To Catch a Killer Part II

Posted on Fri 8th May, 2020 @ 4:25am by Lieutenant Commander Dallas Briggs & Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena
Edited on on Sun 31st May, 2020 @ 10:30pm

2,319 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD:4 1154 hours

Dallas stood near a hoverbike that was given to him by the Promenade Police. He was clear at the other end of the deck as he waited impatiently listening to what was going on with the killer. He tapped his com badge, =^=Commander Lena, don't go anywhere, stay at the scene where it's safe.=^= Dallas knew that he was wasting his breath by telling her that. He already knew that she would do everything she could to help catch the killer to include chasing after him, but still, he hoped she would heed his warning.

Dallas pulled the small device out of his pocket. Medical and Engineering worked together to get Dallas this little jewel. He placed it on his temple and activated it. The tiny lights unit began to fluctuate slowly and then sped up. It was an inhibitor and wouldn't allow anyone to read his thoughts or emotions. He jumped on the hoverbike and started it up. The ducted fans came to life. The lights on the front and back of the machine began to flash in rapid succession alternating blue and red beacons. Dallas gripped the handlebars tightly with gloved hands. He activated the controls and the bike assented above the people before it quickly headed for the scene.

The monster headed down the empty service corridor as he continued to elude the police. He wasn't simply happy that he was able to kill his mark and get away, he wanted to cause more pain, and to kill, he got off on it. The shapeshifter hybrid would set a trap for the police and then go after HIS love. He would kill her so HE could feel more pain and then he would die knowing who had killed her.

The shapeshifter had the DNA of an Andorian, a Reman, and a Betazoid.He could shapeshift into any of the three and in each of the forms, he would have their particular enhanced gifts.

The Andorian removed the hood from his head revealing the antennae. In less than three seconds he was a betazoid Male of about 36 years old. He had watched Dallas Briggs and his love Kiara Lena in public and had memorized their thought paterns.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. He found Dallas Briggs' thoughts, but then they vanished. Briggs must be just outside his range but should come to see his love die soon. He concentrated again and picked up on Kiara Lena. He chuckled wickedly, she was playing right into his hands.

He shifted into a Reman and headed toward the police for his next kill.

Kiara felt Dallas' thoughts snuff out and paused, reaching out to make sure everything was okay. Again there was nothing, but there'd been no emotional bump to indicate something was wrong, so she again refocused on the killer. His thought pattern had changed, although the darkness remained. He was moving again. She altered course to get a visual on him so she could let security know who to look for.

The Reman felt the Police getting closer and prepared to make his next kill. He waited behind a corner mostly hidden and he was able to see the young Starfleet Security Officer first. If he killed her, it would hurt Dallas Briggs. Briggs would know it was his fault. The Reman took aim at the young Bajoran, he didn't want to miss at that range.

Reilly was constantly looking around, his HUD flashed, warning him of the imminent danger. Without thinking he lunged for Loren and tackled her. He yelled out in pain as he grabbed his upper leg and rolled on the floor. If was the worst pain imaginable. Loren grabbed Reilly, stopping him from rolling around so she could assess his injury. "It's okay! It's okay!" She said loudly to get his attention. "Let me take a look." Once she finally got him to stop moving she was able to get a better look.

The shapeshifter cursed under his breath. Thanks to the Police Officer he missed his target. He didn't have time to try again, he needed to get his distance away from the Security officer and the other police officer so he could kill Kiara Lena. He quickly transformed back into the Betazoid and ran down the corridor.

There was a 4-centimeter hole in Reilly's upper thigh that went all the way through. Loren grabbed Reilly's medkit and prepared hypospray for the pain. She injected it into his neck. Once she heard the hiss she was satisfied. The spray would help with the pain and knock him out. She then addressed the wound. She pulled the bottle of foam bandage and sprayed it on both sides of the wound, sealing it up until he could get proper treatment. "It's okay, rest easy. We'll get that SOB." Loren propped Reilly's head again the wall. Before he knew it, Reilly no longer felt pain, he was out. It had taken a few minutes to stabilize Reilly, but it was time well spent. He could rest now without going into shock.

Loren picked up her phaser and stood, "Okay, let's get that piece of crap." She began to walk forward, ready to deal with the evil scum bag.

Kiara heard the shot below her. The man she sought was down there. The strong thoughts told her that Loren had been hit, and now he was moving fast. She had to get a look at him. His thoughts were strong, but foggy at the same time. He was after someone, and she had to stop him before he found his target. There was a service access that led down to the lower deck. She might be able to cut off the assassin before he found his next target.

The hoverbike streaked above the Promenade crowd that was oblivious to what was going on in the service corridor up ahead. Dallas held the accelerator down as far as it would go, he needed to be there now.

The shapeshifter felt for his next victim. She was walking right into his trap. He didn't need to seek her out, she was coming to him. When he was sure of where she was, he relaxed his concentration and shifted back into the Reman to kill her. He walked toward the access panel where she would come out.

As she approached the access panel, Kiara could feel him again, just outside. His thoughts were hard to read, but he was focused on something. She stepped back, wondering if he was going to use the access to get to another deck. She sent a quiet message to Dallas and waited.

