This latest crime has caused terror throughout the US. The local police and FBI refuse to comment..."

I had dropped my water and it had flooded onto the floor and splattered up into Marissa's face. She scowled at me but was too taken by the news story to think much of it.
RedCrow? She's back huh. The one criminal I've failed to capture over the 5 years of my career. No matter how hard I try, she's untraceable... untouchable... impossible.
If I could just get her into custody, it would prove that I'm worth- that I'm worth something.

I have to get there as soon as possible!
I have to go, like, RIGHT NOW!
"Marissa! Get the car! We need to get to NYC right now!" She turned her attention away from the blaring screen and raised her eyebrows, "why are you bossing me around?"
I swiftly stand up from my chair to make it obvious that I'm significantly taller than her, "Get the god damn car ready."

She made a tsk sound and jogged off to grab a car from the garage. I run towards the garage once I grabbed my bag and some gear from what I like to call the armory cause it sounds cool. I yanked the car door open and threw myself in, "buckle up, we're going for a ride!" There was a glint in Marissa's eyes as she put the pedal to the metal and sped off.

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KYLIE/REDCROW
It was dark in this room, with only the blaring light of my phone screen to illuminate my tired face, I'm so done with this crap but I know it will never end. I'll convince myself again that I'm doing the right thing. I'm ok. I. Am. Ok.
But I know exactly what can cheer me up, the words breaking news had popped up and the usual dunce begins to talk about my latest victim. Dang, that guy was in his 30s? I thought he was like 50...

Just goes to show, being a criminal does serious damage to your face. I'm never self conscious, it's a waste of time; but for a reason still unknown to me I find myself staring into a mirror at my reflection trying to find something I'm fond of.

I have long black hair that falls straight over my shoulders, my eyes are a blood shot red.
I always hated my eyes... less for the color, more the reason behind it.
I hate to think about it. Thinking about it won't solve anything. I'd say I keep myself in good health, I have a balanced diet and a daily training routine. And I don't want to sound like a health nut! But being fitter and faster and smarter than the people chasing you is essential. Besides, I have no reason to do anything else; I don't even enjoy junk food, I just taste the chemicals.

The police and FBIdiots have nothing to say on the subject, obviously. Pathetic, can't even compliment me; I put effort into my artwork.

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JAY/ACE
"This guy was on the FBI's watch list, an A lister." Malissa looked surprised at my words, she obviously hadn't memorized the watch list yet. Amateur.

What RedCrow did to this guy was horrific, I've seen a human in such contorted positions. Never. I've never seen such an expression of pain and horror on a man's face. Especially for a guy who's organs (including his eyes) were stolen to get some other criminal some cash.

But I guess this is not just 'some other criminal', this is RedCrow we're taking about...
I don't understand how she does it, escaping custody for 12 years, never leaves a trace behind- apart from her signature. Even down to the exact accuracy of the gunshot in the crow... does she kill it before hand or is she just... a good shot?

"Ace! Get this! There's been another RedCrow murder a few miles away! Let's go!" Marissa had enough energy to power China's industry. But- another RedCrow murder? Are you kidding me? No one can move that fast!
Well... she is RedCrow...

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KYLIE/REDCROW
As amusing as that dunce on the news was, I'm pretty tired. I've done all the security checks on this building; no one's getting in here, they don't know where I am anyway.

Crap... I'm so damn tired, my eyes don't trust me enough to close. My brain is too active to shut down... just... let me sleep.
That's all I wanna do.... just sleep, forever... and never wake up...

My eyelids feel like lead, softened by the single tear that escaped from the jail cell around my heart, an asylum of emotions. Just let me...

Let me sleep...
Let me sleep...
Let me...
Let...
My eyes seal themselves shut, lock themselves in an inescapable nightmare. I guess this is what I asked for...

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JAY/ACE
I've been staring at the dead girl for a whole 10 minutes now... and something's off.
She was stabbed in the side with a pipe from a nearby building; the method is never this clear...

In all the time I've studied the behavior of RedCrow, she's never killed a child before.
EVER.
I take a closer look at the crow lying dripping with the little girl's blood, something's definitely off. The bullet wound in its heart is ever so slightly off center, by around half a centimeter. She's never even half a centimeter off, it's always perfection with her.

This has to be a fake.
"This is a fake." Marissa and the other inspectors turned in surprise to look at me, one of them, a guy with brown hair and a grey suit looked up from his 'inspecting'.
"Pardon? A fake? All the signs perfectly align with-"

"No. Incorrect, RedCrow plays her cards with elegance and with complete perfection. This is a sloppy cover up of a murder scene. It's obvious that this is the work of some deranged fan trying to impersonate her."

That has to be the reason. It's not her.
I know her methods, I know the criteria for her kill list... and frankly, I think she'll be ever so slightly distressed by the outcome of this murder case.

Well, I guess we'll just have to see...