Chicago Central Hospital — February 17, 1991

Beatrice walked into the hospital room. She had posted Guiding Star and Erin as guards of the sole survivor of the ordeal. The scene was gruesome and was still on her mind. For some reason, it appears that her operation had crossed paths with Johnson's investigation. Why would the serial killer do that?. What was even happening, she was unsure, her mind was racing and she knew she would need answers.

The hospital bed was in the center of a white room, surrounded by a green curtain. He was tied down there by his wrists, both by medical restraints and by handcuffs. She enters and looks around; the television is on some show. She walks to the television and presses the button to shut it down. The man looks at her; he seems calmer but very much broken. Something that could cause that scene would leave anyone ina bad shape.

She got close and touched his arm gently as he looked at her; he pretended to smile. “Oh, hello, Detective…” he looked back at the now-turned off television, just avoiding eye contact. She looked at him. “I need to ask a few questions, mister…” she said calmly and placed a recorder on the side table next to his medicine. They were giving him plenty of relaxing drugs.

“I am detective Beatrice Vieira, I need to ask you a few questions on what happened and a few other topics.. Your cooperation will help any case that the prosecution might try and pose against you and, if needed, we can provide witness protection, do you accept these terms?”

He looked at the turned-off TV again for a moment. “Yeah… why not.... It might be my only way out now...” She looked back at him and bit down on her teeth on worry. “Very well, first, what is your name, age, and gender?” she was taking some notes as well. He answered, “I am William, 22, man.” He kept looking at the same spot; she took a few notes of everything he did as well “Alright… so, let's start with what happened, please. Any detail, anything that can help.”

Blinking a few times, tears coming out of his eyes but with no alteration of his voice, she took note that his emotions seemed to be irregular in some way as he spoke “I started going there because the money was good… I won't lie, I knew beforehand what it was, and I was okay with it; it paid better than most jobs I am qualified for anyway...”.

She looked at him, leaning in a bit and checking the recording time; him being this willing to provide info was good. “So, who did you work for there? And what were you producing”

He looked down a bit “I want witness protection... I need it before I can answer that question in any capacity...” he looked back at the TV “Last night we were doing the usual.... there was a big shipment incoming and we needed to deliver it... We always started packing only after the nightclub music started but that day we had to start earlier...”

Beatrice nodded “I've already contacted a judge for your inclusion in the program. So please, anything that you can tell, we will need it.” she looked at him, had at least a bit of hope for all that. He looked over and then looked back down, now to his fidgeting hands “I was working with Olive Riley... Was a nice dude sometimes, drank with us and did all these nice bonuses... He also was outraged at something the last few days, lashing out, always with a couple of mutie guards. And answering... That place we packed heroin, lots of it, hid into other products for transportation....”

She took note of everything; now they had some proper evidence, but still, “And what happened?” she looked at him, her gaze sharp and expectant. He looked back at her, his eyes hollow, like he was speaking in auto mode.

“I saw three of them... could have been more... I don't know... They attacked into the early shift and were silent as well... Luiz was the first one to go... Mister Riley was there to help coordinate things that day... There was something happening; I arrived early and changed into my work clothes, then talked to Andy... he was a friend from work...”

Beatrice looked at him with curious eyes, a slight tilt to her head. He continued, “He died…” he cried again. “In front of me he died...” She gently touched his arm. “Now... please, if you can focus it really is important”

The man gulps; he has not much else to do. He takes a deep breath and reaches for the water canister on the side of the bed. He sips it, looks at the contents, and nods. “We were packing the drugs for transportation to another area outside the city, I dont know where... I was never told or meant to know... We started working early because we had plenty of materials to go through,” he fidgeted a bit.

She crosses her legs, still listening,  “I hate to admit that... I was saved by a bathroom break, more or less...“  he looked down and tried to move a bit. “I was working a lot, working like hell that day. Then I had an emergency and rushed to the bathroom. I rushed there and would be back soon. I heard Mister Riley receive a call from there, something about the pipes that seemed to connect to the office that made me hear it.” he let out a pained sound.

“He was warned about some police operation going in there, that he needed to pack and leave.” Hearing that made Beatrice's blood run cold. She looked at the man, still waiting for him to finish, but taking a note of someone knowing the operation and leaking it. She looked at him. “So... I assume they did not have an opportunity to go out?” The man shook his head.

“We are quick packers... I finished my... business there and got out as fast as I could to help... Mister Riley looked at me and ordered me to go into the storage and grab a few items, giving me his special key for that” There was a small pause.

“He went out to help pack everything to get out of there... When Mister Riley tells you to do something, I do it. So I went there into the place and started grabbing the stuff he told me... That is when the screaming started,” he shivered.

She took a note “The room was pretty soundproofed , how did you hear it” — “because it was loud… The soundproofing maybe saved my life... I got out to see the Security guard, Bily running towards there, gun in hand, he opens the doors and shooting was already happening… I ... just peaked through the door a bit when I saw Andy... being impaled by something …”

Her body leans forward. “What did you see... exactly ?”

“It was dark... people were shooting and screaming, I saw three people, they were muties for sure... fast...strong, too fast for a normal human, looked like demons, I could hear a woman laughing while she tears people apart for no reason... then one of them looked at me, directly, I think was a woman? It could be ... hard to say, there was a mask involved... I closed the door and rushed back to the storage room, locking it behind me... I went to a corner... And hid... I could hear the screams reverberating on the pipes...” he averts his eyes down.

She nodded. “You... survived. That is good, is it not?”

“Maybe if I had died would be better...”

Beatrice could just hold his arm once more. “While you are alive you can try and do stuff... Perhaps get a better life ... Possibly move around more...” her expression was neutral, trying to piece together everything in her mind.

“His boss ... She will come after me ... I knoow it, they say she is relentless and never forgives a mistake”

“His... boss?” she asked maybe with a glimmer of hope he knew what was up, he responded “I don't know who she is, all I know is that he ordered someone to call her... That was all, they wouldn't tell us something like that”

She nodded, having something at least to work with, which was unexpected in so many ways; she still could barely believe her eyes. She said goodbye to him and then moved out of the room. “Erin.... get this man a full guard , only trusted people. Guiding Star, with me”

Erin nodded and moved out, the hero walking with her. “Whoever attacked him and the others were metas, according to him, and powerful ones at that. This feels like it was made to send a message. Apparently there were three of them; he said they were strong, at least one of them looked like a woman, strong enough to pierce a man's chest with bare hands”

He nodded in agreement — “I will check with my friends if they know any super villains, heroes, or metas that could fit… a group... coordinating, must be known by someone”

She smiled. “Thank you, that is why I called for you.” He smiled back. She leaned on the wall a bit, groaning as she placed her notebook against her head. “Hell...”

Erin approached and gave her a half smile. “Want to get some drinks after then? You seem like you need it”

Beatrice laughed, “Sure... why not?”

They waited for the police escort to arrive and then moved out; she really needed a break.