Chapter Text
They managed to patch Sticks up.
Looker had stayed right next to him through the entire process, and had eventually told Mono the result, appearing to have run out of tears during it. Sticks would live, and be perfectly fine, the knife had missed most vital organs. However, the blade had partially pierced his larynx, making it extremely painful for him to talk for the rest of his life. Mono and Malloway hadn’t known what to do except comfort Looker, who was completely distraught.
While the department had caught Arson, Kleo, Persephone and Vale, when Mono had eventually been pried away from Sticks and tried to lead the department to where Runaway had been, all they had found was a broken window that suggested he had escaped again. If the killer wasn’t one of the four, they had slipped out without any cops seeing them, which was next to impossible. Considering none of them had powers, not even Kleo, which was extremely shocking, the possibility of them somehow getting around without being seen was almost as impossible, so Mono was completely stuck on who it could be.
Sadly, even though Sticks had survived, Mono had caught a glimpse of the next care room over. Right when they had got to the department, an officer had put a sheet over Raina’s face and wheeled her out, presumably to deliver to her family. Persephone was the only member of the four not in interrogation at the moment, she was occupying the third care room. She was in shock, apparently, and so far she was receiving no visitors as a precaution. Mono had been sick to his stomach seeing her missing hand, even though the EMTs had cauterized the wound and helped out with it, she still wouldn’t talk to any of them.
Mono felt sorry for her, and had even asked for her to at least be able to see Vale since they seemed to be friends, but that wasn’t going to happen until they were done questioning him. So far he had been talking a lot, but nothing important. The only clue they had was when they were rifling through his seemingly endless pockets for evidence, they had noted a patch that looked like it was supposed to be for a jacket or coat, white lines making a black flower. The symbol of Veronica. So far the chief had shared that info with Mono, confirming his suspicions that the two of them were part of Veronica’s crew. Arson and Kleo both hadn’t said a word as to their operations or motives, and questioning them had mostly proved to be fruitless. Neither of them were willing to say anything, although Arson was constantly bouncing around in his seat whenever they tried to question him.
So the department had finally let Mono in to talk to them, which he had already tried with Persephone to no avail. Now it was his turn to speak to Vale. He sat down in the dingy interrogation room, everything in here the most stereotypical thing possible for an interrogation, annoying buzzing lights, metal desk, and uncomfortable chairs. The first thing Mono did was screw the lightbulb in so it would stop buzzing, then curled his legs underneath him to sit on the chair so he was a bit more comfy. “Okay, Vale, was it?”
Vale nodded, looking glum. He didn’t seem as talkative as the other officers had mentioned recently. Mono adjusted his seating position, then leaned back a little. “Kid, we know by now that you and Persephone are working with Veronica.”
That information barely seemed to faze him, so Mono guessed that he already knew they had guessed that. So instead he tried a different tactic. “Vale, are you and Persephone co-workers, or friends?”
“Friends,” Vale responded quickly, looking much smaller without his coat. His hands were fidgeting on the desk, too far away to take anything from Mono, giving him a twitchy appearance. “We’re definitely friends.”
Mono nodded, smiling a little. “Okay then. I wanna get you to her room, she’s not doing so great right now.”
Vale looked up quickly. “Are you people helping her, or is she in a cell like mine?”
“She’s in the holding hospital,” Mono responded gently. “We needed to keep her here, but also make sure she didn’t lose too much blood or anything else.”
A little suspicion disappeared from Vale’s eyes, and he became a little more animated. “Okay, so why am I here still? If I was gonna get charged for the stealing you’d have sent me to jail by now.”
Mono folded his hands, wondering how to phrase it. “Kid, right now they suspect you of murdering four people and nearly having it be five. Someone’s been going around murdering leaders in business and you, along with Arson, Kleo and Persephone, were all in the building where it first happened.”
Vale looked visibly shaken. “There’s no way you guys think I’m a murderer, Persephone could tell you that much! I might steal stuff but there’s no way I could ever kill anyone!”
