SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C.- Part 2

Chapter 5

"Commissioner, you've got a call one line one, ma'am," Officer Mendez said through the intercom, "It's Ms. Myers, and she says that she needs to speak with immediately."

Zoey was pouring over incident reports and case files in her office. She rolled her eyes as she replied, "Tell her that she can wait. I've got much more important things to do than pander to wild conspiracy theories about criminals and vigilantes."

"Yes, ma'am, I've told her you were extremely busy, but she's rather insistent," Mendez said through the intercom, "She mentioned something about information on your pet. I didn't know you had one, boss, but it sounds urgent. I think she's just trying to help."

Zoey stopped and frowned. She didn't have any animals, but she often referred to Samantha as her pet. This didn't sit right with her. She already didn't trust Meg Myers, but this easily took the cake. "Put her through," Zoey said as she grabbed the old phone off of her desk, "This is Zoey, what can I do for you?"

"Good evening, Commissioner," Meg's voice replied in a smooth and cold tone, "You've been avoiding my calls for quite some time now, haven't you? It's such a shame that it's taken this level of work for us to speak, don't you think?"

"Cut the shit," Zoey replied, not in the mood for games, "You've been on my case about the Courtney Tellar incident. Blasting me and my department at every turn, trashing people like The Feral and The Raven, and practically blowing yourself in between. Let's be clear, I'm only talking to you because-"

"You're talking to me because you care for someone, and you're afraid that they may be in danger," Meg finished, "Spare me the tough talk, Commissioner, it's not going to get you anywhere with me. I must say, I'm surprised that a woman of your caliber keeps the company of such lowly rats. Then again, I suppose she does have her charm, mired as it might be by her filth. She looks wonderful in the shades of black and blue I've currently got her in."

"So help me, if you hurt her-" Zoey started before Meg cut her off again.

"You'll do nothing if you want to see her alive again," Meg warned, her tone growing darker, "If you had returned my calls, then we wouldn't have to resort to such barbaric tactics. Pain is temporary, fleeting, but true suffering goes beyond the physical, Commissioner. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to follow my instructions, and you're going to answer when I call. If you can follow simple directions, young Samantha will be fine. Should you try to defy me, or try anything foolish, then your little pet is going to pay the price."

"I'm not your lackey, Myers," Zoey said.

"You're right, you're not," Meg said with a chuckle, "You're much too pathetic to be that. You're more like a pawn, a tool for me to use. Don't try to find your pet either, Commissioner. She'll be moving periodically, and that's just going to earn her further punishment. Your first orders should be arriving shortly, and I expect you to carry them out in a timely manner. Unlike you, there are some people within your department who recognize strength and stability when they see it. Do not call me, Commissioner, I'll call you."

The line went dead, and Zoey was left standing over her desk clutching her phone. She ground her teeth in frustration before sweeping everything off her desk, throwing her phone, and growling anger, "Fucking bitch!"

She knew that Meg Myers would be trouble, but this was beyond anything she'd expected. The door to her office opened, and Detective Karen Black strolled in with a victorious grin on her face. She closed the door behind her and spoke with a smug tone, "Trouble in paradise, boss?"

"Not now, Karen," Zoey growled.

"You need to relax," Karen chuckled as she walked in, "I've got something for you. Special delivery, and I think you're going to want to see this."

Karen was holding a brown envelope in her hands and held it out to Zoey. Zoey looked at it a moment before snatching it and opening it. Inside were three pictures, each one of Sam tied, bleeding, or crying. Zoey glared at the photos for a second before tossing them onto her desk and reaching for her gun. "Where is she?" she demanded as she undid the leather strap on her holster.

"Lose the attitude," Karen ordered, unfettered, "Anything happens to me, and your little street rat will enter a world of unending pain and agony. Like I said, you need to relax and be a good girl."

"You work for that cunt?!" Zoey asked through gritted teeth, an apparent edge in her tone.

"Everyone will soon enough," Karen shrugged, "From now on, you answer to me. Consider me the mouthpiece for Ms. Myers."

Zoey didn't like it, and she certainly didn't like being spoken to in such a manner, but she didn't see another choice. "You're choosing the wrong side, Karen," Zoey said as she clenched her fist, "That bitch is going to pay for what she's done, and I'm not talking about kidnapping Samantha."

