ชิ้นChîn: Chapter 6. Hollow Made Full

Morning

Nora sits at her dining table, going through papers.

Her eyes are baggy, and a mug sits with a small coffee liqueur bottle nearby.

Conner enters the house, walking through the foyer and past the dining area. Nora looks at him and leans back to speak—

Conner: "I'll be in the basement. Don't disturb me."

She closes her mouth and turns to the papers, rubbing her eyelids.

-

The basement has more webs scattered around; the original webs by the suitcase are now thicker, more numerous, and cluttered with documents, tools, and other objects.

Conner pulls up a chair and turns it backwards, sitting in it and staring at the board. He reaches his arms out, and three spider legs reach down. One by one, they puncture his wrists. The first one is only coated in red, the second and third carry a red string from each wrist. They reach up towards the board to make a few connections and write several notes. They pull back and fold up again.

He leans forward, elbows on the back of the chair, hands in front of his mouth as he ponders.

[View board #2]

His brow furrows in frustration.

Nora steps into the basement.

Nora: "I know you said not to disturb you, but I know you well enough to also know that just means do disturb you after you've had time to stump yourself—"

Conner grumbles. She stands beside him and hands him a cup of tea.

Nora: "—and need someone to talk it out with."

Conner leans back and takes the cup.

Conner: "I think this is some sort of ritual."

Nora: "For what?"

Conner: "I don't know. Normally, I would believe it to simply be something for the killer to follow along, to bring stability to their actions. Mais… Charlie's part in this gives me pause." {But}

Nora: "How does this help?"

Conner: "All pieces of information form a greater picture, but where all the pieces fit, I'm not sure yet."

Conner, frustrated: "Bordel, I feel like I'm overlooking something." {damn}

Nora: "You're being too hard on yourself."

Conner: "With these stakes, there's no such thing as too hard."

Nora: "I disagree. Push yourself too far, and you're no use to anyone. Take care of yourself, Conner."

Conner grumbles: "You sound like Basit."

Nora chuckles, and Conner looks at the notes on Charlie.

Conner: "Do you have anything else on the kid?"

Nora: "Charlie? No."

Conner: "He's still not talking?"

Nora: "..."

Conner: "How did you meet him? I've seen the Charlie now, you've shown me bits of the Charlie before. But you haven't told me about the in-between, when you first met him."

Nora: "I don't see how it would help."

Conner: "Greater picture."

Nora sighs: "Fine. Well, first of all, the amnesia thing is true. He was found on the side of the road up in Blue Ridge. No ID, no personal items, nothing. I have a contact in their police force. He called me when they couldn't find any trace of his family or identity."

Conner: "And you adopted him like a stray puppy?"

Nora: "He had no idea who or where he was. It was pretty easy to figure out he was an Abnormal. Giving shelter, safety, and community to Abnormals is what I do, Conner."

Conner: "And you dote over everyone like this? Tu parles." {as if}

Nora: "I want to protect him, Conner, from himself and whatever is going on. He's a good kid. He deserves to be happy."

Conner leans forward on the chair's back.

Conner: "So you don't know what he could have been up to before? And you're only just now keeping an eye on him with Hyphae?"

Nora: "He's been through a lot. I try to give him space."

Conner looks back at the board and stares at it.

Conner: "So you don't exactly know how involved he is in this?"

Conner peers at the part from note #1:

'—Blessed shall be made more—a Scion of our God."

Nora frowns: "I know him well enough to know he wouldn't—"

Her phone rings. She picks it up and steps a few feet away. Conner stands and walks up to the board.

Nora: "Hello? … Yes, it will, thank you!"

Nora hangs up and turns to Conner.

Nora: "We may have a lead!"

Conner perks up.

Nora: "Might—One of my contacts says they overheard someone talking about anonymous package drop-offs for pay. They described packages out of the norm that fit the description. They're dropping off the details at the diner."

Conner nods: "Get Basit on it."

Nora turns away, finding Basit in her contacts. A notification for a text from Hyphae pups up. She goes to her texts, seeing Charlie's 'im fine' message.

