Emerging from the birch woods into another clearing, Victor's car finally pulled up to the villa—the place where it all went down. The villa itself had natural stone walls and a terracotta tiled roof, surrounded by a garden of various flowers. Leading to the house was a stone path, though, from inside the car, Rob could spot the giant hole in the wall he'd seen in the surveillance footage. The debris from the wreckage had spilled into the garden, crushing the flowers as effectively as it had destroyed the house's beauty.
"Well, we're here," Victor announced before they all hopped out of the car. The unsettling silence of the area was broken only by the occasional song of crickets and toads. "Home sweet home," Victor mused with a half-smile.
Rob's eyes stayed locked on the building, suspicion darkening his expression as he started walking away from the car. Without a word to Victor or Grant, he made his way toward the house, retracing the path the students had taken. As he walked, an illusion formed around him—only visible to himself—that replayed the students' movements as seen in the footage.
"What's he doing?" Grant whispered, watching Rob's odd behavior.
Victor shrugged. "Beats me."
Rob stopped in front of the door, ending the illusion as soon as the students had entered.
Victor and Grant caught up with him. "What was that all about?" Victor asked.
"Just reenacting the students' walk into the house," Rob replied nonchalantly.
Grant clicked his tongue in irritation before heading through the door without waiting. "Bro's still grumpy, huh?" Victor chuckled.
"Looks like," Rob agreed, and both of them followed Grant inside.
Inside the living room, the sight was even more jarring than Rob thought. Grant stared at the destruction. "This place still disturbs me," he muttered under his breath.
The living room was a mess—furniture was thrown around, the TV was shattered on the floor, and the walls bore strange long scratches that stretched continously across more than half the room, as if something had been driven into them with reckless force. The debris from the hole in the wall and cracks in the ceiling littered the ground.
"Whatever happened here really did a number on this place," Victor observed, scanning the room.
"So, now that we're here, what do you think caused the hole in the wall? A bomb, maybe? C4?" Rob asked, eyebrow raised.
"It's a possibility, but here's the problem with that," Victor said, his voice taking on a serious edge. "An explosion could explain the flash of light, but the sounds and the wall breaking happened several minutes later. That means the students weren't screaming at the explosion—they were still alive after it happened and were attacked by the killer after it."
Rob's thoughts churned. 'They didn't scream at the explosion... like they were expecting it.'
"True," Rob agreed slowly. "So, we're really going to sleep here? The mosquitoes will have a field day with us."
"Yeah, but no choice," Victor shrugged.
"This place has three rooms. Two on the right side and one on the left. Built for three students, but Julian was paying for it alone." Grant interjected.
The door on the left side, being near the hole in the wall, seemed like a terrible option for sleeping. "I'll take one of the right rooms," Victor said immediately.
"So do I," Grant chimed in, shuddering at the thought of the left room. Both of them turned to Rob.
"Sure, I'll take the left room," Rob said nonchalantly, throwing a glance at the cracked ceiling. "One problem though: I didn't plan on staying the night. I don't have a change of clothes."
"Don't worry about it," Victor waved a hand. "I packed extras, just in case. My clothes should fit you."
Rob gave him a scrutinizing look before nodding. "Yeah, they should. Thanks."
Victor's gaze shifted. "By the way, where's the bag of clothes I gave you to keep for me?"
"It's in that room," Grant pointed at one of the rooms on the right. "I came by earlier to book a space when Mr Sayer informed me i'd be staying here with a detective." He muttered. "Let me grab it."
"I'll come with you," Victor volunteered, and both of them headed off to fetch the clothes.
A few minutes later, Victor emerged holding a medium-sized traveling bag. "When you need the clothes, just come grab them."
Rob gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks. I'll take a look around the compound."
"Okay," Victor said, heading into his room with a yawn.
Rob wandered into the kitchen. Compared to the living room's carnage, the kitchen was surprisingly intact. The sink was filled with unwashed dishes, and the trash can was overflowing. Guess this is how the students left it, Rob thought to himself. He opened the fridge, and amidst a few cans of beer, he spotted a pineapple-flavored lollipop. Taking it out, he closed the fridge door and made his way outside through the back.
The sound of crickets and toads greeted him again, and Rob absentmindedly focused on the candy's expiration date as he walked. 'Still good,' he thought, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth, discarding the wrapper without a second thought.
Rob circled the house to the side where the hole in the wall had made its mark, inspecting it for a while. He then moved into a position where he could see both the hole and the window where the flash of purpleish-blue light had come from.
Standing there, Rob conjured an illusion—only visible to him—of the wall repairing itself. To his eyes alone, the house looked as good as new. From that vantage point, he reenacted everything he'd seen from the security footage: the students arriving, the flash of light, the wall crumbling. He could also mimick the sounds, but he held back from doing that—he didn't need Victor and Grant asking any questions.
'Another monster has appeared in Birchwood, just like the werewolf I fought a few days ago. These students were the first victims.' Rob's thoughts were grim. 'I made the right choice coming to BU. Who knows what would have happened if it had made its way to campus? How many people would have died?'