"I doubt that," Karen scoffed, "Your first order is to cut all communications with the masks, and start distancing the MPD from Blackridge Inc."

"What?" Zoey asked, "Nevermind the vigilante stance, why the hell would we cut ties to Blackridge and his contributions?!"

"Your job isn't to question or think, it's to obey," Karen barked, "You'll find out soon enough, Commissioner, just make sure you don't step out of line. Remember, how much that worthless bitch bleeds is on you. In the meantime, I suggest you get back to work. We don't want anyone asking questions or getting suspicious, boss."

Karen chuckled to herself as she exited Zoey's office. Zoey stood there grinding her teeth for a minute before throwing herself into her chair. She didn't know what was going on, but she had a feeling things were going to get worse before they got better. She wished she could alert Jake and the others, but she couldn't risk anything happening to Sam. "I'll find a way to get you out of there," she whispered as she glanced down at Sam's bloodstained picture, "I promise, and I'll make sure that these women pay for touching you."

—---------------

Beth and Pam stood outside the home of one of the kidnapped victims. Pam was wearing her heavy black coat, a black wool beanie, and her winter boots. Beth stood behind Pam wearing a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and a heavy jacket. "You gonna knock, or are we just gonna stand here and freeze?" Beth asked.

"Give me a moment," Pam sighed, "I'm working up to it."

"Babe, I've given you five minutes," Beth said, "Normally, I wouldn't say anything, but it's like twenty degrees out here. Let's see if we can get these people to let us in so we can get some answers. Hopefully, that badge Jake gave you will still carry some weight."

"Fine," Pam sighed, having heard enough, "Let's hope that Meg Myers hasn't sullied the Blackridge name to the point that these people will be hateful."

"One way to find out," Beth said, moving up the stairs and giving the door a few knocks.

They waited for a few seconds before the door cracked open. An older woman in her mid-forties peeked through the crack from behind the chain. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Pam fished out her badge and showed it to the woman as she spoke, "Yes, ma'am, my name is Pamela Irvine, and I was hoping you had a moment to discuss your daughter and her brief disappearance. It's my understanding that you filed a missing person's report before her sudden return."

"Are you with the Metropolis police?" the woman asked, "Someone already came by to close the case."

"No, ma'am, not directly," Pam replied, "I'm a private investigator employed through Blackridge Inc. Part of my job involves following up on some of the more unusual happenings within the city that the MPD may not have time for. Mr. Blackridge has a vested interest in the city and its continued healing, and as a result, he's employed individuals such as myself and my colleague here. All we want is to ask a few questions, but we don't wish to intrude."

"You work for Jake Blackridge?" the woman asked.

"We work for his company, but I know Mr. Blackridge personally," Pam said, "Despite what the media and certain persons within would have you believe, he's been actively working to try to help this city. May we come inside, ma'am?"

The woman seemed hesitant to answer, so Beth stepped forward, "You can say no, we understand. You don't know us, and you've got no reason to trust us, but we're only here to help. Please, we're just trying to make sure that none of the people who disappeared have been hurt or traumatized in any way."

"There were others?" the woman asked before looking away and shutting the door.

"Not sure if I scared her off, or if she's unlocking the door," Beth said quietly before the sound of the latches being undone graced her ears.

The door opened and the woman gestured for them to come inside, "Come in, please. You'll have to forgive me for being stand-offish and skeptical, especially when it comes to the Blackridge name."

"It's fine and understandable," Pam assured her as the walked into her home, "Mr. Blackridge and his company have been involved in some rather scandalous events the last year. He's well aware of that fact, and the media putting a constant spin on him hasn't helped public opinion. After the events with Goth and her collars, things have been downhill for him. Still, he hasn't given up trying to make an impact here in the city. It's that drive and genuine approach that's kept my colleague and I in his employment. We wouldn't work for someone who was the villain he's being portrayed to be."

"I want to believe you, I really do," the woman said as she led them into the living room and motioned for them to sit, "Where are my manners? I'm Ella, Ms. Irvine, and I didn't catch your colleague's name."