Her brow furrows in worry as she reads. She calls Basit. As it rings, she walks briskly out of the basement.

Nora calls out to Conner on her way out.

Nora: "I'm going out."

-Flashback

The city streets in the early morning, cool-toned, foggy, and raining.

Nora is driving. Charlie is leaning over, looking nauseated. He is younger, wearing worn, used clothes. His hair is shorter, damp, and dirty.

Nora: "I can pull over if you think you're going to be sick."

Charlie grumbles with a dry 'urk'.

With a sway, he lifts his head.

Charlie, slurred: "Where'm I goin'?"

Nora: "My house, so you can sober up and dry off."

He drops his head back again, slurring his words.

Charlie: "I don'wonna go—urk—there."

Nora, deep concern: "I know you don't trust me, but you can't just live on the streets as a drunk."

Charlie: "Stop the—car."

Nora parks: "If you need water, I—"

Charlie gets out of the car and stumbles away from it.

Nora: "Hey! Where are you going?"

She jumps out of the car and begins to chase after him.

Nora: "Wait, just let me help you—"

Charlie turns to shout at her, his face showing more fear than anger.

Charlie: "I don't know you!"

Nora stops and stares, hurt, as he walks away.

-

Nora walks down the street in the present with the same expression on her face, holding a to-go box.

-

A knock on Charlie's door.

He opens it to see Nora.

Charlie, surprised: "Nora? Hey—"

Nora: "Hello, Charlie, can I come in?"

Charlie steps aside: "Uh—sure?"

She holds up the to-go box to him.

Nora: "I brought you some pancakes from that other diner that's definitely not as good as mine."

Charlie shuts the door behind her and gives a weak smirk.

Charlie: "Right, your diner is much healthier. Not nearly enough butter, sugar, and cheese in anything."

She smiles: "Exactly."

Charlie hesitates: "You didn't have to."

She holds up the box to him, making him take it.

Charlie: "Really, Nora, you've done more than enough for me."

Nora: "I know. But I wanted to check in anyway to make sure you're okay."

Charlie steps over to the counter, sets the box down, and starts making coffee.

Charlie: "Yeah. I'm fine."

Nora, doubtful: "Are you sure?"

Charlie, weak smile: "Yeah. You know me, ball of indestructible sunshine."

Nora: "I mean—I haven't seen you for a few days. With everything going on—"

Charlie, half-smirk: "Did everyone else run out of problems for you to solve?"

Nora, mildly frustrated: "I would hope by now you could trust me enough to tell me if something's wrong. I know you're always trying to pretend you're fine—"

Charlie turns away, tight-lipped.

Nora, passionate: "—but a lot has happened lately, and I would just rather you let me know so I can help you before you end up in the hospital again."

She suddenly stops and tightens her lip. Charlie's head turns slightly towards her.

He puts down his mug with a thunk and turns to face her.

Charlie: "How long has Hyphae been watching me?"

Nora shifts, defensive: "Hyphae has eyes everywhere—"

Charlie, annoyed: "How long have you had Hyphae watch me?"

Nora hesitates: "Since I told you about the packages."

Charlie turns away with an annoyed sigh.

Nora, step forward: "I'm sorry, Charlie. I just needed to make sure you're safe. Especially now."

Charlie sighs as his face turns from annoyed to tired.

Charlie turns: "I get it… But shouldn't you be focusing on someone else? I'm immortal—"

Nora: "—So far as you know. We can't take any chances, Charlie. We have to solve this case fast, so no one else gets hurt, including you."

Charlie looks away.

She takes him by the shoulders.

Nora: "Hey, it'll be alright—"

Charlie shifts uncomfortably, and Nora drops her hands from him.

Charlie: "Really? I think this is the one time it won't just be alright. Even if you catch whoever it is, he's already—"

Nora: "I know. But—I mean, you'll be alright. You've been through worse, I know you have—I mean, you've never told me what, but—"

Charlie frowns: "I don't remember."

Nora, disappointment: "Right."

Charlie steps away from the counter.

Charlie: "Thanks for checking in, Nora…"

Nora frowns as he walks over to his couch, turning the TV on. Nora's eyes catch the hospital bill on the counter. She looks at Charlie as he sits down. She reaches over and silently takes it, folding and pocketing it before heading to the door.

