Police sirens littered the streets, the number of cars so many that the little backwater street became a sea of blue and red.
Armed men had surrounded an abandoned building that had been marked for demolition years ago, riot shields up, rifles cocked and ready to do nasty things.
The man they were after was a serial killer, a dangerous villain that had multiplied Jack the Ripper's killings five times over.
HQ's instructions were clear, try as much as you can to get him alive, but murder should not be far from your minds…
Any slight hesitation and their faces would be placed on a poster, and a Japanese flag sent to their families.
Wing Hero Hawks was up in the sky, giving them aerial feedback to make sure he didn't escape, while BMI Hero, Fat Gum, stood at the entrance, ready to take anything they would throw at them.
Kenji stood by the police car, a megaphone in one hand and a pistol in the other.
They had searched for this man without finding a single trace; his crime scenes were clean, as opposed to the brutal nature of his murders.
The only reason they were here was due to an anonymous tip, which was strange on its own.
There was a good chance they were walking into a trap, but it was impossible to ignore the information they had received.
He placed the megaphone to his lips:
"Nighttale! This is the Musutafu Police Department, we have you surrounded! Forfeit all weapons and step out with your hands behind your back!"
Kenji stared at the door, his eyes narrowed before he barked into the megaphone once more.
"NIGHTTALE! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING, SURRENDER YOURSELF NOW!!"
Then he waited, as long tense seconds flew by.
He had expected to hear the roar of a gun, or maybe see the door burst open, but there was nothing, which only made him more tense.
Kenji glanced up at Hawks, who gave him an approving nod.
"Bring it down, boys!"
The police in front hurried over with their battering rams, rammed them into the door, sending wood splinters flying.
As the door came apart, the first two officers dove into the room, falling into a quick tumble before crouching low, lifting their shotguns, torches pointed forward.
Five more officers followed then, their assault rifles scanning the room.
It was empty…
The two in front nervously glanced at each other, their lights aimed at the next room.
Then the first agent waved his hand forward, signifying that they follow him when—
TING TING TING TING TING!!
"?!!!"
"BOMB, GET THE FUCK DOW—!"
Booom!
Wood exploded, accompanied with fire and smoke, engulfing the living room in an inferno that exploded out of the front door.
The officers inside ran out of the building, arms flailing, lungs burning—mouths open in screams that died in their throats.
Those in front of the door were hardly luckier… the shockwave slammed into their chests, cracking bones and searing flesh.
"Fuck, he planted a bomb!" one of the officers screamed, his hand covering his nose as the smoke washed over them.
Kenji stared at the fire wide-eyed, a vein popping on his skull.
Guns alone were so highly restricted, they were supposed to be next to impossible to get, but a bomb??
"How did he even get his hands on that!?!"
"Put out the fire, you fools!" he screamed as he ran towards the building.
It was already too late for those of them that had entered the building, but a few of the men were still alive, albeit burning.
Fat Gum jumped on the nearest one, using his body to put out the fire.
Then right next to him, Hawks descended like a missile, his wings spreading out just as he reached the other three.
In an instant, a heavy gale of wind cut past them, extinguishing the fire.
The men fell to their knees, breathing heavily and groaning in pain.
Hawks gritted his teeth as he stared at the inferno, then he turned to the officers. "Stay alert, don't let him get past you!"
"We need to do something about that fire!" Fat Gum muttered, standing to his feet.
Hawks glanced at the flames, his face hardening as he stared at them.
And then he ascended—
Fat Gum stared at him wide-eyed as he pulled a wing from his back, forming a red sword.
"Stay here, Fat Gum, in case he comes out…"
"Wait, what are you going to—"
Whooosh!
With a heavy flap of his wings, Hawks cut through the air, flying right at the inferno.
Once he got to the fire, his wings curled around him, shielding his body, just before they burst apart, wind billowing in all directions to chase away the smoke—his feet grinding to a halt as they met the floor.
Birds and fire…
They never did well together, but Hawks had decided to take the risk. He could feel it in his gut, something was off about this place.
Wasting no time, he burst into the kitchen, his eyes scanning, searching for anything that could be useful.
Documents, DNA samples… anything Nighttale would have wanted to use the fire to destroy.
He hurriedly went through drawers one by one, but nothing appeared.
Crackle!
The roof above him was engulfed in fire, a burning wooden beam falling right at his head.
He cleaved it in half with his sword and cursed, feeling his body already getting weak from the smoke.
Then he sprinted out of the kitchen and up the stairs, his feet racing three steps at a time as he made his way to the bedroom.
But when he got to the door, it was locked.
Bang!
One heavy kick was all it took to fold it at its hinges. The door creaked just before exploding outwards.
Trickle Trickle
A flood of water flowed down the stairs, washing past his feet the moment the door opened.
"What the hell?"
When Hawks looked into the room, his mouth hung open in shock, his fists tightening by his sides.
"What is the meaning of this?"
There was blood everywhere, from the chairs to the bed, down to the walls. Sometimes they were splashes, trickles, and little spots, other times they were pools.
And laying on the blood-soaked bed, his lifeless eyes wide open, was the man they were looking for…
Nighttale was dead.
And the killer had left them a gift.
Failure!! Murderer!
Outcast! Icarus
Seven-Times-Three
Those words were etched in rough bloody strokes, covering every single part of the room.