“I believe you,” Mono said, making calming motions with his hands. “I honestly don’t know who it could be, but we do have to catch them. Is there anything you remember about last night, anything that could help me at all to catch this person?”
The kid seemed to think for a little bit, then shook his head. “I wasn’t anywhere near Persephone, I got distracted with other stuff.”
Stealing from Vanessa, Mono thought privately. It was extremely obvious Vale had kleptomania, and the department had found enough personal belongings of Vanessa in his pockets to confirm his alibi. It wasn’t enough to exonerate him, but it would help him get off with a lighter sentence.
“Well, if you remember anything,” Mono stood up, stretching a little. “I’ll be around, if you wanna talk more I’m here any time.” Vale nodded, lost in thought. Mono walked out of the room, nodding to the officers outside, the chief among them. “What do you think?”
Zim gave another glance to Vale behind the one-way glass, then sighed. “I don’t know. Even if he isn’t the killer, he’s going to be sent to juvenile hall no matter what. If he is the killer, then he’s a pretty good liar. We just don’t know, he could have grabbed things to steal to make his alibi more convincing.”
Mono nodded, his exhaustion starting to catch up with him. “And there was nothing in his pockets that could help, besides the flower patch?”
“Nothing,” Zim responded. “Only that gave a clue to what he’s been up to, everything else was in specific pockets. I think he organizes them by location.”
A thought occurred to Mono. “Did you keep them organized?”
Zim gave him a curious glance. “We did, why?”
“I might not need to interrogate the other two after all,” Mono responded, speeding off to the evidence room. His idea wasn’t perfect, but it might help. He brushed past several officers, making his way over to the table where Vale’s stolen goods were spread out. He noted a metal lighter in one of the sections, along with a couple of other things that Mono remembered from the building where they had first met. He smiled a little, memories resurfacing of how the kid had managed to slip away from him so easily.
There it was, the black flower patch that Vale had stolen, sitting dead in the center of a section. Around it were other belongings Mono recognized, some money, a few expensive-looking shiny objects that Mono vaguely remembered from Vanessa’s place. If Vale really did organize his stolen goods by location, he had gotten this from Vanessa’s mansion.
Mono picked up the flower, rushing back to the room and throwing open the door, startling Vale. “Kid, have they asked you where you got this?”
Vale peered at it. “Yeah, they said it meant I was working with Veronica. I just picked it up, I already said I don’t remember where I got it.”
“It was in the same pocket as all the other things you stole from Vanessa’s house,” Mono responded, passing it over to him. “Think, did you take it from Persephone’s pocket or something?”
Turning the flower over in his hands, Vale closed his eyes, apparently thinking deeply. He was quiet for so long that Mono was about to break the silence, until he opened his eyes and shook his head. “No, I didn’t take it from her. This was in a bedroom, I remember I wanted to steal a painting on the wall but it was too big.”
“What painting?” Mono asked, his thoughts already taking him to a place he didn’t want to think about.
Vale closed his eyes again, thinking even harder. “It was stars in the night sky, but they all looked weird. There was a castle too, I think.”
“Starry Night,” Mono muttered to himself. He knew exactly where Vale had been now, Vanessa had that exact replica of the famous painting hanging in her bedroom. “And you’re absolutely positive you got the flower from there?”
“Mhm,” Vale responded. “It was in a drawer under a few things, but I thought it looked cool.”
Mono felt his blood run cold. Why would the symbol of Veronica be in Vanessa’s room, and hidden like that as well? She was either working for Veronica…
Or she was Veronica.
With that thought pounding in his head, Mono grabbed the flower and ran, ignoring the questions of the chief and looking for a television close by where he could get to Vanessa fast. A hand fell on his shoulder, and he whirled to see Malloway standing there. “Mono, you okay? You ran out of there fast, is something wrong?”
“Yes,” Mono responded, seeing a TV sitting in a store window. “Vanessa has a connection to Veronica, I don’t know what it is, but she’s now-”
The number one suspect.