"Elizabeth Prowler," Beth said as she sat down, "I've known Jake Blackridge for a long time, and I can promise you that he's not what everyone would have you believe. He's been working closely with the MPD since his return, and after we brought the uptick in abductions to him, he suggested we interview families to see if anything has changed at home."

"You mentioned that there were others who'd gone missing," Ella said with a frown, "I had no idea that was the case. Exactly how many people have just disappeared recently?"

"Rough estimate, around forty to fifty," Beth answered, "Those are just the ones that had reports filed. Each of them mysteriously returned in a short period of time too. One in five isn't bad, and it's even a reason to be happy. However, the timing of it with so many people just seems off. Almost like something else is going on that people aren't seeing."

"That's where we come in," Pam continued, "As I said, all we want is to ask a few questions about your daughter. Has she been acting off at all since her disappearance? Has there been anything that's concerned you that's out of the ordinary? Anything at all that you might consider unlike her or unusual? These are just a few of the things that we're trying to look into. Does anything come to mind, Ms. Ella?"

Ella once again seemed to hesitate before answering, "Nothing noteworthy comes to mind, I'm afraid. Louise hasn't talked much about what happened, and I haven't pushed her to open up. I lost my husband last year, and I don't want to lose my daughter because I'm being overbearing."

Pam could sense that she was hiding something, but she didn't want to come across as pushy. "Ma'am, there's more at stake here than I think anyone realizes," Pam started, hoping to sway their host into opening up, "The sudden influx is strange enough on its own, but to have people returned so quickly is suspicious to put it mildly. We are merely looking for answers to try to get ahead of a situation before it begins. Please, if you've noticed anything, I'm begging you to tell us."

"Pam, if she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't want to talk," Beth said, seeing how her girlfriend was getting frustrated.

"I'm sorry, but I really haven't noticed anything different about my daughter, Ms. Irvine," Ella said as she sat down, "Her grades haven't slipped, she hasn't acted out, her appetite is perfect, and she's even made a few new friends at school. Honestly, it's like nothing happened."

Pam nodded and decided to back off. Beth was beig subtle, but she knew she was trying to signal her to relax. They couldn't afford to blow their cover, and they certainly couldn't risk alienating more people from their side. "Fair enough," Pam sighed, "I should apologize, Ella. This isn't an interrogation, and I realize I may have come off a tad strong. I'm just worried that we might overlook something. After the events caused by Courtney Tellar, it's imperative that we stay ahead of whatever may be happening."

Before Ella could respond, her daughter walked into the room with a smile on her face. "Hey, mom, who's our guests?" Louise asked.

The girl couldn't have been more than seventeen, and she wore a gray sweatshirt and jeans. Her hair was tied up in a bun and as dark as her mother's. "Honey, these are a couple of private investigators," Ella explained, "This is Pamela Irvine and Elizabeth Prowler. They work for Mr. Blackridge, and they're just checking in on families who filed a missing person's report."

Louise's smile fell at the mention of Jake's last name, and Pam felt a sudden rush of disdain from her. The shift was immediate and almost disorienting to Pam. "They work for that snake?" Louise asked, her tone suddenly filled with venom, "Why would you let them in, mom? Jake Blackridge is a dangerous liar."

"Honey, don't start this again," Ella sighed, "Mr. Blackridge and his company have been doing a lot for the city lately, and I've told you that you can believe everything you see on TV."

"Yeah, after his company nearly wrecked the city," Louise scoffed, crossing her arms, "You two should look for another job, or reconsider your priorities. That man is a cancer in this city."

Beth frowned, but she stopped herself from making an aggressive reply, "I'm guessing you're a fan of Meg Myers, huh?"

"Yeah, she's one of the only people trying to make a difference in this city," Louise replied, her voice filled with pride, "Between Blackridge's terrible choices, the vigilantes murdering people, and the number of lunatics rising, this city is going to hell in a handbasket. Mayor Alverez isn't doing enough to stop the insanity happening around here, and we need a change for the better!"

"How refreshing to see someone so young taking such an active stance in politics," Pam said with a faux smile.

"Someone has to be," Louise said as she grabbed her coat from a rack against the wall, "Change starts one person at a time, and just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't make a difference. Mom, I'm heading out to meet Royce and the others. I'll be back before dinner."

