The putrescent of rotting flesh and sunbaked wood mixed with the smell of musty salty air filled Moon Stone’s nose. Giving Starknight a disgusted look she paid him no attention while she brought the car to a stop near a large wooden fence. Getting out both officers uncliped their holster straps keeping their hands close to their guns ready to draw them in a moments notice.

“Ugh” Starknight heard Moon Stone groan out in disgust, “I thought I had completely forgotten what the smell of burnt flesh smelled, like” making a slightly sickly face he added, “can we get this done with as soon as possible please? This place is bringing back memories that I would sooner forget sergeant”.

Looking around Starknight quickly found a burned body nearby getting closer to it she saw its head, and arms above the elbows, as well as its legs above the knees were all missing. Gulping at the ghastly sight she covered her mouth and nose with her hand trying hard not to vomit. Looking around further and not seeing the CSI team within her immediate sight she dropped her hand to her gun as she began to search the area.

“Where the hell is the CSI person that is supposed to be---” she began only to cut herself short hearing the sound of metal clips popping open spinning around her eyes fell to a young woman with shoulder length red hair, deep orange eyes, tan skin with thick glasses under thick protective goggles. “Ah there you are Charm Haste I was---” she started to finish only to be interrupted.

“Ooh lookie here” Charm Haste said leaning close to the burned corpse, not looking up as she yanked something from the cadaver’s upper chest area “I think I found something”. Glancing up she offered Starknight who glared back at her with scorn a happy but concerned smile, “here take a look” she continued eagerly practically thrusting her hand into Starknights face.

“Really do you have to thrust that so close to my face Charm Haste”?

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to see this really cool piece of wood that I found” she replied watching in disbelief as Starknight took a few steps back. “ It's from the Sequoia Sempervirens also known as redwood which into itself is rather cool because it's rare to find something like this in this area” Starknight could see held in Charm Haste hand was a small split piece of wood “I think this is what killed this person though” looking back at the burned corpse Charm Haste finished, “I won’t know that for sure until I get this person back to the C.P.S and finish with the autopsy”.

“Really you think that tiny piece of wood killed this person”? She replied making a slightly sickly face as Charm Haste cut bits and pieces of burnt flesh off the dead body and placed them into plastic jars for later study. “Alright then who cut off the head, arms and l-legs”? Getting a better look at the corpse in front of her Starknight saw to her complete disgust that the bodies stomach had burst open from the inside out. Its large and small intestines were splattered on the wharfs wooden surface. “I can’t believe I am actually looking at this disgusting thing”. She thought to herself.

“This is why I didn’t want my little sister to join us” Moon Stone chimed in giving Starknight a passing glance he added, “Hey didn’t you say we got a call for a ten-twenty four so uh,” looking around he finished, “where are the officers that went down in this area”

“Oh, those idiots” Charm Haste quipped “are in the back of the warehouse section taking a swan dive off the peer and right into nap ville”.

“ What else do you have there Charm Haste” Starknight asked foolishly stepping a bit closer she caught sight of the rest of the burned corpse something she very quickly came to regret. The chest itself was ripped open a bitter greenish-brown alkaline fluid was clearly seen seeping forth from the wound. Gulping she stepped back having seen the heart, esophagus, trachea, lungs, and thoracic diaphragm were all completely ripped out turning away from the grizzly sight she whispered to herself, “God I’m going to be sick”.

“I’ve seen worse you know” Moon Stone said noticing how sick Starknight was starting to look “trust me sergeant I have seen much, much worse than this”.

“Aw shut up Rookie” he heard Starknight groan “let's go see if we can find our fallen officers and find out if the person that did this is still here” turning her attention to Charm Haste she added, “you get that---”

Starknight watched in complete disgust while Charm Haste cut the cadavers penis off placed it into a plastic jar and stood up. Holding the penis up to the sunlight she snickered to herself, “Well this poor fellow won’t have to worry about fathering any children any time soon.''

“Listen I am going to go see if I can find those officers” Moon Stone finally said trying to step in between the two “Seargant I---”

“If I can’t figure out what actually killed this person” Charm Haste interrupted him “I might as well have some free lunch while I am here” hearing Starknight retch Charm Haste turned in her attention fully to her rolling her eyes while Starknight lost her lunch all over the wharf she added, “you know this might actually make a pretty good hot-dog” holding up the severed penis she looked around with a foolish smirk on her face finishing, “Hey Starknight you got any mustard”?