Nora: "Please call me if you need anything."

Charlie gives a wave, not looking over.

-

Charlie lies on the couch, rubbing his left middle finger. The news comes on the TV, and he quickly picks up the remote and turns it off. He pulls out his phone and goes to Kate's texts.

-Kate-

2 hours ago

[Kate] vrpleague.com/appointments

1 hour ago

[Charlie] Thanks, made an appointment :thumbsup:

[Charlie] I really enjoyed my time with you :purpleheart: sorry about the other parts :grinsweat:

He gets up and steps over to his counter to pour a shot.

-

Charlie steps outside his apartment building. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out his pack of cigarettes, and opens it. Seeing it empty, he sighs, tosses the box into a nearby garbage can, and walks down the street towards the store.

-

Basit walks past the store while Charlie steps out and pockets his new pack and a small bottle of alcohol.

Charlie looks up: "Basit?"

Basit stops and looks back.

Basit, flat: "Sup?"

Charlie: "Where are you going?"

Basit: "Conner has a lead. I'm going to look into it."

Charlie: "Oh..."

She continues walking. Charlie thinks for a moment.

Charlie shouts: "Hey!"

She turns as he catches up to her.

Charlie: "Uh—Can I help?"

Basit, cocked brow: "I guess, are you sure you want to be involved? There's no telling what we'll run into."

Charlie: "Sure, I've been through worse, right?"

Basit, unsure: "Alright."

She turns and continues walking. Charlie follows and lights his cigarette.

-

Charlie and Basit approach the diner. Charlie drops his smoke into an ash urn nearby before entering.

Hyphae: "Hello, Charlie. Hello, Basit."

Charlie: "Hey, Hyphae."

Basit, short: "Hey."

She continues to the counter.

Basit: "Nora sent me to pick up information on a lead."

The waitress steps away for a moment.

Charlie turns to Hyphae.

Charlie: "Do you—I mean you—ever leave here? I've never seen that seat without you."

Hyphae: "No. This is my place. If I were to ever run from it, you should be running too."

Charlie, disturbed: "Fair enough…"

The waitress returns with a letter and hands it to Basit.

She takes it and turns to leave, Charlie following and waving goodbye to Hyphae.

-

Basit and Charlie walk down the street as Basit reads the information in the letter.

Charlie lags behind her and takes out his small bottle. He takes a swig then catches up to her.

Charlie: "Alright, 'Tough Nut Jane', so what's the lead?"

Basit glances at him with a raised brow, then looks back at the paper.

Basit: "Some guy named 'Ricky'. Apparently, he does anonymous package drop-off and delivery. Nora's contact overheard him talking about it. He may know something about the packages we're finding."

Charlie: "Right… So is this going to be like with that Vorein?"

Basit: "Fuck if I know. But the guy is a human, if that makes you feel better."

Charlie: "I'm not sure it does…"

-

Charlie and Basit reach a house in the middle of an impoverished neighborhood.

Inside are four men. Three White men: Mace, Ricky, and Logan; and one Black man, Zaire.

Logan and Ricky smoke a joint together. Mace sits on his phone, and Zaire is playing a video game.

Basit steps up to the door with Charlie and starts to bang on it.

Mace steps up to the door and cracks it open.

Mace: "Who are you?"

Basit: "Basit. I'm looking for 'Ricky'."

Ricky hears, becoming uneasy. Logan and Zaire look at Ricky, concerned.

Logan whispers: "You know her?"

Ricky shakes his head.

Basit: "I need to talk to him about some packages."

Ricky gets spooked and darts for the back door.

Mace: "Don't know no one by that name. Beat it."

He goes to close the door, but Basit grabs it.

Basit: "You sure about that?"

Mace, agitated, glances back into the house to see that Ricky is gone. He looks back at her.

Charlie glances to the side, spotting Ricky running in a visible back pathway.

Charlie: "Basit—!"

Mace: "I already said he ain't here."

He opens the door further.

Mace: "But if you're looking for a fix, I got something for you."

