Death was ripe in the air tonight. Double homicide. A young married couple. Man and wife. Lived in a lavish home, the kind that when you walked into it, you could tell at first glance, they never needed anything. Never felt the pang of hunger, craved the comforting embrace of a soft bed after a long day of hard labor or worried about when a bill could be paid. Yes, one glance around their immaculate, museum quality, pristine abode, told that story, in volumes stronger and louder than words ever could. Still, it was tragic, seeing them lying on the floor, their brains bludgeoned in by a meat tenderizer. Left at the scene, it was the weapon that was obviously used but why was it left there? It didn't make any sense. None of it made sense. These people had the best security. People couldn't just walk in and start bashing skulls in. There had to be more to it. Mick Ashcroft sighed loudly as he stared down at the corpses and fired up a cigarette.


"Um... sir. You can't smoke that... oh shit, sorry sir, I didn't realize that it was you."


"Oh, you didn't realize it was him?"


Riley St. Croix mocked.


"How? Are you drunk? Do you need your eyes examined? Or your head?"


Rolling her eyes, she walked up to Mick and passed a glance his way.


"Gah! Fucking beat cops. They're getting worse every year."


"You were one too. Once."


"Right. But I wasn't lame."


"Is that right?"


"Okay, maybe I was kinda, sorta lame but that was cause I was a rookie just starting out and learning the ropes. At least I paid attention and learned them. Emphasis on the paying attention part. These guys though. Man, I look at the new generations and it just feels like, the end of days are coming."


"How very biblical of you."


Mick took a drag from his cigarette, furrowing his brows as he continued to gaze upon the corpses.


"I can literally see the gears turning. So what do you make of this?"


"I'm wondering where's the third body?"


"What?"


"The third body, where is it?"


Exhaled cloud of smoke.


"What was the last name of the couple again?"


"Thomas."


Momentarily, Mick's eyes flickered closed as he sighed deeply.


"Then I ask again, where's the third body?"


"Oh, the son. Right. We haven't located him yet. Maybe he was at a friend's house?"


"No, he wasn't at a friends house. He didn't have any friends. Not his own age, anyway." *under his breath* "Or species."


"How do you know?"


Turning sharply towards Riley, Mick opened his eyes and took another pull from his cigarette.


"Merely a hunch. Nothing more. I'm going to have a brief look-see about the place; solo, if that's alright? See if I can't turn up something or possibly find answers to where we might find him."


"That's cool. Lemme know what you find."


Mick was gone and off to search the premises before Riley finished her words. Walking with purpose, he found himself in front of a door that allowed access to a young boy's bedroom. Clearly a nerd, that was into comics, video games, action figures and wrestling. Primarily the XWF. Mick immediately snuffed his cigarette out and entered. Closing his eyes, he stood still for a second and just listened. For sounds a mere mortal ear could not pick up or hear. Which led him to a steamer trunk inside of a closet, where Mick found a small teenage boy, hidden inside. Reaching down, Mick lifted the boy up by the back of his neck and he instantly started wildly attacking. All limbs flailing but none of them actually connecting with anything. Mick placed the boy down, feet first on the floor, restrained his arms and kneeled down. Looking him, directly in the eyes. As wild and all over the place as they were.


"Bradley. Bradley! It's okay. You're safe. You are safe. Do you understand? You are safe. Do you hear me? Do you recognize me at all?"


The boy blinked and stopped fighting.


"Mick? Mick Ashcroft?"


Then threw his arms around Mick's neck.


"That's me, alright. Bradley. Bradley Thomas."


The vampire detective never really knew how to respond in a situation where affection was needed but he tried his best and briefly patted Bradley on the back. When Bradley released his grasp he looked Mick in the eyes and asked.


"So they're really... gone?"


It was a naive question, commonly brought on by grief or denial, Mick grimly nodded in affirmation. The next question took him a tad off guard though.


"Then where is he?"


Mick arched a brow.


"Where is who?"


"You know who."


Just then Riley entered the room, diverting Mick's attention from Bradley.


"Hey! Did you find anything?"


Utterly astounded by such a dumb question; from his own perspective, Mick returned his sights to where Bradley once stood, only to find Bradley wasn't there...