Partners In Crime (Sanders Sides AU)

Chapter 9 - The Hunt Begins

Back into the swing of things!

Post-chapter edit: After inserting the pic, I've realised that I forgot to colour the blood, whoops-

"Oh hey guys!" A person in white overalls and dyed pink and blue hair welcomed the group over to the counter, where the till had been replaced by a laptop, with some sort of small box connected to it. One by one they all gave them a hug (except Virgil).

"You must be Wayland." The non-binary held out a hand and Virgil shook it firmly.

"And you must be Talyn."

"You'd be correct!" Talyn smirked and raised a coloured eyebrow. "Joan has told me a lot about you."

Virgil also raised an eyebrow, this time in surprise. "Have they?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at the head of police, who waved back. "Is that in a good way, or...?"

"Mostly good things," Talyn crossed their arms and leaned on the counter. "I heard you and Logan got off to a good start."

Virgil rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "Oh, yeah... That..."

"It's ok; not everyone gets along with him." They pulled the teen by his jacket closer to them and put a hand on the top of his arm.

"Just between you and me, he can be a bit of a smartass."

Virgil let a smile creep onto his lips.

They separated when the others came over, Remy now donning Emile's beige cardigan around his shoulders and his shades perched in his hair.

"Have you got anything, Talyn?" he questioned, and Talyn rubbed their hands together.

"Actually, I do."

"Well, I hope it's something useful, anyway. We don't know yet." They stopped momentarily before starting again. They gestured to a smidge of red on the box.

"Wait, is that blood?!" Joan reached out to touch the box until Talyn slapped their hand away, but nodded.

"It's almost done processing, you impatient bratty baby! All we can do is wait." And with that, the group dispersed, Virgil staying next to the computer with Talyn.

"And don't TOUCH ANYTHING!" They yelled at everyone else, with the most enthusiastic response being a "Yeah, whatever." from Joan. Talyn only sighed and pinched the bridge of their nose.

"Honestly, it's like dealing with fucking four year-olds..."

Meanwhile, Virgil drifted into daydream mode, with his elbows on the counter, staring at nothing as he thought and rethought over various topics.

Talyn found some blood that we failed to notice. But where was it then? We looked everywhere! God, I'm so disappointed in myself. Dad would be disappointed too, I can almost feel it. Although, he was already disappointed when I decided to join the police. To be honest he isn't the... Best man ever. But everyone I've met in this city has been so friendly to me! Well, except Logan, I still don't like him. Joan, Talyn, Terrence, Valerie, Emile, Remy... Oh man, Remy... I can feel my face heating up just thinking about him. Shame he's taken; he's probably too old for me anyway. I sound so weird talking about him like that-

"You want something, Virge?"

"Hm?" Virgil glanced up as he stood again. "Oh, yeah-"

The emo suddenly had a hard time getting any words out of his throat and suddenly found the ground a lot more interesting.

"How... H- How do you know the blood isn't..." Virgil gulped. "Patton's?"

Talyn recognised the quiver in his voice and gave a sympathetic smile.

"I assure you, it isn't. That test has already been done."

"Where'd you find it?"

"The blood?" Talyn stuck their tongue out in thought. "There were traces on the glass from the window outside."

Virgil had to do a double-take. "Wait really?"

"Yeah. I don't know why, but it appears somebody used their own body as a battering ram, heh." The non-binary added, shrugging. Virgil went back to leaning on the counter, stroking his chin.

"So the stool wasn't used to smash the window..."

Talyn typed something into the computer, it beeping in return.

"Good news! Only a few more minutes until it's-" but they were cut off by Remy's yell.

"Emile, this isn't pointless-"

Emile threw his hands in the air as he turned to face his husband, every body part trembling.

"But what if it is? What if it's like every other time? Logince attacks, the police try to find evidence but there is none, and Logince gets away with it. AGAIN."

"Babe, please..." Remy brought the distressed owner into a hug, and gave him a peck on the cheek as he rubbed his back affectionately. "Calm down."

Emile buried his head in Remy's shoulder, tears staining the cardigan wrapped around the other's neck.

"I- I'm sorry. I just- Patton..." One whimpered, with the occasional hiccup.

"I know, I know... Come 'ere, babes." The other whispered into Emile's ear, rocking gently from left to right.

Suddenly, a ding sounded through the room.

Everyone stopped.

"We have a match." was all Talyn said.

"Wait, really?!" Joan cried, coming up next to the other non-binary and looking over their shoulder. "Oh my fuck..."

Virgil stood to the other side of Talyn and peered at the screen. There was no picture, but a set of fingerprints and a name.

[Roman Król]

Finally, this was the lead they'd been hoping for this whole time.

Virgil couldn't help but smile.

The hunt was about to begin.

Chapter 10 should be out soon as it's already halfway done! We'll be switching to a more... Unusual point of view.