“To heck with this” she growled in reply whipping her hand over her mouth turning her attention to Moon Stone she angrily finished, “Lets go rookie”!

Taking Moon Stone by his hand Starknight quickly led him down the pier towards a large stone and brick building getting to it a few minutes later. Walking inside she saw an ambulance and paramedics already inside. Following her in both kept a very watchful eye out for anyone that might want to use them for some target practice. Getting to the medics a few seconds later she noticed the fallen officer was Dew Shadow rushing over to him she stopped hearing Meadows Brook’s familiar voice.

“Whoa hold up there sergeant” he called out to her “He’ll be alright just a broken shoulder and busted leg”.

“The person that did this has already left the area”. She heard Cloudy Skies inject giving him a confused look she listened as he finished, “Be grateful that you and the rookie weren’t here for it whatever drug that person was using it made her or him really fast and very strong''.

Looking around she saw a large hole in the right side of the building walking up to it Starknight noticed the wall was made of brick and concrete slabs each nearly three feet thick. Turning back to Cloudy Skies she gave him as confused look before stepping through the hole heading towards the stony shoreline. Noticing a flipped over car she turned to all the two officer while Moon Stone stayed behind a bit to check the immediate area for anything that might help with their case.

“The person that attacked us sergeant” she heard Cloudy Skies begin, “also punch through that brick wall back there and did this to this car”.

“You’re kidding right?” she asked pointing to the car “there is no way a human being can do this much damage to a brick wall or to a car I mean look at this thing it's completely trashed”. Starknight saw clearly that the car’s windshield was completely caved inwards the steering wheel was sticking through a large hole in the center of the windshield. “I mean really you guys must think me to be a complete idiot if you honestly expect me to fall for this bullshit”.

“But sergeant its true”. Meadows Brook protested “we both nearly got killed fighting with that person she or he moved so fast I couldn’t get a shot off both of us tried to take that person into custody yet we couldn’t do so due to that person being so fast and strong”.

“Okay I am so not playing this game with either of you two” Looking further at the car she saw that the driver’s side door was completely ripped off its hinges and the back of the car was ripped apart. “now I will ask you both one more time, what actually happened here and how did that hole in that brick wall back there actually get there”?

Both Meadows Brook and Cloudy Skies frowned at Starknights disbelief in their words to her each officer stared coldly at her neither were sure what to do next. The sudden sound of gunfire followed by of the medics screaming for help quickly drew their attention back to the building. Racing past them Starknight drew her weapon watching Moon Stone enter the building his weapon already drawn. To her horror and shock she watched him come flying back out hitting the water's surface with a sickening watery splash. Skidding to a halt a few feet from the hole in the way her heart pounded in her chest her breathing slowed her eyes narrowed. Looking around she slowly entered the building gulping soon finding a person cloaked in a dusty black cloak kneeling down next to Dew Shadow.

“You there freeze” she screamed pointing her gun at the cloaked figure watching as the cloaked figure slowly stood up turned to face her and titled its hooded head to the right “I said---”

Her words were painfully cut short as a gloved fist struck her in the middle of her chest, sending her flying backwards out the hole and into the freezing water. Hitting the water with a loud splash she frantically began trying to keep her head above the water feeling something grab onto her Starknight screamed gulping down some water.

“Hold on” Moon Stone’s voice boomed like thunder “Keep your head above the water” he screamed desperately trying to help her stay a float “sergeant you need to calm down”. Seeing her go under he dove after her his thoughts began to dwell on his sister, reaching Starknight a few moments later he reached out grabbing her hand pulling her back to the surface. “Don’t do this to me sergeant I can’t do this job on my own” he thought to himself making it to the surface of the water gasping for air he quickly placed her on top of him getting the two of them back to shore. Coughing he rolled Starknight off of him patting her back as she upchucked several mouthfuls of water. “That’s it serge spit it out get it all out of your body”.

