Blame: Book 2- Tick Tock (The Sequel to Book 1)

A Phonecall

Dan's POV

     "Hey guys," the former colleague mumbled with a small smile on his lips. The chains of his handcuffs jangled as he moved his chair closer to the table, letting the feet of the chair screech against the tiled floor.

     "How's..." I cringed at my next words, "prison life?"

     "It could be better," Will smiled. "I heard your life is getting better?"

     "I guess. But it doesn't feel the same without you, mate," I sighed, brushing up my deflated quiff with my hand.

     "But you have a new partner, right?" his cuffs clinked against the steel table as he pointed to Charlie.

     "Yeah, but I miss you." 'Dan! Don't fucking cry in front of everyone! Detectives aren't supposed to show emotion!'

     "Ahem," Detective Orton coughed for everyone's attention. "I believe that Will needs to know what happened today?"

     "Oh! Right!" I sheepishly laughed, turning my body back to my friend. "It's about that..."

     "What?!" Will's eyes grew wide with shock and fear. "The Nightmare contacted you???" he read my mind instantly. "When?!"

     "During my coffee break with Charlie," I replied quietly.

     "Do you think she's planned something?" the rookie asked.

     "Most likely, yes," Orton said with a solemn expression. "And we need to find her, before she strikes again."

     "Agreed." We all replied in unison, including the prisoner.

     After our serious conversation, Kyle decided to light up the mood by making some type of morgue joke about scalpels. It wasn't the greatest pun or joke, but at least it broke the depressing atmosphere. So we all got carried off into the wonderful world of conversation, each of us starting a small chat with Will either about cats and kittens, strange murder cases, David Lynch (obviously that was me), people who've come and gone from the L. P. D., Charlie's recruitment, love lives, girlfriends, Woody's condition, and many other things that were somewhat entertaining to everyone.

     Sadly, our time was up, and Will was to be taken back to his prison cell, disappointedly looking back at us before the steel door shut, breaking contacting with him. Isolation was the worst. We slowly exited the building, the depressing and dark atmosphere building up again as we parted ways to go to our designated vehicles. Charlie was on his phone for the most part, while I stared into the distance of the London cityscape, letting pessimistic thoughts run through my skull, unable to escape. It was only when we stopped at a traffic light, that words started to fill the car.

     "Dan."

     "Yeah?"

     "Do you think I'll be able to be a decent detective?" my new partner sadly stared out his window.

     "Of course, why wouldn't you?"

     "Well, I'm scared of seeing something that won't ever leave me," he looked at me.

     "I had that fear too," I quietly replied, eyes glued to the roads. "But I got over it when I realized it's my job to do that. Sometimes, seeing a victim adds fuel to my fire, it makes me want to solve the case no matter what happens. And you'll have your ups and downs, but with me and the others, you'll get through," a reassuring smile formed across my lips.

     "Thanks," Charlie smiled back.

     "Agh!!!" I slammed my fists upon my desk, letting the frustration consume me. The Nightmare case was going nowhere, and time was running out for Will, I couldn't let her slip through my grasp again, not like last time, not ever.