Finding Jack: 1888 in Whitechapel

4. Ripper

It had been a couple of hours now and the man had kept silent. When Ellie wrestled him into the station, it was Kayla who took off the mask that was disguising the identity of the maniac. Descriptions of Jack from witnesses were never clear enough to pinpoint any distinct features, the only common description being his moustache, something the suspect lacked. However, everyone was convinced of his guilt.

"I'm going to ask you again," Rachel explained, looking the man in the eye, "what is your relation to Jack the Ripper?" He failed to answer again, so she stood up and left.

"Any word?" Joey asked, leaning against the wall, full of thought; the Chief was still on this mind. He was concerned that Jack felt the need to target the police and considered the likelihood that it could've been him who died that night.

"Not a single sound." Groaned Rachel, parking herself into a chair, placing her head angrily upon her fist as she thought up a new strategy. James stood up.

"My turn." He walked into the room suddenly, leaving the others to hope that it would be successful.

"Alright, punk." James began, baton in hand. "I've got aaaaall day." The suspect's eyes widened, revealing a scar which was located around one of them. But he dared not speak.

~~~

15 minutes passed before James returned to the group. "He's ready to talk now." James smiled, directing the rest of the officers inside.

"I'm innocent, I swear!" Whimpered the man, tears in his eyes. "I just do th' deliveries, miss!"

"And we're supposed to believe you?" Kayla laughed.

"I tells th' truth!" He continued, "I didn'st kill ye boss!" Rachel sat down in the seat opposite the 'innocent' man and smiled a smug smile.

"And how, then, did you know about the demise of the Chief Inspector if you did not commit it yourself?" She asked, causing the others to look at each other in glee. Had they done it?

"Well-" The man tried to explain before pausing and eyeing everyone. "I can'st tell ye."

"Sounds like guilt to me." Brandon decided, crossing his arms. The man's tears continued to run and he placed his head into his hands.

"Let's go." James agreed, walking out. Brandon, Joey, Ellie and Kayla followed.

"You coming?" Brandon pondered, before exiting, to Rachel.

"In a moment." She answered, looking only to Jack the Ripper. The door shut.

"It wasn't me!" He repeated, sobbing immensely. Rachel sighed.

"Then who was it?" She inquired.

...

...

...

~~~

Rachel walked out and rejoined the group. "Did he say anything else?" James asked, turning to her. Before answering, she paused for a moment. The man was desperate for life; her experience told her that he was making everything he just said up and that he was indeed Jack. A hunch, however, made her continue to doubt his guilt.

"He pleaded for his life as any guilty person would." She answered, locking eyes with James. She could tell nobody what she had just learned. Nobody.

Joey laughed hysterically. "Guys, this is it! No more Jack!" He exclaimed. Everybody, too, began to celebrate. How many lives had they just saved?

~~~

A month later, it was time for Jack the Ripper to return to Hell through the power of execution. They had all watched meticulously as the man had perished at the hands of a simple rope. Of course, public execution had been halted but - as it was a special case - it was granted by the bosses far above that Jack the Ripper would be killed in front of everyone after the terrible murders he committed.

And then the drinks. So goshdarn many drinks. This man had done so much to add to the cruelty to Whitechapel and the six of them just wanted to celebrate his departure from the world.

"HIP HIP!" Shouted out Rachel, barely standing upright. The others cheered (except for Brandon who was throwing up). It was over; there was now no need to consider anything about Jack or his antics. They could relax for a night and then get back to a peaceful day tomorrow at work where there would be no more surprises. It was a relief to say the very least.

"Ey, let's have another roooound!" James called out. Everyone cheered - even Ethan and Lucy who had closed the soup kitchen temporarily for the celebration. It was a happy occasion and they dedicated the night to his death.

~~~

"So...y...you wanna get outta here?" Joey stumbled, finishing his last glass and turning to Ellie. She nodded, smiling, before passing out onto the table. Only the two of them remained now; the others had left hours ago, including any staff willing to serve them. Joey smiled before attempting to stand up. The first attempt failed, but - thankfully - he did manage to get up in the end. Since he was barely stable enough to support himself, he decided to leave Ellie for the time being and try to get home.

Every step felt like one thousand tonnes of concrete was stretching around him in a confusing and uncontrollable mess. Where was his foot supposed to go next? Everything was dark, foggy, bla bla bl-

Wha- Something appeared in his vision that blocked his passage. Maybe it was a long bird that would fly away if he got close enough...? He kept approaching and the bird did not fly away. That's one heck of a stupid bird, he thought to himself, before he realised that birds were not long. What else in the world could it be if it was not a bird. Literally nothing else could enter his head until, tripping over his own foot, he fell beside the object and saw the cold, expressionless sight of a woman lying dead on the floor. Fear taking over his intoxicated body, there was only one thing he could think to do.

Joey let out a loud, echoing yell, a warning to everyone around him that, somehow, there was still a killer on the loose. Goddamn it.