SENTIENT

Anomaly

a·nom·a·ly /əˈnäməlē/ noun: something unusual enough to be noticeable.

Inside the Chevy, AJ sat with the heater on and the window cracked open. So much for a first day. A quick lunch and a cigarette break should do it. She blew smoke out of her nostrils.

Her fingers flipped photographs of the Blueblood Ripper victims as her jaws chewed her burger. She has mastered the skill of not associating what she's eating with what she's seeing. Otherwise, she would have stopped eating the moment her career started.

She looked closer at the autopsy photographs. Six bodies had been tortured and tranquilized with dangerous substances. All of the victims were ripped open surgically and had various organs removed. Kidneys, lungs, liver, you name it.

Their bodies reminded her of the worst ways to die. Compared to the other victims, the third victim was disposed in the worst place possible. It was badly mutilated and dumped in a swamp that further quickened its state of decay.

There it is. That strange mark. A distinguishable bruise on the victim's chest that did not look like the rest of the bruises. Rectangular shaped with rounded edges – almost like a defibrillator.

She checked the autopsy report. Cracked rib was suggested to have been result of violent beatings, but what if it had been the result of a CPR?

Is it possible that the suspect has been trying to keep this victim alive for a purpose?

AJ could not believe herself at first without a partner to consult, but the photographs spoke to her enough.

Cuts on the first victim was a little jagged and unsure, but the last victim had stern and cleaner cuts, which means this killer is gaining confidence in what they are doing or they've had initial knowledge of human anatomy.

When the rush from the eureka moment is over, AJ ran inside the building and headed to the DCU office located on the 12th floor.

"Lieutenant Elizabeth Larrosa?" AJ made her presence known by the door of Elizabeth Larrosa's glass-walled office. This caused the Lieutenant to be distracted from her work.

"Who is it?" Larrosa asked.

The woman looked amazing for fifty. In fact, she had just remarried at forty-five. Her current wife is French and an internationally published true crime author. Lately, her job and the things her wife writes have drawn a wage in their marriage.

AJ let herself in and began to introduce herself. "I apologize for coming in like this. I'm Detective Audrey Whitley from Deviants Behavioral Administration."

Larrosa decided she had time. "Great, you're here for the homicide. Have you looked into the child witness?"

AJ was quick to negate her, "Actually, no. This is about the Blueblood Ripper Investigation."

"What about? I have my team working around the clock to find our next lead. He could strike again any day from now." Said Larrosa, revealing that they knew about the killer's cycle of killing.

As she spoke, she was fidgeting about the silver wedding band on her finger and AJ noticed this although subtly.

AJ revealed the photographs of the victims on Larrosa's desk, "Have your team looked into any deviants who had history of working along medical professionals and cross-check that with deviants who had criminal history of violent behaviors and–"

Before she could finish elaborating her views, Larrosa interrupted her. "AJ, isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes, ma'am." AJ paused and swallowed. There was a long pause, "As I was saying–"