He leans in, dragging his finger down her chest. Basit reels back in disgust and punches him in the jaw, causing him to stumble back and fall.

She steps in. The other two stare in shock.

Basit: "Where the fuck is Ricky?"

Logan: "We don't know!"

Zaire: "Whatever he's in, we have nothing to do with it!"

Charlie: "Basit, he ran out the back!"

She turns to him: "Which way?"

Charlie goes to answer but falters, holding his breath as he waves uncertainly in the alley's vague direction.

Basit turns back to the men.

Basit: "Where did he go?"

Mace grabs a gun, stuffed behind a couch cushion.

Mace: "Get the fuck out of my house!"

Basit ignores the gun pointed at her.

Basit: "Not until you tell me—"

He shoots her in the torso, making a hole in her jacket.

Behind her, Charlie yelps, ducks, and puts his hands over his head.

She barely flinches, the two other men staring in shock, Mace's anger faltering. She holds up the jacket and looks from the hole to Mace with a glare.

Mace shakes off his shock and shoots her again, in the chest. She doesn't flinch, only her shoulder pushes back from the force.

She turns to face him directly. Mace's expression turns to terror. He drops the gun and jumps up, hopping over the couch and sprinting out of the house.

The other two stand, frozen in shock.

Basit sighs: "Where is Ricky?"

Zaire: "I don't know…"

Logan: "H-he hangs out at the Three Billy's Casino sometimes…"

Zaire glances at Logan with a tight lip and furrowed brow.

Basit rolls her eyes.

Basit: "Finally."

She turns, exits the house, and walks off. Charlie tentatively stands up straight again and follows her. Still shaken, Charlie reaches for his small bottle. Basit spits out a bullet onto the concrete as she walks.

Basit: "Fucking hate men."

Charlie's brow furrows as he recaps and pockets the bottle.

Charlie, offended: "Gee, thanks."

Basit: "You know what I meant."

Charlie: "No. I don't think I do..."

Basit rubs the bruise of the now-closed bullet wound.

Charlie: "I feel like I've seen those guys before…"

Basit: "Yeah, Daniel knew a lot of people around here."

Charlie's face drops: "Oh…"

Basit: "Most of them are good people. Except that dickwad with the gun—" angrily mutters "—Gonna just eat that fucker."

She looks at Charlie.

Basit: "You got a phone on hand? Look up that Three Billy's place."

Both pull out their phones. While Charlie searches, Basit calls Conner.

Basit: "Conner. I found the place, but the lead ran off to fuck knows where. Only thing I got is he may be at a 'Three Billy's Casino'."

Charlie steps up beside her.

Charlie: "I can't find it."

Basit sighs: "And we have no idea where the fuck that is."

Conner: [I recall that place. I've had to visit it a few times for a previous case. Meet me at the Elliot's station. I'll meet you there.]

Basit hangs up. Charlie lags behind, finishing off his bottle.

-

Basit and Charlie wait outside the convenience store. Charlie is smoking. The classic neon lights and cigarette ads in the windows behind him.

Basit: "How are you holding up?"

Charlie: "Yeah, I'm fine."

Basit raises a brow in skepticism but looks away.

A taxi drives up, stops, and Conner steps out. It drives away as he walks up to them.

Basit: "You took a taxi?"

Conner: "I mean no offense to the impoverished humans of this area, but I will not subject my car to their tactics for survival."

Charlie: "What?"

Conner, flat: "It's a valuable car, and I don't want to risk losing it."

Charlie frowns: "Oh—"

Conner sighs and turns, motioning for them to follow as they walk down the street.

Conner: "So, how did our lead get away?"

Basit: "He heard me and fled out the back door."

Conner glances at Charlie with a narrow stare.

Conner: "And he wasn't acting as a lookout?"

Charlie, offended: "Hey—I saw him!"

Conner: "And you did nothing?"

Charlie: "What am I supposed to do? Run after him?"

Conner, flat: "Yes. That would typically be the next course of action."

Charlie, frustrated: "Then hire a track star next time."

Conner rolls his eyes.