Mono made his brain shut up, there was no possible way it could be true, he was just going to check on her and that was all. Malloway frowned at him. “Well, get going, I’ll catch up with you at the mansion.”
Nodding gratefully to his friend, Mono rushed into the store and put his hands on the TV, crawling through and feeling his hands hit carpet, falling right into Vanessa’s living room.
There was nothing. The mansion was dark, like no one was home, a stray piece of police tape fluttering from a window. Mono got up, running from one room to the next and calling Vanessa’s name. No one answered, not even the maids that usually roamed the house when Vanessa was away normally. Eventually he found his way to her bedroom, and throwing open the door he found it was the same as everywhere else, dark and unoccupied.
Except for a single piece of paper on the bed, the note written in Vanessa’s curly handwriting.
Dolen,
I’m going to be at our summer home for the next week or so. Do come and visit me there.
Love,
V
Mono couldn’t wait for Malloway. He also didn’t know if there were any televisions inside Vanessa’s summer house, plus it might be out of his range. He had to find a way up there fast. Quickly scribbling a note to Malloway to leave by the television, he ran out to the garage, then smiled. One of Vanessa’s cars was still here.
Picking the one that looked like it would be the fastest, Mono placed his fingers against where the keys would go, then a tiny spark made its way from his fingers to the keyhole, making the car roar to life.
Mono grinned, then backed out of the garage, slamming his foot on the gas pedal and speeding to the road out of the Pale City. One way or another, he’d get some answers.
***
Persephone’s silence in her hospital bed was rudely interrupted by someone crashing through her doors. Silently focusing on the figure in front of her, she noticed it was the arsonist. He looked extremely upset and out of breath, but held up something for her. “Here.”
She was slightly suspicious, but took the object anyway. It was a round piece of metal with a strap attached, kind of like a makeshift helmet. Arson smiled brightly at her, bouncing up and down on his heels. “I made that, it’s for my friends to protect themselves.”
Persephone finally spoke, her voice a little cracked. “When did you…I thought you were in lockup?”
“I was,” Arson responded, completely unconcerned. “I got out when they were trying to take me somewhere else, I wanted to see you.”
Feeling a little confused, Persephone glanced at the kid. “Why would you want to see me? I was trying to catch you, remember?”
Arson nodded. “I know. You were working for someone, I know. You’re still cool.”
“I’m cool?” Persephone said, her voice struggling to work. “Thanks, I guess?”
Arson hopped up on the seat next to her hospital bed, patting her head. “It’s to make sure you don’t get hurt again. I made it before I got caught, it was supposed to be for Sticks, but I think you need one too.”
His innocence was nearly laughable at any other time, but for some reason Persephone didn’t mind it right now. “Hey, kid. Why are you so nice to someone who tried to capture you?”
The kid smiled. “Cause you’re nice. You were nice enough to not just shoot me and be done with it, plus you just seem like a good friend.”
Persephone felt strangely better hearing that, and decided she didn’t dislike Arson as much anymore. “You want to be my friend?” Arson nodded eagerly. She chuckled a little softly, then put the helmet on Arson’s head instead. “You need this more than I do, but I have a different way you can help me.” She smiled at the sparkles forming in his eyes, knowing she had gotten him to listen. “If you can pull the same trick of getting away from the cops twice,” she said, hearing the footsteps outside that confirmed they had discovered Arson here, “then we just might be able to all get out of here. You in?”
***
Mono had finally arrived at the Pearce summer home. Braking the car hard, he parked quickly and ran straight for the doors, noting the two other cars parked there belonging to Vanessa and her parents. So she was here, and so far he saw no signs of anything wrong. Oddly, this was the moment he had dreaded for months prior to the whole fiasco with Veronica. Back when he had been dating Vanessa, his worst fear had been accidentally walking into her house at the wrong time, and running into her parents. He had been told by Vanessa that they didn’t approve of him dating her, but would let her do whatever she wanted anyway. Mono hadn’t liked the sound of that, and had gone to great lengths to avoid them.
