Loving the Loveless

May 13, 2013 at 12:00pm

Downtown, Charleston, SC

Sebastian Kane

It was raining again but that didn't really matter much to him. He didn't need the weather clear and pristine to do his work, in fact he preferred when it wasn't nice out. Less people were looking where they shouldn't when they had to avoid splashing puddles and pouring rain and speeding cars.

Plus when the thunder boomed loud enough to shake the earth, no one heard his prey's screams. But that was nearly always a catch 22; he loved hearing the noises his toys made, it was part of the fun, but yet when he worked so publicly like he was today? Those noises posed a risk. One that made the thrill of the chase and the success of the hunt all the better, yes, but still one that was almost not worth it.

"Hey, you! The fuck are'ya doin' diggin' round in the bushes in this rain?"

Case in point. He knew without looking that it was a cop that had called out to him. They were the only ones willing to do anything but run from point A to point B in this weather.

He straightened up slowly, knowing he had to play this just right or he may not get out of this alive. After all, he was the Lowcountry's most notable serial killer with some thirty bodies to his name (that the authorities had found) and so the city was on high alert with the cops that walked the beat even more so.

And judging by the way this one's hand was twitching back towards the gun on his left hip? He had to be a rookie, probably on his second beat walk—if that—since graduation and the first thing of note he stumbles on is Sebastian? He'd feel bad for the guy if he was capable of it. But given that this cop was an obvious rookie, Sebastian knew he had to play this all the more carefully because a rookie cop was the last thing someone like him needed to play fast and loose with.

"Aftanoon, officer," he called over the din of the rain, keeping his back predominantly facing the cop, hands held at his sides, head turned just enough so he could keep an eye on Twitchy Hand over his shoulder. He purposely didn't hide his natural southern accent in an effort to appear harmless. Cops working the downtown beat tended to hate tourists more than the average Charlestonians, so him being a native of the city should work to his advantage. "I jumped onta the sidewalk t'void some jackass that tried t'soak me with the road puddles an' I tripped." He shrugged with a self deprecating chuckle. "An' well my phone an' wallet went flyin'. I found my phone but my wallet's still missin' an' I ain't payin' the fees to replace everythin' if I ain't hafta."

The officer was squinting at him, not that Sebastian blamed him. He tended to set off everyone's instincts of fight, flight, or freeze. But Twitchy Hand had nothing to worry about from him. He didn't kill cops unless they were dirty and had earned it.

He may be a sexually sadistic serial killer but even he had a code.

"Alright..." Twitchy Hands muttered and jerked his chin up and to the side. "Move over there, slowly, and keep them hands where I can see them."

"Yes, officer," Sebastian replied and did as instructed, seeing his opportunity to get away increase in likelihood with each alternating step they took away and to each other.

"What color is your wallet, sir...?" The cop asked, side eyeing him as he made it clear he wanted Sebastian's name.

"It's black with the Captain America shield on one side. Kinda worn at the edges."

"And your name?" The cop's tone was impatient as he turned his back on Sebastian. It was the one mistake Sebastian had been waiting for.

He almost felt bad for spinning on his heel and taking off at a dead run down Bee Street heading away from Lockwood Drive towards President Street where he'd parked his car. Almost. Because he knew this poor rookie was going to catch heat from his partner, from his Sergeant, from everyone up his chain of command, for having the serial killer dubbed the Heartless within reach and letting him escape. But not everyone could be perfect and Twitchy Hand would learn from this experience and, provided he survived the shitstorm of his failure, he'd become a better cop for it.

Behind him the sound of the cop's retching when he saw Sebastian's work was just loud enough to carry over the sound of pounding rain and the distant rumbling boom of thunder.

His work wasn't complete which meant she may live, but oh well. If she survived and somehow remembered his face? He'd deal with it later.

But for now, he would throw himself into his legitimate work just in case the rain hadn't entirely kept Officer Twitchy Hand from getting a good look at his face.