Just then, Victor emerged from the kitchen door, two cans of beer in hand. "Hey, wanna have a beer with me?" He raised one can in the air.
"I don't drink," Rob replied flatly.
"Oh really? Didn't know that." Victor looked mildly surprised but shrugged it off as he stood next to Rob. "Watching the stars?"
Rob didn't answer right away. He turned to face Victor, locking eyes. "You wanted me here. Why?"
Victor almost choked on his beer. "What?"
"Back in Sawyer's office, you said I asked about the case, so you made up a lie. But that's not what happened. You brought it up first," Rob explained, pressing on. "I assumed you just wanted help, which I was happy to give. But next thing I know, I'm staying here, and you just happened to pack extra clothes for me? Why drag me into this?"
Victor went quiet for a moment, the air heavy. Then he spoke, looking genuinely apologetic. "Honestly, I just wanted us to do something together, like when we were kids. We're both detectives now, so I thought working on a case together would bring us closer. I'm sorry I tricked you into it. I just wanted to spend some time with you. I hope you're not mad."
Rob let out a sigh, the tension dissipating a bit. "No, I'm not mad."
Victor smiled, relieved. "Great." He took another gulp of his beer.
"You're also here to gather information about a grave digger, right? If you get enough tomorrow, you can leave. I won't force you to stay," Victor added.
Rob gave him a tired grin. "Don't worry, I'll stay. I'm heading inside to get some rest. Good night."
"Uh, okay. Sweet dreams," Victor responded, slumping back and taking another swig.
Rob made his way back inside, heading to the room he was stuck with. As he opened the door, the ceiling creaked. He glanced up, noticing a crack stretching from the living room into his bedroom. His expression remained blank as he ignored it.
Standing in front of the bed, Rob paused for a moment before his phone buzzed. He pulled it out, seeing a message from Nora.
Nora:
–Hey Rob, Victor told me you two were in BU–
Rob:
–Hey–
–Yeah, we're working on a case together–
Nora:
–He doesn't want to tell me what the case is about–
Rob:
–it's classified–
Nora:
–Hmm–
–Where are you guys staying?–
Rob:
–In one of the off-campus villas–
Nora:
–Ooooo, fancy–
–Stay safe, you two. I'll see you tomorrow–
Rob:
–Yeah, good night–
Nora:
–You too–
He put his phone away, and looked around the room till his eye's locked on a bag, probably left by one of the students. He waleked up to it, can opened it, and it was full of women's underware. He made a disgusted expression and zipped the bag back, then he placed the bag under the bed and put the covers over it to imitate a person sleeping.
That should fool them, he thought with a slight smirk, before rendering himself invisible and slipping out the window unnoticed.
Now in the woods, with his leg and arm strength alone, he hopped and swung from tree to tree like a monkey, making his way toward the campus. When he was a reasonable distance from the villa, he leaped high into the air, the force of his jump snapping the branch beneath him. While airborne, he spewed fire from his palms, using it suspend himself in the air, then condensed the flame like the exhaust of a jet engine, propelling himself forward. In just a few seconds, he reached the campus, so he decelerated and stopped mid-air. From this height, he could see most of the campus; its Gothic architecture was awe-inspiring from a bird's-eye view.
He flew closer to the tallest building, descending slowly, akin to a tilt-wing aircraft, and landed on its roof. He removed his overcoat and draped it over his shoulders like a cloak. With his hands in his pockets, he walked to the edge of the building, placing his foot on the ledge and gazing down.
His attention was caught by a nearby gargoyle, standing watch over the school like a malevolent sentinel. Carved in stone, it clutched the building with clawed feet. Its wings seemed to unfold from its back like a dark gothic cloak. Its face was a twisted, grotesque visage, and its eyes were unsettling and soulless. Rob walked over to the sculpted beast and climbed onto it, assuming a similar pose to the one he had taken at the ledge—one foot on the gargoyle's head, the other leg positioned behind him, a hand on his knee, and his chest out, standing above the school like a guardian.
"Totally aura farming right now," he muttered under his breath.
Just then, across from him, his attention was drawn to a masked girl leaping from one building to another. Rob chuckled. "Holy shit; that masked vigilante is actually real," he said to himself before flying over to her building.
"The school sleeps at night, but crime doesn't."
The girl wore a cat mask that only covered her eyes. Her costume had the unmistakable vibe of a university student trying to make something work. She wore a black, form-fitting top, and over it she wore a dark crop top jacket. She paired that with snug, stretchy tights as pants, and she wore shorts over them to add a bit of flair. For footwear, sneakers provided a dash of practicality. As she moved, she recited a monologue.
"Gangs, drug dealers, corrupt lecturers, and rapists. BU is no stranger to these."
She leapt off ledges with graceful acrobatics, flipping and spinning in the air with ease.
"This school needs a hero, a guardian to watch over it, other than the gargoyles. I AM that hero. A public health student by day and a vigilante by night."
She stopped at one building, looking over the edge at the city in a superhero pose.
"I am Lucky Paws, the feline hero of BU." She declared, a huge grin on her face. The wind blew through her black hair as she stood above the school in a lofty manner.
"Hi." She was startled by Rob's voice behind her.