Charlie: "Besides, what if he had a gun like the other one? I may be immortal, but that shit still hurts! And Basit's already been shot."

Conner's expression changes to concern, and he turns to Basit.

Conner: "You were shot? Are you alright?"

Basit, flat: "Of course. I'm not going to bleed over a little twenty-two piss shooter."

Conner turns forward again and grumbles.

Conner: "Mm. Still, be more careful."

Basit: "No."

Charlie listens and watches Conner with mild confusion.

-

They arrive at a pool hall and bar named 'Goats Gruff'. They enter, and Conner leads them towards the bathroom. Charlie follows, confused, looking at Basit and continuing to follow.

Conner opens the janitor's closet, and the three step inside.

Inside is a man dressed as a janitor leaning against the wall by a closet door, smoking.

Man: "What do you want?"

Conner: "Transhumance. These are my brothers."

The janitor's face relaxes, and he opens the closet door, revealing a back room. Conner leads, walking into the well-lit but dark-themed poker room.

The three sit down at a table. Conner hands some cash to the dealer. The dealer looks at it with a disapproving smirk and hands back a few tokens.

Dealer mutters: "Tightwad."

Conner: "I don't plan on staying long."

Conner passes equal tokens to Basit and Charlie. The dealer starts to deal out cards.

Conner: "Do either of you see him?"

Basit: "I didn't get a look at him."

Conner looks at Charlie expectantly.

Charlie: "I didn't actually see much of him either. He was in a red tee and black hoodie if that helps."

Conner: "Pants, shoes, hair?"

Charlie: "Uh—jeans, gray sneakers, and I'm not sure, his hood was up."

Conner glances around.

The dealer: "No starting shit in here, Edwards."

Conner: "I assure you, I will remain very civil."

Dealer: "And you're friends?"

Conner looks to them. First, Charlie gives an uncertain smile, then Basit.

She stands up from the table.

Basit: "I'll just wait outside."

Conner sighs and takes her tokens.

After a moment, he pushes the tokens to Charlie.

Conner: "Here."

Charlie: "Oh, thanks—"

Conner: "You're going to need it if we're going to be here more than five minutes."

Charlie's gratitude falls: "Oh..."

-

Night

Basit is smoking as she waits outside the bar.

Inside, Conner and Charlie are playing cards. Their token amount is generally the same. A whiskey sits beside each of them, Charlie's half-empty. The cigarette in his hand is nearly down to the filter.

Conner: "You're not as bad at this as I expected."

Charlie: "Maybe I'm just not that bad in general."

Conner gives him a short side-eye.

The dealer lays out more cards.

Conner: "So, Charlie, what is your stake in this?"

Charlie: "What?"

Conner: "You haven't wanted to help our investigation until now. Why the change of heart?"

Charlie's brow furrows: "It's not that I don't want to help."

Dealer: "Ante up."

They both put in their tokens.

Conner: "So this is the peak of your effort, then?"

Charlie, annoyed: "It's the peak of how I can help. If you want better, maybe clone yourself."

Dealer: "Dealer wins."

Conner: "That would be favorable. But no matter how many times I clone myself, it's not my name on the packages."

Charlie looks away, noticing Ricky walk in and towards a table.

Conner: "Perhaps if you actually—"

Charlie mutters: "That's him."

Conner looks at the man as he sits down.

Conner: "Are you sure?"

Charlie nods.

Conner stands: "Keep the chips."

Charlie looks at him, confused, as he walks around the table.

Charlie looks at the dealer.

Charlie: "Uh—I would like to cash mine out, please."

Conner steps up behind Ricky.

Conner: "Ricky?"

Ricky looks up, agitated.

Ricky: "Yeah? What the fuck do you want?"

Conner: "I want to know about some packages."

Ricky casually picks up his drink.

Ricky: "I don't know nothing about that."

Conner: "You don't? Well, that's not what I heard."

Conner sits beside him.

Conner: "You're a chatty drunk. Too bad serial killers don't like chatty loose ends."

Ricky: "The fuck you gettin at? Yeah, go ahead and come at me in here, see how well that goes."

