[IC] A Killer with a Cause

[UnlikelyDisguise]

From the first moment the sun touched her face today, she knew this day held something for her. Tiger, her grey and black tabby cat with stripes just like a tiger’s, bopped her nose with his to remind her to feed him. Her apartment in this town is small and she pays by the week to avoid having to hand over too much personal information in case she had to leave quickly. That happened more often than she liked and because of that she learned not to get too comfortable in one place. She combed her loose brown hair, brushed her teeth and got dressed in her usual, black jeans and a band shirt. Queens of the Stone Age for today, her favorite band, and one of her own kind. My own kind… The thought dusted her face with a frown and she grabbed her leather jacket, the chilly fall weather enough for a jacket, but not cold enough for her to stay in. “Going for fresh coffee, Tiger…be back soon…” the big twenty pound male mewed as if he understood. She walked briskly to the little corner place run by Columbians, their coffee was enough for her to walk through the cold for, when it gets cold. She stood in line anticipating the warmth that would radiate from the coffee down her throat, and the French vanilla creamer she’d soon be tasting, warm blue eyes scanning those around her lightly. An errant thought came to her, the darkness of it caught her off guard. She tilted her head slightly, as if it would help her hear the man’s private thoughts better. “Ms?” Xavier the coffee vendor asked, breaking her focus. She quickly ordered with a smile, pulling her debit card out of her jeans pocket.

[KatherinWinter]

It was an ordinary day for Zack. He was heading to his studio downtown. He really couldn't afford to rent the space but it was the only way he could paint in peace. As much as he loved his brother Zack need time alone. Fortunately Griffin understood. His brother didnt mind being alone. If Griffin had his would be alone all the time, which is why Zack insisted they live together. Today he was dressed for painting. He had his favorite old warn out tshirt that was covered in paint splatters and comfortable old jeans that were also covered with paint splatters.

[UnlikelyDisguise]

The walk home was torturous, she could feel his eyes on her. She led him, because that was what she was, the cat to his mouse although he might have said much differently. men like him didn't like to think of themselves as weak under any circumstances. The next alley was clear, she turned. Seemingly she wandered off alone, and he followed, this sick man. His cruel eyes sized her up, he lunged. She smiled, side-stepping him and turning easily to face him. The man's face grew colder, he glared at her. She licked her lips. "You picked a nice day to die..." He tilted his head and lunged gain, she let him have one solid elbow to the back of his skull as she jumped back, allowing him to meet he ground once again. "Crazy bitch..." he uttered, shaking off a second defeat.

[KatherinWinter]

Zack was nearly to his studio when something caught his attention. He couldn't have said exactly what it was. Maybe he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Whatever it was caused him to turn his complete attention to the alley. Where he saw an unusual sight. He saw a woman attacking a man. Figuring that the man had attacked her first he head to offer his help. He would do whatever he could to help her, even though she didnt look like he needed help.

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"So, what will it be?" She offered a mock hand to him. "You don't get to walk away from this." Her tone was flat and even. Her entire focus on him, it was entirely too late when she noticed the man young man coming down the alley. At this point it didn't matter, she could turn from this incident and vanish. The police would clean up the body for her if the witness calls them, and if not she'd call Frank. Her target lunged again and she just simply grabbed his head and twisted his neck it too far to the right. The crack echoed down the mostly empty alley. It had taken her months to find this particular whack-job and she did not throw away a chance to end him over an innocent, but she would not ever hurt an innocent either. She turned to her witness, hands out. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

[KatherinWinter]

Zack started at the dead man in disbelief. "You killed him." The words works spoken softly but calmly. He was trying to make sense of what he had just seen. There had to be a logic explaination. Maybe he had threatened her family. "Why did you kill him?" He asked her curiously. Had he walked into a drug deal gone bad? Or something else? He ran several possiblities through his mind trying to fit them to what he had seen.

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"He was a very bad man..." She sucked in a deep breath. "It's what I do, take care of the bad people so that they can't continue on hurting the innocent. Check his pockets, he's got pictures of some women he was stalking. A man, whose daughter was hurt very badly by this man, came to me for help. I hunted hum down and then lured him down this alley, where he intended to rape me..." She stopped, suddenly aware of how many more words she said than she would have liked. "The police failed time and time again to keep him jail.." She waited with a tense pose, ready to sprint down the alley way towards home if this witness started to reject her reasoning.

[KatherinWinter]

"Interesting." Zack said thoughtfully. He studied the man and the the woman. "A crime fighter. How very interesting. Does it matter how long ago the crime was?" He asked curiously. Maybe he could get her to help him. The police had let the case go cold. Maybe if the man that had hurt them was killed Griffin could find some peace. His brother had never forgiven himself for what happened to them. "Will you come to my studio?"