"Ahhhhh!" She screamed, hastily covering her mouth with her hands. She turned around to find a dark, corporate-dressed guy with a beard and a low-faded afro standing there.
"You might want to keep it down; you don't want to attract the attention of any security," Rob advised, his voice a mocking whisper.
The girl made an exasperated expression. "What are you doing out at night, citizen?" she said, adopting a fake, commanding tone.
"So what are you supposed to be? Some kind of superhero?" Rob asked, his eyes scanning her outfit.
"Damn it, don't look at me like that!" she exclaimed.
"Like what?" Rob raised an eyebrow.
"You must be a dirty rapist!" she declared. "You're going down, you pervert!" She dropped into a fighting stance.
"Nya! Nya! Nyaaaa!" She began to throw rapid punches at Rob's abdomen, but Rob remained unfazed.
"Why are you making anime cat noises?" he asked.
Realizing she wasn't doing any damage, she stopped and looked up, only to find him looking down at her. Immediately, she stepped back, still maintaining her stance. "What are you made of, metal?" she asked, surprised.
"Nya!" She threw a high kick at his face, but it didn't even move him a little. She stepped back again. "Damn you!"
"Look, I just wanted to talk; but since you don't seem to want to talk, I'll leave," Rob said.
'The guy at the warehouse was a numen user, which means there might be other numen users in Birchwood...' Rob trailed off in thought. As he did, she began to charge a heavy kick. '...I just thought there was a chance that someone trying to be a masked vigilante might be doing so because they have powers others don't. But it looks like I was wrong; she's just delusional.'
She launched the kick, and it landed heavily on Rob's face, impacting his jaw and throwing him off balance.
"Aww shit!" Rob exclaimed, holding his jaw in response to the pain. "That actually hurt—wait, that actually hurt?" he said, realizing it.
"I didn't want to have to use my secret power, but you left me no choice!"
"You're a numen user?" he asked.
"What the heck is a numen user?" she replied in confusion, continuing to throw various kicks at Rob.
Rob easily weaved and dodged her attacks. "Wait, hold on; I told you, I don't want to fight you."
"I've figured it out. You're so strong and fast because you seem to use the same ability as me," she observed.
"Yeah, no shit, genius." Rob caught one of her kicks, pushed it aside, and skillfully moved behind her, locking her arms and holding her still.
"Let go of me, you pervert!" she insulted as she struggled.
"I'm not a pervert! Just hold still and listen!"
She nodded her head backwards and srtuck his nose, and as a reflex, he let go, causing her to stumble forward. He reached out to catch her, but her leg tripped his, causing him to fall. He grabbed her mask, removing it as they both fell together.
Rob raised his head, towering above her. Now with her mask off, he got a good look at her face. She was Asian, her features delicate with smooth skin. She had beautiful, striking green eyes and her black long hair cascaded along her back like a fountain. They both stayed in this awkward position, staring into each other's eyes. A blush appeared on both their faces, and they quickly broke eye contact.
Next thing they knew, they were engulfed in the beam of a flashlight. "Hey! What's going on over there?" A security guard called out.
"Shit," Rob immediately looked away so the guard wouldn't see his face. Both of them shot to their feet, and he grabbed her hand, leaping off the building, aiming for a spot near a gargoyle. His fingers caught onto the platform, gripping tightly as they dangled in midair.
"What the heck are you doing?" she exclaimed in fear as they hung from the feet of the stone monster.
"Be quiet!" he commanded in a whispering but authoritative voice.
She looked up and noticed the flashlight's light shaking as though the guard was running and getting closer.
"He's coming. He's going to catch us," she whispered, fear in her voice.
The security guard looked over the ledge.
"Where did they go?" he muttered to himself, unable to see anything.
"Huh? He can't see us." She whispered in confusion.
"Would you keep quiet for just a few seconds?" Rob commanded, and she stayed silent.
The security guard pointed his torch over the edge in search of them.
"Hey Mac, what's going on?" Another voice called from the roof.
"I think I just saw two students commit suicide," Mac responded.
"Commit suicide!?" The other voice said in shock. A second face appeared over the ledge—it was another security guard.
"I don't see anyone down there," the second guard said.
"Me neither, but I think I saw a guy and a girl making out on the roof here, and then when I pointed my light, they ran to the edge and jumped off."
"You think?" the second guard asked.
"Well, I forgot my glasses today, so I'm not entirely sure what I saw."
"Mac, the story sounds a bit far-fetched. If they were making out, why would they jump off? Also, how did they make it to the roof? Roger is at the door to this building; they would have had to get past him, and you know nobody gets past Roger," the other security guard said.
"I guess you're right, but what else could it have been?" Mac asked.
"I don't know; maybe it was a couple of monkeys."
"Monkeys?"
"Yeah, we are surrounded by forests, after all."
Mac thought for a moment before responding. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Come on, let's go back on patrol," the second guard said.
Both Rob and Lucky Paws breathed a sigh of relief.
"How did you do that?" she asked.
"Oh, it's just a thing I can do."
"Well, it was awesome," she complimented.
"Um, thanks," Rob said with a slight smile.