"Just be careful, dear," Ella said with a sad smile, "This city is still a dangerous place."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Louise assured her as she threw her coat on.

Pam waited until Louise was out the door before turning back to Ella, "Has she always been such an activist? It's quite admirable to see someone as young as her be so outspoken these days."

"No, she wasn't like this until she met that Royce boy at school," Ella sighed, "He's a nice enough boy, but these days it's like all she wants to talk about is politics."

"So this is something recent," Beth clarified, "Royce is one of her new friends, I take it."

"Yes," Ella sighed.

"Would you mind if we got his last name?" Pam asked and quickly added, "It's possible he could be another one of the victims, and I'd like to make sure my report is thorough."

"Anderson," Ella replied after a moment of silent contemplation, "His name is Royce Anderson. He's a good kid, really he is. He's captain of the debate team at school, polite, respectful, and very outgoing. Honestly, the boy is almost a model student. He's just very outspoken about politics, and a lot of the kids are too young to remember life without vigilantes. They believe what Meg Myers is preaching; about how the villains are the result of people in masks."

"You don't believe that to be the case?" Pam asked.

"I know that's not true," Ella answered, "What Louise and her friends don't realize is that there will always be crime and evil people. Just because someone adopts a title doesn't make them any different. The ones with powers didn't get them because some boy and girl put on a mask, and didn't take to crime in protest. There are things that Ms. Myers has gone on about that I agree with, but her stance on vigilantes isn't one of them. Yes, I believe that some of these criminals can change, and I do believe that the correctional process needs to be overhauled. However, there are areas where the law and reality meet that the police just can't help. That's what people tend to forget. I'm not saying I agree with everything that these new heroes do, but I don't want to know what the city would be like without them."

"I'm glad we're not the only ones who feel that way," Beth said, both surprised and relieved to hear that there were still people rooting for them.

"I do hope that you two can find what you're looking for," Ella said, "I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful."

"You've done more than enough," Pam assured her as she stood to get ready to leave, "Here, take this card. If you happen to notice anything strange happening, please give me a call. I'm just glad that your daughter is doing well. Come along, Prowler, we've got a few more rounds to make before we call it a day."

"Thank you for your time, ma'am," Beth said as she stood up.

Ella walked them out, and Beth and Pam headed back to their car. "What are you thinking?" Beth asked as she closed her door.

"That whoever took these people is working with Meg Myers," Pam replied as she started the car, "I don't understand why and what they're gaining, but that woman is almost certainly connected to this."

"My thoughts exactly," Beth sighed, "You noticed how her attitude changed the second she heard Jake's last name too, right? Who the hell kidnaps people and brainwashes them to follow a politician, though?"

"Someone looking to rig an election," Pam answered, "That's not the question that needs answering, though. The question is why. Why go through all this trouble to get into office?"

"Hold on," Beth said, "Didn't you tell me that Jake was attacked a while back? Something about a support group that went sideways that was led by this chick."

Pam's eyes widened as she remembered Jake's encounter, "Yes, that's right! Oh, black hells, how could I have missed that?! Meg Myers was leading some group that Jake attended shortly before we had our trip to the underworld! Ugh, how could I be so careless?"

"A lot has happened since then, don't beat yourself up," Beth said, trying to comfort her girlfriend, "Guess we should head back to the manor and update Jake. We can look into the Anderson kid later. I don't think it's a good idea to show up at whatever meeting that Louise girl is attending."

"Agreed, inspector Prowler," Pam said, flashing a grin at Beth's fake name.

"Oh, bite me," Beth scoffed, "It was the best I could come up with on short notice."

"Is that a request?" Pam asked, her grin growing wider.

"Can you keep it in your pants until we get home?" Beth asked, "Honestly, you're insatiable."

"I can't help myself around cute girls," Pam shrugged with a laugh as she shifted into gear and drove off.

"Pervert," Beth mumbled with an eye roll as they sped off towards Blackridge Manor.