“What the---” she coughed out “did you---” coughing some more Starknight laid on her back grateful to be alive “see what it was that did this Moon Stone?” she finally said through a few more bouts of coughing.

“No all I saw was something in black then I hit the water and came back up as you hit the water” getting up he held out his hand to her helping her up he added, “what the hell was that”?

Whipping her hand over her mouth she went to draw her weapon only to find it was gone, her eyes widened in shock looking to Moon Stone she glanced down seeing his weapon as also missing. Closing her eyes she thought to herself, “this can’t be happening how could we both lose our weapons”? Heading back to the building she noticed Dew Shadow was out cold the medics were both lying face down each one having clearly been knocked out and Meadow Brooks was gone along with Cloudy Skies.

“Dammit” she screamed in frustration “come on we have to get to Charm Haste”.

Both officers quickly ran to the other side of the building getting back to Charm Haste’s location a few minutes later. Looking around Moon Stone spotted her a few feet from his location getting up to her he watched her rub the back of her head giving him a confused very disoriented look. Looking around herself Charm Haste slowly stood up groaning in both pain and irritation.

“Damn” she said getting help from Moon Stone to stand up “they took the body, my evidence case and all my equipment” dusting herself off she growled out “Son of a flower” receiving a slightly raised eyebrow from Moon Stone she blushed adding, “oh sorry pardon my language”.

“Who’s ‘they’ Charm Haste” he asked nodding towards Starknight who was just coming up to the pair, “can you tell us who actually did this to us or why those other officers were actually down here”.

“I believe we can answer your second question officer Moon Stone” he heard Cloudy Skies say behind him turning around he grunted out a forced sigh as Cloudy Skies finished, “the two of us got a tip saying that several of the stolen cars that were reported in were somewhere in this immediate vicinity so we came to check it out and got ambushed by whatever that person is or…was”.

Giving Cloudy Skies a concerned look he looked over to Starknight who in turn gave both an angry glare. Hearing footsteps coming up behind them all three turned around to see Meadows Brook coming up to them. His clothing was covered in dust and like Moon Stone and Starknight he was also missing his gun getting a worried look from Starknight he shook his head.

“First” he began, “you should know that Dew Shadow is going to be alright” hearing the ambulance sirens coming from the building everyone watched the ambulance drive out of the building heading towards the inner city “and second” he added, “I also don’t know what really happened here all I can say is that person was fast and very well trained in some form of hand to hand combat” walking away from the group he stopped looking over his shoulder finishing, “you coming Cloudy or are you just going to sit here and twiddle your thumbs”?

“Hey wait a minute” he heard Starknight call out to them “I’m not done questioning you two yet”.

“Hey sergeant” he grumbled out as Cloudy Skies headed towards him “ask me if I give a flying rats tail if your done or not”? Turing to leave he snickered, “unlike you I don’t have to babysit this idiot so you go off and have fun playing ‘cop’ while the rest of us actually have work to do Cloudy and I have two more places to check for the stolen cars so we’ll be seeing you and the kid later”. Laughing coldly he slapped Cloudy Skies on his shoulder pushing him forward “come on we need to find those damn cars and close this case”.

“Uh, er ye-yeah sure thing Meadows” He replied rubbing his shoulder.

“Sergeant Starknight” she heard Moon Stone growl bitterly “why are you letting them talk to you like that let alone walk away from this”.

“Because they are both detectives and I am only a sergeant I don’t have the authority to suspend them or punish them unlike the authority that I have with you that is” shaking her head she added, “now let's go back in there and see if we can find out missing weapons before we both get reported for losing them”.

Giving her a confirmed nod he followed her back to the building each getting their a few moments later entering the building again both stood in silence. Each officer saw their weapon lying on the ground in the center of the building walking up to their weapons both gave the other a confused look. Looking at the spot where their weapons were placed Starknight saw a note card had been left behind taking out a medical glove from her duty belt she knelt down picking it up.

“I am terribly sorry for the trouble she caused you” Starknight began to read aloud “I promise you both, I will speak with her about her actions at the pier today. Please be rest assured that this won’t happen again”. Setting the card into an evidence pouch she stood up picking up the guns handing Moon Stone his gun and holstering hers she watched him check his gun then put it back into his holster. Looking around she quickly found the other officers guns nearby. “Come on we better collect those before someone else does”

Walking over the guns she stopped as she was about to pick up the other officers weapons when Moon Stone asked, “So back at the water sergeant why couldn’t you keep your head above the water”?

