A.I. Evolution: The Fall of Lucien

Chapter 29

Smit has been keeping track of the investigation into the murders close to his territory, and the next two nights see another two women killed by the serial killer. He calls down to the Polizia Headquarters so he can offer them some help in their attempts to catch the killer. He can hear the warble on his end of the line as the phone rings on the other end at the private office of Mister Alan'd.

"Hello, this is Alan'd, what can I do for you?"

"Alan'd, this is commander Smit of the Swiss Guard. I understand that there have been two more killings."

"Yes, and another last night that you may not have heard about yet."

"Smit shakes his head. "Do you have any leads yet?"

"No, but I suspect there will be one more; probably tonight."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well the letters that the killer carves into the foreheads of his victims is coming clear now. The first was an M then an O followed by a T, H, and then an E, last night."

Smit hears a knock on his door and motions for Rafael to enter as he continues to speak into the phone. "The message does seem to be clear. The killer has issues with their Mother for some reason."

"That is our assumption, and tonight will be the proof of that thought, although I don't want to find out that bad."

Rafael knows that he is talking to Alan'd but continues trying to get his commanders attention. Smit holds up his index finger to acknowledge him, before excusing himself to Alan'd. "Sorry, but one of my guards has something urgent to say to me."

"No problem," says Alan'd, although slightly annoyed.

Smit puts his hand over the receiver and looks up sharply at Rafael. "What is it? I am on an important call here."

Rafael quickly steps forward and lowers his voice. "It seems that the person murdered last night was the sister of Jan Garcia that works in the Seamstress's Clothier."

Smit shakes his head and removes his hand from the receiver. "Was the person murdered last night a Miss Garcia?"

"Why, yes it was. How do you know that? We just minutes ago informed the family."

"Well, my guard just informed me that her sister works here in the Vatican's Clothier." adds Smit, as he looks back up to Rafael.

Rafael nods and adds just loud enough for him to hear. "She wants to help catch the person who murdered her sister."

Alan'd had been talking at the same time as Rafael and Smit had to listen to both before turning his full attention back to the phone. "You say that you're planning to put people out on the street to bait the killer?"

"Yes, I think it is the only way we are going to catch him before he gets a chance to kill again."

Smit nods his head and looks up to Rafael again as a plan starts to form in his mind. "Well, it seems that Jan Garcia would like to help with that."

"I don't know about that. I was planning on using female officers as the bait, equipped with mikes so they could call for backup," adds Alan'd sympathetically.

Smit sits back in his chair. "Do you have enough people to cover an operation like that?"

"Well no, but it is all I can do."

Smit smiles up at Rafael. "Well, how about if the Swiss Guard were to assist in the back up of the bait, seeing as it is one of the Vatican's workers sister that was killed?"

"That would make it easier to cover the territory."

"Good, it is one o'clock now. Let me get my guards together and we can discreetly make our way to your headquarters by five. From there we can disperse out into the city and cover all the possible target locations."

"That would be a tremendous help, maybe we can stop this person before they cause any more heartache to the good citizens of our city."

Smit nods his head. "OK, we will see you at five then."

Smit hangs up the phone and turns his full attention to Rafael, who has been waiting for him to finish. "OK, you heard me, so go gather up all the guards we can spare and have them dress in street clothes for an operation to get the killer of Jan's sister. Rafael turns to leave just as Smit calls out to him. "By the way, have Jan report to me here as soon as possible. If she wants to help, I should make sure she understands the risk."

"Right away, Sir," smiles Rafael, as he moves swiftly for the door.

Smit sits back in his chair and clenches his teeth together. "We will stop you, whoever you are."