—------------------------

Jake sat in his living room alone and with the TV on for background noise. He'd been sitting here for the last half hour, but he hadn't bothered to crack the first file on the coffee table. He hadn't slept, and he couldn't shake a growing sense of impending doom. His encounter with Anthony from last night was still fresh in his mind, and he was still furious at his own careless mistake. He was missing something, and he was afraid that he'd suffer the consequences before he could uncover what it could be. Ashley had been quiet for the bulk of the day as well. She could feel his anxiety, but she couldn't figure out how to help him. His choice to confront Courtney had only furthered his worries and left him unsettled. Combined with his continued nightmares, it was a perfect recipe for a sleepless night.

"Jake, the longer you dwell on this, the more time we waste," Ashley finally spoke up, "I'm not trying to be harsh, but you know as well as I do that time is something we don't have a lot of right now."

"I know, I know," he sighed.

"Master Jake, we have guests," Bruce announced as he walked in with Beth and Pam behind him.

"Dude, you look like shit," Beth blurted out when she saw him, "I mean-nah, you look rough, bud."

"Tactful as ever, Ms. Thompson," Bruce sighed, "I'm afraid Master Jake hasn't slept since his outling last night."

"What happened?" Pam asked, sensing the turmoil swirling around inside of him.

"Not important," Jake said, standing up to greet them properly, "What brings you by."

"Jake," Ashley said, "Don't start withholding information from your friends again."

"He's refused to talk about it, I'm afraid," Bruce sighed as he turned to head to the kitchen, "I'll fetch some refreshments for you all."

"Thank you, Bruce," Pam said as she walked to sit down in one of the armchairs.

"My pleasure, Ms. Lavely," Bruce said as he walked out.

"Seriously, Jake, what happened?" Beth asked as she sat down on the couch.

"Tell them," Ashley urged him.

"I'll tell you all about it, but first tell me what brings you by," Jake said, knowing Ashley was right about hiding information from them.

"Very well," Pam sighed, "We took your advice and went to see one of the families of the abductees. We don't have anything concrete as far as proof goes, but we believe Meg Myers to be involved somehow."

"Myers?" Jake asked, "What makes you think that?"

"Well," Beth started before her phone rang and checked it and stood up, "Ugh, I'll be right back. It's Sally. I'm gonna take this first. Pam, can you finish filling him in?"

Pam nodded as Beth walked back to the main hall to talk to her aunt, "We interviewed the mother of a seventeen year-old girl. She claimed that her daughter had been fine, better than fine actually, since returning home. However, we briefly spoke with the girl before she left the house. She's a supporter of Meg Myers and her campaign against both you and your alter-ego. The second we mentioned that we worked for you and your company, her demeanor shifted to disgust and hate. Almost as though your name triggered something inside of her. The mother said that she'd made some new friends who are something like political activists, but Beth reminded me of your little encounter with the support group before we went down to Hell."

"The attempt on my life," Jake said, nodding as he continued, "Myers was there, and she was the leader of the group. I haven't forgotten, and that's the reason I paid Ingrid to look into Myers. You're thinking that she's the one who was kidnapping people and turning them to her side."

"Precisely," Pam said, "It's a way to guarantee that she wins the election, but I can't figure out why she'd go to such extreme lengths. Politicians are notoriously corrupt, and they have more backdoor deals than Rebecca and others combined. I just don't understand what her angle is, let alone her agenda."

"Live in darkness," Jake sighed, repeating what Anthony had said before he fled the previous night.

"Come again?" Pam asked.

"I paid a visit to one of my board members last night," Jake explained, "I made a careless mistake before interrogating him, and that was one of the things he said to me before I had to flee. Pam, he knew who The Raven was. He used my name while talking to me."

"He said those words, live in darkness?" Pam asked, furrowing her brow and frowning.

"Yeah, you heard them before?" Jake asked and added, "He said it in Latin."

"Shit," Pam sighed, standing up and pacing, "Back in Citiville, there was an upstart group that tried to overthrow Rebecca when I first joined the court. We'd heard about them, but they were a minor nuisance at first. We overlooked them as a result, but their numbers grew as time went on. People who didn't have abilities, but they were united by some fanatical belief of purity and a holy cleansing. Eventually, they launched an attack on us and the city that cost Rebecca and the rest of us quite a few of our more powerful members. It was the start of Rebecca's crusade to rule the underworld. If she controlled the city, and all of its underlings, then there could be no surprises. They called themselves The Children of Darkness. I dealt with one group, and they had no fear of death or pain. I remember them repeating that damned phrase over and over as I tortured them."