Now he was going to meet them anyway. Somewhat fitting that it would happen after he had already broken up with her. Mono took a deep breath, unconsciously fixing his hat, then pushed open the doors and braced for the inevitable rush of questions and accusations.
When no one was there to greet him, Mono’s eyes narrowed. This place looked just as deserted as the mansion in the city, except some lights were on. Mono let his powers feel out the place a little bit, noting active electricity in the rooms above him. He started to take the stairs two at a time, a strange feeling of dread rising in him as he rehearsed how he was going to ask Vanessa about what had happened. Well, we found a connection to Veronica in your room, you wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?
In front of her parents too. He was going to be very, very dead by the time the hour was out. Mono hesitated in front of the next door, then decided not to delay and opened it.
And instead of Vanessa to greet him, an officer was standing directly in front of him. Mono blinked, both of them staring at each other awkwardly, until the officer coughed and Mono was brought back to reality. “Sorry, hi. What are you doing here?”
The officer also seemed to remember what he was supposed to be doing. “Missing persons case, Vanessa Pearce. I just came in here to talk to her parents, they’re in the next room over. What are you doing here, Detective?”
“Missing?” Mono asked, his brain starting to swirl. “She was fine last night, where did she go after the department talked to her?”
“I don’t know,” the officer replied. “Last I heard, she was headed here, but never made it.”
Mono started to respond, then quieted completely down to hear something muffled. The officer paused as well, just as the sound clicked in Mono’s brain and he glanced at the officer’s name tag. “So, Ryen, how long have you been with the department?”
Ryen responded by drawing his gun and pointing it at Mono, his friendly demeanor gone. “About a year, Detective.”
“Right around the time I chased down Veronica,” Mono added, the pieces falling in place perfectly. “And you’ve been feeding her information ever since.”
Smirking, Ryen gestured with the gun. “You’re very smart, Detective. Thankfully, Veronica is smarter, and already has what she wants.”
Mono obligingly made his way into the room, then halted at seeing the scene inside. Tied together on two chairs were Vanessa and Runaway, Vanessa crying and looking panicked while Runaway looked beaten and even more bruised than when Mono had fought him. Mono’s brain stopped, trying to work out what he was seeing. If Vanessa was here, then-
“Oh, it’s Mono! ” a smooth voice said, overlaid with distortion. “So glad you could make it, I was hoping you’d get led into my last game.”
Mono turned, seeing a figure with their back turned to him, wearing a completely black coat with white outlines on the back forming a flower. He glared at the figure. “Veronica.”
Veronica turned, a brown braid cascading out of the hood of her raincoat. She lowered the voice modulator, revealing Raina’s smiling face. “So nice to finally meet you properly, Detective.”
Freezing in place, Mono barely noticed Ryen handcuffing his wrist to a pole. “Wait- you’re-”
“I’m legally dead, yes.” Veronica responded, standing up. “It wasn’t easy either, I was very lucky that Vanessa didn’t check my pulse before Ryen here got to me.” She smiled at Mono, still seemingly exactly the same as when she had met Mono in the mansion. “He was so very helpful, getting me out of the department and tricking that spoiled brat into coming here. I can fake a note very easily, but I never imagined it would get both of her boyfriends here.”
Mono blinked a few times, still trying to catch up. “But I saw you- the killer was in the mansion, they got to Persephone and Sticks-”
Veronica smirked. “Oh, your friend? Yes, that was me.” Mono’s eyes widened as Veronica continued. “You were right, you know. Ryen told me what you told Zim, and this all was a threat to Vanessa’s family. How do you think they got rich?” She gestured triumphantly. “They gave me everything I could ask for, thinking they were making business with a legitimate partner, until it was simply too late for them to back out. But they did try, and would have succeeded had I not also been best friends with their daughter, who tells me everything Mommy and Daddy are up to.”
Slowly, it began to make sense to Mono. “So, you started killing to get your message across.”
“Be quiet!” Veronica snapped, her temper flaring. “I’m the one gloating, stop ruining my moment! I can just drop these two off a cliff now, would you like that?”
