Twelve Midnights

The clandestine mobile rolled toward the pavement with the dust clouds behind them. The police surrounded the perimeters and the bodies blocked by caution tape. The steel black doors swung open as Patrick arose first. He adjusted his glasses with a plastered smile on his face. The rest of Fall Out Boy followed him trying to maintain their composure. The stench of decaying bodies became too much.

“Hello, Mr. Stump!” The officer grinned.

“I’m not surprised your men are here Gabe.” Patrick said sternly. “But would you mind if we examined the casualties?”

Gabe shifted his eyes at Patrick. “Of course.”

Gabe muttered a routine protocol and his men dispersed their borders. Patrick nodded his gratitude as the team crept into the alleyway. Joe felt uneasy just staring at the deceased. They appeared even worst than the television had portrayed. “Stop standing there and get to work!” Pete snapped. Joe shook away his uneasiness and bent down to get a closer look.

The body appeared to be a man but he seemed to look so much older. His skin didn’t appear to undergo normal decomposition. Instead it only looked as he was aging and at a rapidly fast rate. Joe slipped on a rubber glove to place his fingertips on the nape of his neck. He couldn’t feel a pulse, but then why would he be aging?

Aging only took place when a heart was intact. All organs would slowly decline over time. However, the body wouldn’t age without a heart, it would only appear to age from natural causes. Joe shivered at finding the elasticity of the skin loosen quickly. Even the wrinkles seemed to deepen. “P-Pat-“ The hand gripped at the edges of his jacket.

Joe yelped. “Please-,” The man croaked. “My heart, my eyes…”

“You can’t be alive!” Joe frantically tried to break free. The team grasped Joe’s shoulders, almost bewildered.

“They’re missing…” His grip loosened as he fell roughly to his same position.

Pete shoved Joe backwards. “Hey old man! What the hell happened here!”

Andy glanced at Joe. He was the color of the bodies around him. Pete yelled again. “Old man!”

Pete held tightly to the man’s collar. He was trying to forcibly shake some life into him. The wispy blonde hair began to gather into a gray hue at its roots. He watched it dangle from his neck that unsheathed his face. Pete’s eyes widened.

“The man was right. He doesn’t have an eye…” Andy softly replied.

“I thought you guys were detectives, not morons.” Gabe chuckled behind them. “Everything has already been viewed and analyzed.”

“So you’re saying they just normally do this?” Joe blurted.

“Well, only few of the casualties responded in that manner.” He saw Patrick staring back at him. “Yes Mr. Stump?”

“Considering the samples I just examined. I don’t think this matter can be ignored.” He smiled.

----

“There are only records of three people that showcased response. Here we have Michael Chislet, Michael Carden, and one believed to also be associated with William Beckett.” Detective Suporta placed the pictures across the table.

They retreated to the Cafe across the alley way. Pete grimaced through the windows. “You mean these three are missing an eye?”

“Well that’s the thing. All of them are missing the right eye only. Even three of them are missing a heart. So are the rest of the lot. But there is no evidence yet to show why.” Gabe sighed.

“That’s your problem Detective.” Patrick annunciated “detective”. “If you believe that they are associated with Beckett, they all must have the parasite. Or even be vampires without the progression of the parasite.”

“Explain yourself then.” Gabe retaliated.

“Normal humans can’t respond physically when dead. They can however, still be living. This also applies to vampires. However, in the state most casualties were, the parasite rejected them and destroyed them. Vampire death is different. Something has to stabilize a parasite and their organs from the capacity they are at. They must return to human standards. But obviously the job wasn’t done completely well…”

“You’re saying they’re still responsive? That the effects they are going through will allow them to mobilize until the stress becomes to much?” Gabe glared at the photographs. “Shit!”

Patrick sighed. “Blockade the alleyway for now. Make sure nothing can leave or enter.”

Andy shuddered. These vampires were becoming a pain in the ass. All they wanted was blood at first, but now they perspired for vital organs. Everything is vital in a body. You need every single piece or you can’t operate correctly. The only thing that made an organ vital was how hard it worked. Andy watched Gabe and Patrick bicker but the others seemed as shaken as he was. Even Pete who cautiously lit his cigarette under his bitter coffee.

Vitality didn’t mean a damn thing.

------

“Has Brendon returned yet?” Spencer asked curiously. He shielded his eyes from the light that escaped the curtains.

“No.” William smirked. “Still moping around somewhere I suppose.”

"You shouldn't tease him so much. He looks up to you." He frowned.

"Well its nice to see a lovely knight have its weaknesses too." William bit his thumb and chuckled lightly. He was sitting awkwardly in a blood red cushion seat. His toes pressed lightly against the desk that allowed the chair to wobble. But a bad habit of his was constantly enlacing his fingertips around his hair. Spencer knew that he was plotting something when he acted this way.

"Tell Travis to get his gangs ready." William smiled.

Spencer nodded. The sun was taking forever to hit the bottom.