Luhadcursedthe"BeautySyer"tenthousandtimesover.Societywasalreadyshortonresources,andthislunatichadgoneandwipedoutsomeofitsbrightest,mostbeautifulyoungwomen.Topstudents,goodfamilies,fwlessfaces—gone.Ifevehemhadbeenspared,Luwould''''''''vetakenherhomeaedherlikeagoddess.
Ifheevergothishandsonthatbastard,hewouldn''''''''tshowmercy.Hell,ifhehadthece,hewouldpullthetriggerontheexeself.
Butafterthat,the"BeautySyer"vanished.
Luandhisteamtriedeverything,evenbaitinghimwiththeirmoststrikingfemaleofficers,butthekillerneverresurfaced.Thevictims''''''''families,friends,andcolleagues,hemknewwhothegirls''''''''stpanionshadbeen.Theyhadsimplylefthomeforschoolorworkandurned.
Thecasewentcold.Tenyearsofdustgatheredoverthoseforty-ninenames.
Atleastnomoreyoungwomehatmonster''''''''shands.Still,whilethekillerhadstoppedstealingsociety''''''''sbest,Luhadn''''''''tfoundawomanworthsettlingdownwithhimself.
Theonlythingthe"BeautySyer"hadeverlefthimwasReya.
***
Thatday,Luhadbeeothecrimese.
Therewasn''''''''tmuchlefttoiigate.Theseniordetectiveshadalreadydoheirwork.Thebodyjusthadn''''''''tbee,supposedlysohecould"gainexperience,""applyhisknowledge"and"tributetothecase."
Thetruthwaslessgmorous:theerwasstutraffic,sotheylefthimtheretobabysitthecorpse.
Thegroundwasamess,trampledwithfootprintsfromgawkingvilgers.EvenSherloeswould''''''''vebeenuselesshere.
Peoplelovedaspectacle.Deaththrilledthem.Theywhisperedinhushedtones,feigneddisgust,pretendedfear—thenraospreadwild,exaggeratedstories.
Lucrouched,siftingthroughdampleaves,whenashadowfelcrosshim.Hefigureditwasoheoldercops,anotherrookiehazingritual,thesametiredprankspasseddownthroughgeions.
Hepretetonotice,thensuddenlywhippedaroundwithaloudshout.
Noseniordetectivejumped.
Buthedid.
Alittlegirl,maybeten,stoodthere.Skinny,tangledbckhair,naked,herskinstreakedwithdirtanddriedblood.Shelookedlesslikeachildthansomeferalthingdraggedoutofanightmare.
Herwideeyesstaredathim,eerilyclearyetcarryingastrange,ulingaura,likeawitch''''''''scrystalballglowingwithghostlylight.
Thatwasthemomenthissurprisearrived.
***
ThegirlwastemporarilypLu''''''''shomeasafosterchild.HenamedherReya.
Luwasn''''''''tgoodwithhewordhadslippedoutbecausethevictimatthecrimesehadbeencalledReya.
Aftersolong,hecouldnolongerrecallthatwoman''''''''sfullitdidn''''''''tmatter—nowhehadhisownReya.
Shewasn''''''''tasstrikingasthedeadReyahadbeen,butatleastshetrailedhimaroundlikealoyallittleshadow,neverleavinghissi
Ifheevergothishandsonthatbastard,hewouldn''''''''tshowmercy.Hell,ifhehadthece,hewouldpullthetriggerontheexeself.
Butafterthat,the"BeautySyer"vanished.
Luandhisteamtriedeverything,evenbaitinghimwiththeirmoststrikingfemaleofficers,butthekillerneverresurfaced.Thevictims''''''''families,friends,andcolleagues,hemknewwhothegirls''''''''stpanionshadbeen.Theyhadsimplylefthomeforschoolorworkandurned.
Thecasewentcold.Tenyearsofdustgatheredoverthoseforty-ninenames.
Atleastnomoreyoungwomehatmonster''''''''shands.Still,whilethekillerhadstoppedstealingsociety''''''''sbest,Luhadn''''''''tfoundawomanworthsettlingdownwithhimself.
Theonlythingthe"BeautySyer"hadeverlefthimwasReya.
***
Thatday,Luhadbeeothecrimese.
Therewasn''''''''tmuchlefttoiigate.Theseniordetectiveshadalreadydoheirwork.Thebodyjusthadn''''''''tbee,supposedlysohecould"gainexperience,""applyhisknowledge"and"tributetothecase."
Thetruthwaslessgmorous:theerwasstutraffic,sotheylefthimtheretobabysitthecorpse.
Thegroundwasamess,trampledwithfootprintsfromgawkingvilgers.EvenSherloeswould''''''''vebeenuselesshere.
Peoplelovedaspectacle.Deaththrilledthem.Theywhisperedinhushedtones,feigneddisgust,pretendedfear—thenraospreadwild,exaggeratedstories.
Lucrouched,siftingthroughdampleaves,whenashadowfelcrosshim.Hefigureditwasoheoldercops,anotherrookiehazingritual,thesametiredprankspasseddownthroughgeions.
Hepretetonotice,thensuddenlywhippedaroundwithaloudshout.
Noseniordetectivejumped.
Buthedid.
Alittlegirl,maybeten,stoodthere.Skinny,tangledbckhair,naked,herskinstreakedwithdirtanddriedblood.Shelookedlesslikeachildthansomeferalthingdraggedoutofanightmare.
Herwideeyesstaredathim,eerilyclearyetcarryingastrange,ulingaura,likeawitch''''''''scrystalballglowingwithghostlylight.
Thatwasthemomenthissurprisearrived.
***
ThegirlwastemporarilypLu''''''''shomeasafosterchild.HenamedherReya.
Luwasn''''''''tgoodwithhewordhadslippedoutbecausethevictimatthecrimesehadbeencalledReya.
Aftersolong,hecouldnolongerrecallthatwoman''''''''sfullitdidn''''''''tmatter—nowhehadhisownReya.
Shewasn''''''''tasstrikingasthedeadReyahadbeen,butatleastshetrailedhimaroundlikealoyallittleshadow,neverleavinghissi