“I, uh” sighing she picked up the other two guns checked them and handed them to Moon Stone finishing, “let's go back to the precinct and forget about this awful day alright rookie”?

“But sergeant if you can’t swim I’d be more than----”

“You will drop this line of questioning this instinct do you fully understand me”!?! She growled out adding, “now I am going to head back to the car you however can stay here if you like or you can come back to the precinct however, if you choose to head back to the precinct then you’ll fully drop this right here and right now” walking away from him she finished, “make your choice”.

Choosing to drop his line of inquiry with her he quickly followed her back outside towards their parked cruiser getting inside the car a few moments later he looked at the wharf and the building. Glancing down he sighed catching Starknights attention looking back up as she started up the car he buckled up saying, “I take it no one is going to believe us when we file this report huh sergeant”?

“Your right Moon Stone I doubt anyone would actually believe this” starting up the car she added, “but either way Internal Affairs is going to want to know what happened here and we have a duty to perform”.

“Not those assholes again come on do I really have to deal with those idiots again sergeant”?

“It may not be the same pair of officers who will question you or it might be the same ones I can’t say for sure all I can say is that you just be yourself and stick to the facts nothing less and nothing more.” Taking a right and stopping at a red light she turned to face him adding, “Don’t add stuff that didn’t happen and don’t try to imply anything just stick to what you know and you’ll be fine.” hearing him grumble something under his breath she finished, “and no grumbling either they hate it when officers do that”.

“Fine” he replied folding his arms over his chest noticing the time he added, “hey it's almost one o’clock you want to get something to eat before we head back and uh, deal with this mess”

“Sure where too” she replied driving forward.

“How about the sweet snacks cafè it's only about thirty minutes away from our present location”. Picking up the radio he added, “mind if I call it in while you drive”? Giving him approving nod she let her thoughts dwell on her first time going to the restaurant snapping back to reality hearing Moon Stone call in their plans for lunch. “Dispatch this is car Sixty-four-seven we are requesting a ten - forty seven”

“This is dispatch car sixty-four-seven” he heard over the radio “ten - twelve officers” a few more seconds went by while the pair waited for confirmation for their break time to be approved they didn’t need to wait long, “alright car sixty-four-seven your ten - forty seven is a ten - four” putting the radio back in its place his hand froze as the dispatcher continued, “What will be your ten - twenty”?

“Damn I forgot about that,” he muttered to himself causing Starknight to chuckle, picking up the radio he added, “our ten - twenty will be the sweet snacks cafè”.

“Alright ten - four officers both of you enjoy your ten - forty seven”

“We will” he replied placing the radio back into its position “once we get there I’ll pay for the meal” getting a disapproving look from Starknight he added, “I know I should use that extra money for Moon Dancer but I wanted to do something nice for you”.

“Then perhaps you should reread the officers code of conduct booklet because I as your training officer and your sergeant can’t and won’t allow you to do this. You will pay for own meal as I will pay for mine. Got it? Now don’t even think of doing this again”.

Getting to the restaurant thirty minutes Starknight pulled into a parking space shut the car off and got out still soaking wet she walked behind the car opened it taking out a two bags. Setting them down on the ground she heard the passenger door open and close paying Moon Stone little attention she rummaged through the trunk of the car before setting down a third small duffel bag. Seeing what she was doing he walked over to her looking at the bags then to her with a confused look on his face.

“We’re both soaking wet I have in these bags clothing that will fit both of us now” handing him one of the three bags she added, “take this go into the restroom get changed and meet me in the dining area then we can get some food”.

“Alright” he replied taking the bag from her “I’ll be back in about ten minutes”. Entering the restaurant he quickly found the restroom opening the door he walked in turning to face one of the five stalls he froze feeling something cold, hard and metal being thrust against the back of his head, “aw son of a----” hearing the clicking of a guns hammer being cocked into position he cut his words short.

“You move you die”

Next Chapter: Wednesday, August 3rd 1:02 pm part nine Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 18 Minutes