*Wheeeeee* *Wheeeeee* *Whhhhh*
Alarms of police cars began to blare into the night like a banshee wail, their lights of blue and red illuminating the streets. They broke all the road rules just to cut out as much time as possible, desperate to reach the station.
"Squad 1. On our way." One car spoke out to the rest of the convoy. 3 more in total followed; each filled with a heavily armoured division that the RCU and the panel rode along with. A show of unity between departments, even if the reason was less than ideal.
RCU and chiefs strapped into tactical gear, bulletproof vests, helmets, and all. The armour of their department. In an ideal world, a simple vest would be all they need; however, when dealing with a man like the Reaper. It was best to be over prepared.
"Sir, I think we've reached the station." A squad member spoke out from behind the wheel of the vehicle.
"Right. Stay close. We don't know what we're going to be walking into." Takeshi, still dressed in formal attire; was now covered in protective padding. He left wry personality behind. This Takeshi was the one who would stare down death with no hesitation.
Captain Bai was the head of the armoured division. A short but sturdy man. Built like a barrel, this man was not one to mess around. Yet now, he was sweating heavily. His eyes darted around nervously and he could feel something in the cold air.
"Team 1; on me. Team 2; take some of the RCU for back up. Team 3; watch the building for any activity." Words straight from the book of command came over the radio, no room for deviation.
"Yes sir!"
Each truck came to a screeching halt. Out filled members of the armoured divisions. Men and woman clad in black armour. Decked out in weapons and equipment.
Chief Aoi was in the car with Captain Bai and the RCU. She had seen war; she had seen blood and destruction. However, even she, the most combat experienced of the panel could not help but be taken aback by the dread in the air.
"You feel it too?" Shimada asked.
"Captain? Yes. I feel... Something in the air. It's not a good feeling." The old chief answered; her voice filled with concern.
"Detectives Akiko and Mori. Go with team 2." He turned to Aki and Mori, both nodded and ran to catch up with team 2.
The others stayed behind. The cold air was no match for the dread that was slowly seeping into their bones. It was a feeling of death, of despair.
Looking at the stationhouse. It was an empty abyss of shadow and silence. Not a light was on, no sound or movement was seen.
*Team 2. Report*
Over the radio, Bai ordered for the other team to respond.
"Nothing sir." The team 2 leader responded.
The squad of 6 members had gone right whilst the others, left.
Dark halls only illuminated by their flashlights. Their footsteps rang out through the empty halls. A march of heavy boots. No sign of life, nor any signs of a struggle.
"Where is everyone?" Mori asked. His voice was barely above a whisper as they passed by a set of interrogation rooms.
"I don't know," Akiko whispered back. "Stay close."
*Scutter* Scutter*
"Hold." Movement up ahead. At the edge of the hallway; something was moving in the darkness.
"Team 2; spread." The order was given and each member moved to a defensive position.
With slower steps and weapons raised; the six men and women of the armoured division, Akiko and Mori approached the movement. Slowly it became more and more clear.
A woman no older than 20 sat against a wall. Uniform covered in blood and with a face of shock and fear. Her name tag read Aika Nakano, the receptionist.
"No. No. NO! YOU CAN'T BE HERE!" The woman was petrified of the officers before her.
"Shhh. It's alright." Aki went to comfort the woman, only to be pushed away.
"Please. He will come back. Please leave. Please!" With her pleading voice. The girl began to cry; a waterfall of tears washed some of the blood away. It wasn't hers Akiko noticed the fact that the woman wasn't injured. Just covered in blood.
"Where did he go?" Mori asked, walking over to them, and crouching down next to Akiko. His tone was a little harsher than intended; he still held a lot of resentment toward this entity. The woman looked didn't even give the man a look.
Running off once more. The young woman disappeared into a nearby office. The team moved to chase, but only the two detectives made it in time.
"Oh, dear god..."
Kenji stopped at the entrance; eyes filled with a horror that even Aki had never seen before. He dropped the gun that was in hand and stumbled. The senior detective was going to throw up.
"What is it?" The leader of team 2 came rushing to the scene. As soon as he saw what was inside. He too was ready to throw up.
The officers of the ward 4 station were pinned to the walls of the office. Arms pinned with dismantled guns or officer equipment. Some officers missing body parts, some with opened chests or were hung from the ceiling fan.
Captain Matsuo; was the worst of them all, four of his limbs had been ripped from the socket. Fat belly displayed the many organs of the captain. The heart of which sat on the desk. He was a pale husk; like he bleed out before his wounds could take him.
Blood soaked the walls and floors. The character of 穢 spread all along the walls.
It was almost like a slaughterhouse; the smell was a mixture between copper and decaying flesh. No gunshot residue, no sign of a struggle. It was a one-sided battle; the men and women of ward 4 never stood a chance against the Reaper.
"Someone... Call the captain and chief Aoi." Mori spoke; daring to not look at the scene again.
The darkness of the station. Now illuminated by the headlights of a police car. Its bright light pierced the darkness. Men in hazmat's, women in blue uniform. The station was overrun by the entire force. Destruction wrought a beacon for the law to gather.
Only Akiko, Shimada and Chief Miyamoto were in the room of slaughter. Not even Aoi or the other chiefs could stomach what happened here, instead they sat outside; waiting on the forensic report to be given. Everyone inside had to hold their breaths; the stench of blood and viscera permeated through the air, the thick iron smell hung in the air.
They stood silently, looking at a monitor left open on Matsuo's desk. The stations crimes playing on repeat on a video.
'Sampling of the merchandise.' Is what the officers in recordings would say to each other as they took turns.
On the desk. A thumb stick. Evidence off all crimes would be found there.
"How is the girl, Aki?" Captain Shimada asked Akiko, not even daring to look at the recording. His eyes were fixated on the wall of bodies. Each displayed like some twisted art exhibit. A meaning that was clear as day.
"The medic's said she would be fine. However, ... She is not right in the head. He made her write 穢 over and over again." It made Aki sick that someone would do that to another human being. The woman would never be able to recover. She was forced to watch every murder and then was ordered to paint that character repeatedly.
"Don't be too quick to defend her. She knew what was happening. And from what we've found. Captain Matsuo's men had been doing this for years. This station has been nothing but a slave trade waystation." Chief Miyamoto said with upmost disgust to what theses 'officers' were allowed to do.
"And whose fault was that?" Aki asked with a coldness in her voice, one that would keep his gaze away for a moment.
"Akiko. Now is not the time. Leave." Captain Shimada ordered. Aki wanted a fight. To let off some steam; however, she complied. Carefully wading through the bloody office and into the hallway.
"Wait." Chief Miyamoto stopped her before she left. He walked towards the exit with a stern look on his wrinkly face.
"I want you to know. For the record. I would have voted to keep the RCU." Miyamoto admitted. His eyes were sincere and filled with truth.
"You speak well. Detective Akiko Bennett."
"Thank you." Was all Aki said. If it was an hour ago, she would have gloated till kingdom come. Drinks on the house and bragging rights to the chief of police.
But she couldn't. The stench of death and corruption was too fresh in her mind. It stuck to her like glue, and would not leave. She needed a shower. Many showers. Perhaps none of it would be enough.
Walking away without another word.
Chief Miyamoto walked up beside the captain, looking over the bodies with a grim expression. "I'm sorry Captain Shimada; I should have been more understanding." He said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "It seems like the Reaper is here to stay."
A man of single-minded focus; Miyamoto could only apologies for his previous words.
"Anything you need. You will have it. This is now the top priority. The Reaper will fall... One way or another." The Chief was done with this vigilante. He sent a message to, and the police will respond in kind.