Aaron found the Vampire\u2019s comment that the Ripper wouldn\u2019t be outside on a night like this interesting but didn\u2019t pursue why that might be. He had more important questions to ask. \u201cDid he do that job before Christmas? The strangulation?\u201d
\u201cNah,\u201d came the reply. \u201cThat drunk done herself in. Not his callin\u2019 card.\u201d
That was just as his team had suspected, and Aaron moved on before the answers stopped coming. \u201cWhat about the day after Christmas?\u201d
\u201cYeah, that\u2019s him. Papers ain\u2019t think so, though. Neither do the coppers much. He\u2019s switchin\u2019 it up now. You\u2019ll have a hard time tellin\u2019 the difference.\u201d
\u201cWhy?\u201d Aaron asked. \u201cWhy switch it up?\u201d
\u201cWhy not?\u201d he giggled, and for a moment Aaron thought the maniacal, highly disturbing laugh might be back, but he reined it in. \u201cCoppers is too close. Gotta put some distance, you know?\u201d
\u201cHe\u2019s on their list?\u201d
\u201cSure.\u201d The Vampire adjusted the collar of his long coat. \u201cBut then, ain\u2019t we all? I am.\u201d A moment of consideration later, he added, \u201cBet you are, too.\u201d
An interesting comment which made Aaron ponder if this might be their man. While it wasn\u2019t the first time the idea had crossed his mind, he pushed it aside. This guy didn\u2019t seem nearly intelligent enough to pull off the complicated dissections the Ripper had performed, and he\u2019d ascertained earlier that their friend had spent his living days playing piano in just the sort of establishments that surrounded them now. There was a very slim chance that he was actually talking to the Ripper. \u201cWhat next then? What changes should we expect?\u201d
\u201cWho knows?\u201d he replied, his leg jumping about, showing he was growing antsy. \u201cGotta throw dem coppers off, you know? Gotta keep it int\u2019resting, blue eyes.\u201d
\u201cCould you meet me back here tomorrow evening?\u201d Aaron asked, wishing he\u2019d agree to an arranged meeting so he could be more thorough. This was not the first time he\u2019d asked.
\u201cNah,\u201d the Vampire called, looking back over his shoulder. \u201cCan\u2019t be tied down. Can\u2019t trust you.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019ve given you no reason not to trust me,\u201d Aaron assured him, and though he could feel that his words were having some effect, the man still clearly did not want to become more involved with the enemy.
\u201cNah. I\u2019ll find you,\u201d he confirmed, another glance over his shoulder, and he added, \u201cafter the next one. There\u2019ll be another one, you know? Don\u2019t let dem papers make you think it\u2019s over. It\u2019s just beginning.\u201d
Before Aaron could say more, the Vampire took off in the other direction, and Aaron watched him go.
\u201cWe could catch him, you know?\u201d Vicky said, stepping forward now that he was just a form in the distance.
\u201cFor what purpose?\u201d Aaron asked, watching him fade into the shadows. \u201cHe would no longer trust us and probably wouldn\u2019t tell us anything once we had him.\u201d
\u201cWhat if he\u2019s the one doing the murders?\u2019 she asked, chewing her bottom lip.
Aaron shook his head. \u201cNo, it\u2019s not him. He\u2019s too\u2026 scattered. Too unskilled.\u201d
She nodded. This wasn\u2019t the first time she\u2019d posed the question, and he wasn\u2019t sure she was convinced this time either. \u201cWell, I guess we present this information back to the team and see where it leads?\u201d she asked.
Aaron agreed, and they made their way back to Kensington with only slightly more information and no true answers.
The next morning at the team meeting, Aaron prepared to give the notes they\u2019d collected from their friendly Vampire, but another pair insisted that they go first, saying they had found a lead, and he sat back and listened as Frank and Berta described what had happened the night before.
\u201cWe were doing our rounds, as usual,\u201d Frank began, \u201cnothing out of the ordinary when suddenly I get that feeling in my gut, like somethin\u2019s amiss. And this ain\u2019t one of those regular flip flops either, mind you. My stomach is screaming an alarm.\u201d
\u201cSo, we turn down a narrow alleyway,\u201d Berta continued, and Aaron absently wondered how narrow it could be in order for her muscular stature to squeeze through, \u201cand at the other end, we see the outline of a man, standing in the shadows, silhouetted by a nearby gaslight.\u201d
\u201cHe\u2019s wearing a top hat and cape, just as the eyewitnesses have described, and when he sees us, he takes off running, like he knows he\u2019s been caught,\u201d Frank continued.
Berta picked up where he left off, her German accent making it slightly difficult to understand what she was saying once she became excited. \u201cWe gave chase, but he was fast\u2014much faster than anyone we\u2019d encountered before.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m no spring chicken, and Berta\u2019s more strength than speed,\u201d Frank reminded them.
\u201cEventually, we turn the corner and see him leap up and over a tall stone wall. By the time we got there and reached the top, he was gone,\u201d the female Guardian concluded with a shrug.
\u201cAnd you think this was our man?\u201d Ward clarified.
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Frank nodded. \u201cWe retraced our steps, and once we got back to the original alleyway, we discovered something we hadn\u2019t seen in the first place because it was dark, and we were focused on the Vampire.\u201d
\u201cWhat was it?\u201d Harvey asked. All of them were listening intently as the story unfolded.
\u201cA woman,\u201d Berta replied, and Aaron heard Vicky gasp quietly to his left. \u201cShe was on the ground, in the shadows. She was still breathing but her neck was bruised. It\u2019s as if he strangles them before he feeds, then he dismembers their bodies to leave little trace of their true wounds.\u201d
\u201cWhy would he do that?\u201d Edmund asked, the question in general and not pointed at anyone in particular.
Ward let loose a sigh they could each identify with before turning to face the young man on his right. \u201cDr. Joplin, do you have a response to that?\u201d
The doctor cleared his throat, and Aaron could tell he was very nervous, not used to addressing groups of this variety. Aaron\u2019s understanding was that he had Transformed shortly after completing his medical degree at Harvard Medical, which he had gained entrance to and graduated from remarkably quickly as an outstanding physician, and then served a few years in training in his home state of Massachusetts before Ward heard of his skills and brought him here to consult on this particular case, which was the most complicated any of them could remember.
Aaron just wasn\u2019t sure what to make of the kid. As he began to answer, Aaron did his best to get a fill for this guy was and if he could be trusted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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