Mono shut up, letting Veronica continue. She sighed, massaging her temples, then spoke a little more shortly. “Anyway, point is, two thumbs up for our leading detective, who ran around exactly like I wanted him to while I simply got into the buildings using Vanessa’s clearance and dragged my victims into their positions, hoping you would get my message, and you did. You even found the flower and thought Vanessa here was me, and that’s what they’ll think when they get here.” She smiled, bouncing up and down a little excitedly. “Her and Veronica’s right-hand man, both heroically stopped by the brave detective, who tragically sacrificed his life sending them all off the cliffs into the sea.”
Ryen started to drag the chairs closer to the window, which led directly to a cliff. Veronica sighed, fixed her braid, then sat back down. “Hurry up, Ryen. I have plans for this weekend, and I’d prefer them dead as quickly as possible.”
A polite knock came at the door. Veronica froze in place, then gestured to Ryen, who took out his gun and moved closer just as it burst open, Malloway standing there with his gun out, Looker behind him with all four delinquents close by. Mono had never been so happy to see him in his life. Malloway didn’t hesitate to spring into action, seeing Mono handcuffed to the pole and shooting Ryen in the chest. The fake officer hissed, but got back up, the bullet having hit a bulletproof vest. A shootout ensued, the kids scattering and hiding behind the door, all except Kleo, who rushed past them and jammed something metal into Mono’s side.
Mono glanced at her just as she grinned like a maniac and pulled the trigger, sending a much higher jolt of electricity into his body.
It took a few seconds, but soon the rush of energy came back to him and he grinned, Kleo breaking the handcuff with a wrench she had on her belt, leaving the chain dangling from his wrist. He launched himself at Veronica, who jumped out of the way and made for the window, leaping through quickly. Mono followed, his body energized, but he didn’t have long to indulge in the feeling as Veronica pulled out her own gun, shooting at him while backing towards a hot air balloon, of all things, that looked ready for her to go.
Calling to her, Mono yelled, “Just come on, Veronica! They’ll get Ryen, and eventually they’ll figure out your hideouts as well. It’s over!”
Veronica looked extremely angry, missing her shots. “It’s never over! I have resources and power beyond what you can even dream of, Mono! I own this city, and I’m not going to let a wannabe detective and idealistic children steal that from me!”
Putting one foot into the balloon, Veronica started to untie the rope. Mono made a grab for her, pulling her back, but Veronica kicked him in the face, sending him backwards. His foot slipped, and he found himself starting to fall until his hand found the edge, holding on for dear life.
Raina looked down at him, then back at the house, and finally sighed, a smirk making its way onto her face. “Well, I guess I have time to gloat.” She pressed a boot onto Mono’s hand, making him wince in pain. “Mono, you really should watch where you step. This place is just so unsafe! ” She kicked one hand off the edge, then scowled. “Okay, gloating is a lot more boring than I thought it would be. Note to self, don’t monologue too much.” She aimed for his other hand.
Mono closed his eyes, desperately trying to search for any point of electricity he could use to hold on, but the cliff was solid rock. He frantically tried to reach for Veronica with his powers, and just as she kicked his hand off the edge, he felt a tug to the cliff. His entire body twisted in pain, every part of the energy Kleo’s Taser had given him going into this one act, as his body ripped itself apart and reformed just behind Veronica.
She whipped around, glaring at him outraged, and before Mono had time to react, she shot him in the shoulder and put one leg over the basket at the bottom of the balloon, starting to escape.
However, she wasn’t looking at her footing either, because the cliff literally crumbled under her other foot, making her grab the edge with white knuckles and a panicked face. Despite the pain in his shoulder, Mono dove to grab her hand, reaching out for her. Gratefully, Veronica started to grab his hand, just as Mono noticed the strain on the rope and followed it to her foot, where it was wrapped around. He started to call out a warning, just as she stretched too far and the thin and worn rope snapped.
Veronica’s eyes widened, and her grip slipped. All she could let out was a strangled yell of surprise before she plummeted down, Mono’s hand just a bit too far.