"So, they're like a cult?" Jake asked and groaned, "Fuck me, this city is going to shit. Zombies, witches, vampires, and now a cult, what's next?"

"This is serious, Jake," Pam said, crossing her arms and speaking in a stern tone, "These people don't know the meaning of the word quit, and they nearly killed Aurora and myself."

"You're joking," Jake said, "You said that they didn't have powers."

"Neither did Beth, and she managed to topple both of us," Pam reminded him, "An unbreakable spirit and single mindedness can go a long way in the face of a lack of abilities. They operate from the shadows, and they strike like snakes when you're not expecting it. I don't know how long they've existed. Whether they're a recent group, or one that's from a time long since passed, I can't say. Rebecca never spoke about them after they were chased out of the city."

"I remember reading about some underground war years ago," Jake said, recalling a briefing from Dart when she was first starting out, "That was them?"

"Yes," Pam sighed, "They nearly crippled Rebecca's operations."

Beth re-entered the room as she pocketed her phone with a frown. "Something is going on," she said, "Sal called to tell me that patrols are up in her neighborhood, but the cops are rounding up kids and dealers alike. She said they showed up at her house too. Door's been broken down, and she's laying low until she can figure out what's going down. To top it off, she said she hasn't been able to get ahold of Sam in a few days. I don't know what's going, but I've got a bad feeling we're late to the party on this one."

"Wait, today's when they announce the election winner," Pam said, groaning as she grabbed the remote and switched to the news, "Shit, this can't be good."

"We take you now to a press conference with our new mayor, Megan Myers," the anchor person said as Pam switched to channel seven.

"Fuck me," Jake said as the television switched to a shocking image of Meg Myers and none other than Amelia Ritters standing behind her, "What the fuck?!"

"Good people of Metropolis," Meg began as she spoke into the microphones, "I am proud to stand before you as an advocate for change and reform. Some of you may recognize the woman standing behind me as Amelia Ritters, or Dutchess as she was previously known. Ms. Ritters has come forward after making a plea deal with the court systems and proper channels. She is a perfect example of what one can achieve when given the opportunity to better oneself, and her reformation is why I have decided to partner with our police force to install her as the warden over Metropolis Correctional. Ms. Ritters, would you care to say a few words?"

"This has to be a joke," Jake said as he watched Amelia step forward, "She's going to put that psychopath in charge over inmates?!"

"Thank you, Mayor Myers," Amelia said as she approached the podium, "I know that there will be many who are skeptical about my appointment, but I assure you that I have turned a corner in my life. Thanks to our new mayor, I've renounced my old criminal ways, and I want to help others achieve something more than petty theft and chaos. My gratitude goes out to both our new mayor and our gracious police Commissioner for this opportunity. I give my word as a woman and citizen of this magnificent city that I will not squander this chance to make a difference."

"Fucking hell, this going to be a problem," Beth groaned.

"As we speak, our Commissioner has deployed new task forces to areas to round up and save as many lives as possible," Meg said as Ameila stepped back, "Wayward youths, drug dealers, and others who have been victims of a broken system are being brought in to be given a chance to succeed in life. However, there is still one matter that needs to be addressed. I hold in my hand an arrest warrant for Jake Blackridge. Some of you may be surprised by this, but the footage I am about to show you will make everything clear. Please be advised that this footage is not for the faint of heart, and view we discretion is well advised."

"What the shit?!" Beth exclaimed, "They're going to arrest you! What the fuck for?!"

"Shit," Jake whispered, his gut getting a sinking feeling all of a sudden.

The television switched to a doctored recording of The Raven beating on a man in his home. There was no audio, but Jake recognized Anthony from the previous nighnight. "Jake, what the hell is going on?" Beth asked as she watched the video unfold.

"That is the man I visited last night," he replied, "Closed circuit cameras running off of an independent generator caught me on camera. This doesn't explain why they're issuing a warrant for my arrest, though."

The video finished, and then it cut to an interrogation room. All of their eyes went wide as they recognized Andrew sitting at the table with his eyes downcast. A voice spoke from behind the camera, "This is Detective Karen Black conducting interview zero, one, one, seven, six, nine. Please state your name for the record. You can omit your last name for anonymity purposes, but state your involvement in the events that took place in October of this year."

