Forbidden

Chapter 1 Pilot

Paityn was leaning carefully against the car with Hank, his partner, as he was in the jewelry store getting his girlfriend a ring. Hank ran to the other side of the car grabbing a camera and going over by her side. 

"What are you doing?" She asked motioning to the camera. 

"I gotta take some pictures. This is gonna be his last night when he's all young and innocent." He said turning it on and looking through the viewfinder. Right then Nick walked out tossing the ring up and then catching it. Hank quickly took a few pictures of his face and chuckled. 

"What's that for?" He asked coming over to them. 

"Gotta take some pictures now while you're young and innocent. Just like I told Paityn." He said elbowing her side making her giggle a bit and playfully hit his shoulder. 

"Let's get back to the precinct," she said going to the other side of the car getting ready to open the back door. She wasn't paying much attention to what Hank and Nick were talking about until Hank sighed. 

"Why can't you just look at her ass like the rest of us?" He shook his head and walked to the shotgun seat. She looked at Nick raising a brow and he shrugged. His direction was suddenly taken away as he looked at the girl. She looked right back and her face morphed. It was decayed and almost like a zombie. Her face turned back and turned to a look of worry as she sped up. 

"Did you see that?" She asked Nick. 

"I thought I was hallucinating." He said. They both got into the car and Hank looked at them both. 

"You both alright?" He asked. Nick hummed while Paityn stayed silent. "Good, because we got a call."

~~~

They arrived at the scene and Paityn put on gloves without a second thought. A park ranger walked over to meet them. He motioned for them all to follow him and they did without a second thought.

"A hiker flagged me down. Came through the ravine, said he saw something pretty bad. I didn't know what he was talking about." He started. 

"That was?" Paityn said mainly asking him to continue. They needed as much information as possible. 

"Yeah. That was until he showed me this." He said motioning to the tree in front of them. Nick walked forward with her close behind. Beside the tree was a limb, which looked like an arm, and a headband. "The rest of her is off-trail." 

He began walking them to a different section when Nick put his hands on his hips while looking at the ground. "How do you know it's a 'her'?" He asked. She looked at the hiker knowing he was going to have an obvious answer. 

"Because of this." He said. He moved a fern out of the way showing a pink Nike shoe. 

"Woman's Nike," Hank said sighing. She clicked her tongue kneeling examining it. The leg had clear signs like it was ripped off the person's body. She shivered to imagine it. She jumped when she heard Nick yell.

"Hey, we got a boot print! We're gonna need a cast over here!" He motioned for someone to come over before jogging over to them. Hank gently put his hand on her shoulder smiling softly making her stand up. She went over to the ranger.

"The DNA will tell us if this case is ours or if it's yours to deal with." She said giving the best convincing smile she could. He nodded and she turned around following Hank and Nick up the hill. 

"This sounds like what happened a month ago at Munson Creek Falls," Nick said.

"Same deal?" She asked catching up beside him. She breathed a bit heavier due to being out of shape.