Vigil: Part 1
Chapter 9
Calypso Pharmaceuticals Research Facility A2, 2AM
The crime scene was a mess. Detective Lynn nodded at the SWAT team leader who trooped past her as she entered the cleared room. Other than the sole, locked door of Doctor Anderson Ghash’s office, the team faced zero resistance.
“M-m-macchew? Ish tat yoo?” mumbled the scientist on the ground.
“Jesus Christ,” she murmured, rushing to his side. The man’s eyes were unfocused as he muttered incoherently to himself, frothing at the mouth. She shot a glare at a nearby officer. “The hell are you waiting for? Get the medics!”
As the paramedics rushed in, Lynn stood up, walking over to the grey envelope that was quickly becoming the calling card of the vigilante. Picking it up, she peered over at the gibbering doctor, and shuddered. What the hell are you doing, Vigil?
It was justified. He deserved every bit of it.
Vigil watched from a distance as the still-shaking doctor was carted into an ambulance. The incessant siren sounds continued blaring into the night, yet they were nothing but background noise as she sank back into her thoughts.
It was messy, but it had to be done. She couldn’t have left him to the cops — he would be free the very next day. Faith had learnt that much in this one week. And yet, killing him was out of the question. She needed to get him out of the picture, while still not crossing the line.
But shattering his mind like that…
Vigil exhaled harshly, letting herself lean back against the parapet as she ripped off her sweat-soaked mask. She could still feel a miniscule amount of the drug weakly coursing through her veins — an otherwise-inexplicable soothe blanketing her mind. She enjoyed the cool droplets of rain washing over her face, and she sighed, feeling her aching muscles relax against the hard concrete.
It was done. No point worrying about it. Like it or not, she’d stumbled upon some sort of balance to walk, disrupting the Pact’s plans without crossing the line. Whether it was ethical was a debate Faith couldn’t let herself fall into. Emotions, feelings, empathy…
“Weakness.” Faith murmured to herself. She opened her eyes, reaching for her mask and placing it back on. Taking the doctor down was a direct threat the Pact couldn’t ignore. Now to prepare for their reprisal.