Mono looked away before she hit the water far below, and when he looked again, there was no sign of her but a coat floating on the water.
Grimacing, Mono stood up, just as Malloway burst out. “Mono, are you-” He looked around. “Did she escape?”
Mono turned to gratefully accept Malloway’s support. “No, she didn’t. It’s over.”
***
Two Weeks Later
Mono sat in a stifling office, the shiny new detective ID staring him in the face from his desk. The cleanup had been swift, Ryen taken into custody and most of Veronica’s gang exposed. Veronica’s body had not been recovered, but every professional said there was no way she could have survived the fall. Since she hadn’t resurfaced in two weeks, it was safe to assume she really was dead.
Surprisingly, no evidence had been brought against Runaway, despite Ryen claiming he had once been Veronica’s right-hand man. Only Mono knew how much money Vanessa had paid to keep that quiet. She had shocked even him by staying with Runaway, despite Mono having to break the news to her who he had been. They seemed happy enough, so Mono let them be.
Mono sighed, getting up from the desk. The chair was uncomfortable, the desk was a little too low, and the room was too well lit. He didn’t like it. Malloway stood up as well, stopping him before the door. “Where are you headed, Mono?”
“Home,” Mono said, smiling at Malloway.
Malloway understood immediately, smiling back, then nodding to his badge. “Good luck, sir. ”
Mono raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question it. After that exchange, he strolled home, opening the door to greet Looker, who was trying to corral one of Sticks’ birds. Mono smiled at that. Some things just never changed.
They hadn’t managed to recapture any of the four, they had all vanished after Veronica’s demise. Looker wouldn’t say it to anyone but Mono, but he and Malloway had found Arson in Persephone’s hospital room, and even Malloway had agreed they needed a special kind of backup to help him if Veronica was involved.
That it had cost them four delinquents seemed to bother Malloway slightly, but he let it go, considering Mono was keeping tabs on them through someone who was visiting frequently now. He nodded to her, Anne giving a smile back, then turning her head back to Sticks and continuing to help him understand sign language.
Mono sat back in his more comfortable chair, adjusted his fedora, and smiled. Anne had been visited by Arson after Looker had mentioned her, and Mono was able to make sure he was doing alright through her.
And he was a real detective now. Mono settled back, looking at his partners. A real detective, with real responsibilities. But for now, he would rest. He needed it.
***
“I assume you all know why I have called you here.”
Persephone rested one hand on the table, letting her new attachment be raised for all to see. A brace created by her new replacement for Tech, a black-haired Filipino named Kleo, served as a multitool. Currently it held her precious knife, which she held up to let the light reflect off of it. “Veronica is dead, and her crews are in disarray. A strong leader is needed, and in the question of seniority, I believe I am the most qualified?”
The other three at the table nodded, their eyes already showing they were disinterested, except for the one directly on her right, who was smiling at her with an innocent expression. Persephone patted Arson on the head with her knife, letting it hit his metal helmet that he had painted green with a clang. “Alright, enough boring talk. Who wants to cause some chaos?”
Kleo, Vale and Arson cheered, starting to grab their tools. Persephone smiled, mumbling to herself. “A fine crew indeed.”
Veronica’s old order was dead, and finally Persephone was taking her place in the world. Not as a gang leader, but as a boss. And she already had a name picked out when they ran into Mono again. Arson had picked it, and she already liked the sound of it. Mono may have helped them once, but he would try to catch her again, and she would be ready when he did. He wasn’t ready for what she had assembled.
She had created the Felony Four.
***
A foot stumbled on the ground, and the girl collapsed as yet another vision took over her brain. All she could see was a dark and shadowy figure, magic swirling all around them with corpses surrounding them. If she hurried, she could maybe find someone who would listen.
Meg managed to shake the vision off, running straight for where she knew the police department was. If anyone would listen, it might be that detective on the news, the one with the powers. She had seen him in her visions too, and she hoped beyond all hope she could reach him before what she had seen came to pass.
And she was never wrong when it came to a vision of the future.