Choices and Chances (a ppg fanfiction)

Chapter 5

ARIAS looked again and again at the small piece of paper.
“Product of betrayal?” What does that mean?” Officer Kevin Ryan asked. He was in their team to solve the case.
Rhea just shook her head.
“Arias, this is bad. We haven’t had a single murder in what? 5 years? People are sure getting daring with powerpuffs not around.” He sighed. “What was Professor Utonium thinking when he asked the Mayor to relieve them from saving people of Townsville.”
Rhea’s face heated up. Arias Callahan shifted his gaze unnoticeable by her. She just got up and left.
Arias tried to pry her thoughts but it was too difficult for him.
“Ari.”
Callahan didn’t seemed to listen.
“Ari? Arias? ARIAS?” Ryan's voice diverted his attention.
“Is she alright?” Ryan asked.
Arias watched her go away. All depressed and hurt. “a fangirl perhaps?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged.
“Advice from your friend here, Ari. Work with her. Don’t ignore her.” Ryan said.
“Dude, you are the only one with a pretty lady partner. Don’t disgrace us.” Ryan winked.
“Does it look like I care?” Arias looked at him a bit playfully. He knew Ryan just trying to relax him a bit.
“I guess not, you lucky bastard.” Ryan chuckled. “Speak of the angel!” Ryan saw Rhea coming towards them.
“I’ll leave you to it.” Ryan elbowed him and got up.
“All okay, Rhea?” Ryan asked with a smile.
She nodded and forced a smile.
“I’m going to records.” Ryan told her and went off.
‘They are on first name bases?’ Rhea heard Arias thinking.
“Officer Ryan is very friendly.” She said to him. His eyes were fixed on files.
“Forensics?” she asked and took a seat beside him.
“Head wound is made by something like a dagger. Murderer must have been very strong.” He told her, hoping his voice remains void of emotion.
“Cranium is very hard bone to get through.” Rhea said.
“But the problem is we found no fingerprints, hair samples, or any other clue which might lead us to the murderer.” He told her. ‘We have nothing in our hands.’ He thought.
“Every system has it’s flaw.” She told him.
“Meaning?” he asked her, confused.
“Meaning, detective. There is no such a thing as perfect murder.” She smiled and placed a paper before him. Five names were written on it. He looked at her with question in his eyes.
“List of people who hated Felicia Hanks.” She told him.
Arias’ mind was still stuck on the on the murder. Rhea shuddered on revival of that memory. Arias felt the shift of emotion. He biting his lips, slowly put his big hand on her shoulder.
“We will get him.” He assured her.
“I hope so, Callahan.” She replied.
He pulled his hand back. ‘Get a grip, Ari.’ He thought, ‘Girls have wild imagination. Keep low profile.’
‘What is he afraid of?’ she thought, ‘low profile?’
‘She is again staring at you.’ She heard him thinking. ‘Keep your distance.’
‘Poor guy.’ She felt herself feeling sympathetic for him. She had never seen someone so afraid of people in general.
‘She is feeling pity on me?’ he thought, ‘I’ll go nuts if she’ll keep shifting her emotions like that.’ There he declared his unique ability.
‘He can feels other people's emotion?’ she was astonished, ‘is such can be possible?’ she just stared at him with wide eyes.
“What!” he asked, glaring at her. His voice snapped her back to reality.
“Nothing.” She whispered. He got back to studying the forensic report.
‘an emotion-reader?’ she thought, ‘is it even possible?’ her eyes went back to Arias’ handsome face.
………………….

Rhea and Arias had talked to all five people in the list. No one among them hated enough to murder Felicia Hanks. Arias was more frustrated. He was working 24/7 on this case but all his hard work was in vain. He was even spending nights in Headquarters going through stacks and stacks of files. Rhea was worried about him. He was barely sleeping, eating, and resting. His mind was stuck on murder cases.
They both just sat inside the car when Arias's phone rang. “Callahan!” he said as soon he picked up.
‘God! No!’ Rhea heard his mind chant.
“We’re coming right over!” he said and looked at Rhea.
‘New murder.’ He said in his mind.
‘He struck again!’ she thought. Her whole body was tingling.
“Get hold of yourself, Timmons,” Arias said angrily. He was in bad temper already. New murder and then suddenly bursting emotions from Rhea were driving him crazy. “You are in police. If you’ll puke today, I’m calling our partnership quits!” he said rudely.
Rhea tried to get hold of herself. The last thing she needed was Angry Arias on her tail. He was already cursing in such words no child should be allowed to listen. She wondered if even adults nowadays use such language, the type Arias Callahan was using.
They reached the crime scene. 19 years old Samantha Brooks was a victim at that time. In her bedroom mirror, written in blood was ‘We have killed twice. We'll do it again’ 
Next day, another victim. 12-year-old boy Chase Benet. Finishing their work, they sat inside their car.
‘One more life is gone cuz I cannot find the culprit.’ He was thinking. He then gripped the steering and banged his head on it repeatedly. Rhea instantly pulled him away from steering and pushed him towards the seat pinning his head backwards.
“Have you lost your scenes?” she asked him. His face was red, his eyes were closed.
‘Failed!’ he was thinking.
“Arias! Arias look at me!” Rhea slapped him right on his face. He opened his eyes and looked at her. Stunned. ‘Did she just slapped me?’
“Do you really believe that somehow you could've averted these deaths without any serious clues?” Rhea asked him.
He was cursing himself mentally.
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Arias Callahan. Don’t break yourself. You need your slenses, your wits to crack this case, understood?” Rhea looked in his honey eyes.
“We will crack this case together.” Rhea removed her hand from his shoulder and softly touched where she had slapped him. The bruise was forming there. “For that, you need yourself with a fresh mind and a fresh body.” She saw color returning to his face. His madness changing into sanity.
“I’ll drive.” She said. He quietly obliged. She dropped him into his apartment.
“Sleep and eat.” She left her alone.
She had learned a lot about Arias Callahan that day.
……….
Brick’s insomnia was worsening as he grew. Puberty wasn’t easy to understand without good guidance. His and his brother's powers were shifting. He couldn’t understand them. Bubbles were not much help here. He was shy about the natural changes occurring in him.
His friendship with Bubbles had blossomed into the only ever normal relation he ever had. He didn’t want to lose it.
But then a very weird day came in his life.