Andrew nodded as he answered, "My name is Andrew, and I was a scientist working at Blackridge Inc. prior to the events involving one Courtney Tellar. I was directly involved in Ms. Tellar's attempts at wreaking havoc across the city, but I acted in hopes of persuading Ms. Tellar from continuing her acts."

"I understand you have information regarding one Jake Blackridge that is otherwise incriminating that you wish to enter into evidence," Karen said, "Please elaborate on your claims for the record."

"Of course," Andrew said, "Mr. Blackridge has been conducting illegal and inhumane experiments at his company for years. The collars that the Goth Goddess issued were signed and sanctioned by him, the parasite that overtook Ms. Tellar was a black project that he started, and he's been using his company's money to fund his outings as none other than The Raven. I have in my possession signed work orders from Mr. Blackridge himself, doctored documents that show misuse of company funds, and video evidence that also proves that The Raven and Feral have been working with a former acolyte of the Goth Goddess. I was interrogated and abused by this magic user, and as a result I've become afflicted with an extreme and rare illness that doctors have been unable to properly diagnose."

"You have proof that Jake Blackridge is in fact The Raven then?" Karen asked off screen.

"I have no video footage, but I can prove he has been aiding these vigilantes for years," Andrew replied, "I would like to enter these orders into evidence in hopes that Jake Blackridge can be brought into custody and held accountable for his heinous actions. If Jake Blackridge hadn't been so reckless, then Ms. Tellar would not have fallen victim to such a horrendous fate, and the good people of this city would not have had to endure months of hardship under Goth. Jake Blackridge is a dangerous man, and he needs to be brought to justice."

"This is insane," Jake whispered as he stood up, "They're blaming me for Rebecca's collars!"

"Jake, you need to get out of here," Pam said, "Get down to the Birdcage, grab your gear, and run."

"I'm not running," Jake argued.

"Dude, save your macho bullshit for another time," Beth said, "This chick isn't joking around, and that warrant is definitely real."

"We can figure this out later," Pam agreed, "We need to plan accordingly right now, and we can't do that if you're behind bars. Move, now!"

There was a loud banging from the front door as someone shouted, "This is the police, open up!"

"Dude, go!" Beth yelled at him, "We can stall them, but get the fuck out of here!"

"They're right, Jake," Ashley agreed, "We need to move before it's too late. We don't have time to waste right now."

"Goddammit," Jake groaned as he relented and rushed to his study and prepared to gather his things.

Beth and Pam prepared to head to the door, but Bruce stopped them before they could make it out of the living room, "Ms. Lavely, Ms. Thompson, let me handle the police. The two of you need to get out of here in case they want to bring you in for questioning. Go home, gather your things, and prepare a counter initiative. I fear that things are going to get worse before they get better."

The television switched to the video footage of Pam interrogating Andrew, and both women looked at each other for moment. "Fuck, he's right," Beth sighed, "Odds are, Jake is gonna get into more trouble, and we need to figure out a plan to deal with this lunatic first. We can't do that if we're stuck at the precinct."

Pam glanced at the television. Her face was obscured, but it was clear enough that people could make the connection if they tried. She sighed and reluctantly agreed, "Fine, but please be careful, Bruce."

"I'll be fine, Ms. Lavely," Bruce assured her, "I endured far worse than the police can do during my time at war. Go, before they see you both."

Pam and Beth joined hands as the ground began grow dark around them and bubble up. They sank into the darkness and disappeared as Bruce hurried to deal with the police. Meg Myers finished her address as Bruce left the room, "From this point forward, vigilantes will not be tolerated in our fair city. It's time that we take back what is ours, and any sightings of these individuals are to be reported to the proper authorities! Anyone caught harboring these fugitives will be brought in for questioning, and a reward will be offered for information pertaining to them and the whereabouts of their hideout, identities, and proper prosecution. Until further notice, Jake Blackridge is now the most wanted man in Metropolis, and he is being charged with conspiracy to commit murder, aiding and abetting wanted fugitives, embezzling, and suspected involvement with various criminal organizations. I will use every resource at my disposal to see that Jake Blackridge is brought to justice once and for all."