Conner, stern: "What I'm getting at is those packages you delivered were sent by a murderer I'm hunting down. So either you talk now to me, or I go to my contacts in the police and make sure you're known as an accomplice, known well enough that even the murderer will know who talked. Let us see which cat catches the rat first."

Ricky grows nervous as he talks. He glances down at his few chips and then around the room.

He shifts his feet. Conner notices and goes to finish off his drink.

Conner: "Ring ring, the cats are coming."

Ricky jumps up and darts out of the room. Conner jumps up and sprints after him. Charlie notices and follows.

-

Ricky sprints out of the bar. Basit sees him and, in a moment of confusion, looks back to the bar. Seeing Conner following after him, she turns and gives chase.

Ricky darts and ducks through the alleys. Basit follows and quickly gains ground.

She catches him in an alley behind a few buildings, tackling and pinning him down.

Ricky shouts: "Get off me, cunt!"

Conner and Charlie catch up to them. Conner is unfazed while Charlie bends over and wheezes, out of breath.

Conner steps in front of Ricky and kneels.

Conner: "I'm giving you a chance to talk. You will want to take it."

Ricky: "I told you I don't fucking know anything."

Conner: "Well, I know a few things. You run packages for people anonymously—the type of packages someone wouldn't want to go through the official channels. Things like weapons, drugs—body parts."

Ricky: "I don't know what's in them! It's a fucking package, man! I don't snoop!"

Conner: "But you did deliver packages like this?"

He pulls out a photo of a few of the opened packages.

Ricky: "I'm not involved with no murders! I just deliver the shit my boss gives me. I just do my job!"

Conner: "Who's your boss?"

Ricky's face is torn between fear and defiance.

Ricky: "I'll be dead before I tell you anything, you senile piece of—"

As he rants, Conner nods to Basit. Her arm morphs into jagged bone and muscle, and she holds it beside Ricky's neck.

Conner: "That could be arranged."

Ricky stares at it with terror.

Ricky: "Oh fuck! You people are Abnormals?!"

Conner: "You're familiar? What Abnormals do you know?"

Ricky: "Uh—no one! Look, I've been around, alright? I've seen shit."

Conner: "Is your boss an Abnormal?"

Ricky stays silent.

Conner: "Give me their name, and I'll make sure my associate here won't be picking your spleen out of her teeth."

Ricky looks up at Basit. She stares back, the edge of her mouth splitting up her cheek and opening to a mass of jagged teeth.

Ricky lets out a small whimper in fear.

Ricky, desperate: "I can't tell you anything, man! I haven't killed nobody! I just deliver some fucking packages he gives me! What's a few more? I didn't think anything of it! I swear I don't know your killer!"

Conner: "Tell me everything you can, then. Where did you drop them off? Do you remember the addresses?"

Ricky, sweating: "Yeah, yeah—uh—one was up in the downtown area off of—uh, fuck—west um—"

Conner: "Highview Avenue?"

Ricky: "That's it!"

Conner: "Already dead. And the others?"

Ricky: "The other was up by Ridgeway—close to Porters!"

Conner: "And?"

Ricky: "Those are the only ones I delivered… I, uh—dropped the others off at the post office."

Conner scoffs and stands up, looking down at him.

Conner: "Your boss. Who is he?"

Ricky, defeated and scared, opens his mouth. It hangs open, silent but desperate to speak.

Ricky: "I can't tell you."

Basit lowers her head, her face splitting further as the mouth opens. He lets out a high-pitched meep in terror.

Conner: "Let him go."

Basit looks up and her head reforms.

Basit: "Don't you need that name?"

Conner: "He's already told me."

He looks down at Ricky, who looks almost ashamed.

Basit stands, releasing her grip on him. Ricky picks himself up and starts walking off, in disbelief, before taking off in a full sprint.

Basit: "So a vague location, and no follow-up name. I assume you know more?"

Conner: "Of course. I have a pretty strong suspicion as to who his boss is. But it's going to take me a while to find him. He's a slippery bâtard." {bastard}

He turns to walk out of the alley, passing Charlie, who's staying out of the way by a wall.

Conner, stern: "Come on, we've got to get to that target."

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