Dallas used the scanner on the hoverbike to pinpoint Liara's location. =A=Listen to me Kiara, get out of there. I don't want you anywhere near him. If you aren't there then he can't hurt you.=A=

The access panel opened and in stepped the Reman. He snarled at Kiara, "How nice to meet you, Kiara Lena. I have been watching you for some time now." He grabbed Kiara by the tunic and pulled her back into the corridor.

"No." She pulled back from him to make it harder for him to drag her out. At the same time, she grabbed his thumb and pulled it back as hard as she could to break it.

The Reman yelled out in pain as his thumb snapped and grabbed the woman by the hair and forcefully pulled her with him. "I'm not sure if I want to kill you fast or slowly now, but I do want Dallas to see you die. Call him and tell him to come to you so he can watch."

Dallas had got off the hoverbike right where Kiara had entered at the access door and had begun to follow her hoping that he was not too late. He had heard a man yell out like he was in pain and began to move faster.

"No. I won't call him." She wasn't going to make this easy for him. She fought and scratched to get away. Then she screamed.

Dallas continued down the smaller corridor as he heard a woman’s scream. He hoped that he wasn’t too late to save her. Fear and panic just about overwhelmed him as he moved as quickly as he could to get to her. He busted through the access panel and came upon one knee with his phaser pointing at the Shapeshifter.

The Reman pulled Kiara tightly close to him like a shield in case Briggs managed to get a shot off. “Stop resisting or I will kill him first.” He pointed at Dallas with his free hand so she could see. His index finger was pointed at Dallas with his thumb straight up ready to fall like a hammer.

She wasn't going to let the man kill her or Dallas if she could help it. She made eye contact with Dallas, sent him as strong a mental image of what she was about to do as she could, then dropped straight down, hoping the weight of her fall would off-balance the Reman just enough for Dallas to get a clear shot.

With Kiara lower than the Reman, he became a better target for Dallas however, the Reman fired his psychic blast first. The blast had hit Dallas' phaser and then his shoulder since he was aiming the phaser just as the blast hit him. A hole formed in the well-developed muscle just above Dallas' right collarbone. He yelled out in pain from the sudden excruciating pain from the blast and rolled off of his knee to another position and tried to fire once more. He realized that his phaser was now useless.

The Reman tossed Kiara to one side and ran for Dallas. Slamming into him like a freight train both men slid across the floor after rolling. The Reman managed to get the advantage by getting on top of Dallas, but Dallas was able to use his legs to flip the Reman off of him. Dallas was on his feet and ready to pounce on the Reman ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he just wanted this day to be over, but the reman pointed his finger once again at Dallas.

Unable to do anything Dallas raised his hands up as to surrender.

The Reman laughed loudly, "I don't expect you to give up Dallas Briggs, I expect you to die."

The Reman walked up to Dallas and touched his index finger to Dallas' forehead as if to shoot him point-blank in the head.

Kiara launched herself at the Reman, tackling him from behind and knocking him away from Dallas. She used the momentum to slam his head against the ground. She only had the once chance to do anything.

The Reman sat up and shook his head. Grabbing his forehead, he wiped the blueish-green blood out of his eyes. Full of rage he spun around and pointed his finger at Kiara and dropped the thumb.

The Reman was overcome by a flash of bright orange energy and slumped over. Dallas looked from the Reman to where the blast had come from. A Promenade Police Officer with the number 45 on his shoulder held a phaser in his hand and began hobbling over to where Dallas and Kiara were. Dallas looked at the leg that the officer was favoring and noticed the foam that must have been sealing a wound.

The Officer offered a hand to Dallas and Dallas gratefully took it.

"Thank you, Reilly," Dallas said before the two of them helped Kiara up. Dallas helped Kiara to her feet, "Are you okay?"

"Shaken, but okay," she replied, although now that the crisis was over, her legs were shaking badly. "You were his target," she said. "He wanted to use me to get to you."

Dallas shook his head slowly, it was his fault that she was here and that she was nearly killed. He needed to keep things between them professional at least until he found out who was behind these attacks. "I shouldn't have involved you, I'm sorry. That's two attacks aimed at me recently and I need to find out who's behind them." Dallas wondered if it was because of the investigation that he was doing into his wife's death. Was he getting close? He knew he could no longer as Kiara for help and he couldn't see her anymore.

"No. You asked me because you needed my help," she contradicted him. "If I hadn't been here, do you honestly think you would have found him?"

Dallas shook his head, "I should have asked another Betazoid, there are plenty on this station that I could have asked, but at the time I only thought of you." Dallas grabbed his shoulder, "I think we all need medical attention."

Kiara wasn't sure what to make of that comment. "Not any Betazoid. You needed one who could recognize how he felt, not just his thoughts."

Ensign Lea and the other Police Officer came running causing the others to turn in their direction, "Is everyone alright?" Loren asked.

"We appear to be in one piece, glad you could make it," Dallas said.

"We took another direction in case the killer went that way." Loren looked at Reilly, "Looks like you took the right turn."

Reilly nodded, "Glad I could help." He activated his comms, =A=Reilly to Control, we have acquired the killer, send the coroner for him and transport three of use directly to Medical, the rookie will watch the body until the coroner arrives.=A=

=A=Understood, transporting you now.=A= The control center said.

As the three began to be transported, Reilly spoke to the Rookie, "If the dead guy moves, shoot him again."

He looked at the body. "If he moves, we have a bigger problem than just a killer. We'd have a zombie outbreak."

 

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