[UnlikelyDisguise]

People who got keen on her had reacted a vast variety of different ways, but never this calm. She looked him over again. "It doesn't matter how long ago the crime was no....all that matters to me is that he got away with it and would have hurt more innocent people if not stopped..." The request to join him at his studio caught her as strange. What if this witness was really another whack-job. "Can you wait here with me for a few moments?" She tilted her head, curious yet cautious. She didn't want to end up in a situation where she'd be vulnerable. She'd need to have Frank place a fake 911 call to get the body taken care of but she waited to make that call until she knew this guy wasn't about to get her into trouble.

[KatherinWinter]

Zack frowned at her request. He shrugged. "It has waited ten years I don't think a few minutes will hurt anything. If your going to call back up you might as well do it now. Feel free to have them clarify I'm not a threat. If you gave you my name they they will pull the case file for you." He told her. He understood her caution. She didnt know who he was or what he wanted. "Tell them to pull the Green file from ten years ago."

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"I'm just going to call the 'cleaner'..." She paused, pulling her phone from her jeans pocket. She pressed one button and waited for an answer. "Yeah, good. Brown and 52nd. You better have your detective suit on..." She smiled at Frank's praises and then turned back to the tall red-haired man. "Alright, I will hear you out. But we have to get moving..." She took a few tentative steps towards the mouth of the alley before she looked back at him. "My name is Ari..." She offered him her hand which is surprisingly petite for the amount of damage her limbs can do.

[KatherinWinter]

"It's nice to meet you Ari. My name is Zack. Why don't why don't we head to my studio? It's a nice private place for us to talk. Your companion should be able to find it without a problem." He headed by the street. He figured chances were good that she would follow. She would be curious what he wanted if nothing else.

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"Frank's not coming with me to your place, Zack." She dropped her hand, confused. "I would like to hear your story first, and then dig in and see what I find out on my own...if that is acceptable to you." She is no stranger to how wicked the world is and her trust is not just handed out because someone tells her a sad story. Even if they mean every word they say, she knows full well that sometimes bad things happen because very good people believe in something that is false. Yet her curiosity is piqued by a young man who didn't seem to question her motives at all, he seemed to be comfortable with her enough to be about to ask for her help, already.

[KatherinWinter]

"Then go read the reports and come back to me." Zack told her. "I'm not going to waste our time on something your going to reject anyway. Get your facts and then we will talk. But I'm not talking her in the open." He told her as he stopped at the office where his studio was. "Zackary and Griffin Green ten years ago last month. When your willing to really listen you'll know where to find me." He opened the door and went inside without looking back at her.

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"If the police report is not going to tell me your story then it won't be helpful. So you have to talk first or I don't have the perspective I need..." Further confused she paused and gently spoke. "I want to help you, I just wanted to make sure no one found the body before they got here.." She motioned to the van that pulled up and was labeled as the city coroner, typical black ford with the tinted windows. She nodded to the driver and then looked to Zach. "I'm ready to listen if you want to talk.."

[KatherinWinter]

"You'll listen but you won't believe me" Zack told her patiently. "You fully intend to double check my story. I don't blame you. I could be some weirdo selling you a story. I'm sure you hear all kinda of crazy shit in your line of work. I want you to be able to compare my story with the facts in the police file. It will save time if you know the facts first. That way you'll know if it's worth your time or not."

[UnlikelyDisguise]

She turned to face him fully, the tilt of her head denoted a serious tone. "The police don't always tell the truth, and neither do people asking for help. So I want to give you the chance to tell me the truth before I hear any other version of your story." Her tone was low, her eyes serious. "I can come with you now or give you a cell number you may be able to reach me on at another time.." She stayed quiet for a second, clearing her mind. Waiting to gauge him and see if he would take her up on her offer of the cell phone number.

[KatherinWinter]

"Now would be better. I am usually available but not always. Come up with me and I will tell you my story." Zack indicated to the stairs the lead to his loft. "My only question is if you don't trust me and you don't trust the police, then who do you trust. How do you decided if an old case is worth pursuing? I don't really want to drag up all those memories just to have you decide that it isn't worth your time."

[UnlikelyDisguise]

"I trust myself." She walked off into the direction he indicated and would then follow him up the steps to his home. "I have come across liars and sickos in all colors and shapes while doing this job.." She kept a sharp eye on him and her surroundings. "But I want to help you. If you believe- after what you saw of me- that you need my help, then I want to offer it..." She could have gone on, I Help people, it is what I do...

[KatherinWinter]

"I believe that you can help me." Zack told her as he opened the door to his studio. The studio was a large room. There was a couch in the middle of the room. Several easels were scattered around the room. Canvases leaned against the wall along two of the walls. The third wall was covered with shelves from floor to ceiling. One the shelves were tubes of paint. "I'm afraid I can't offer you much but would you like a soda or some water?" he asked heading to the kitchen.