Thread: Sex and the Modern Psycho

Listening to Abigail's story, Caleb nodded slightly now and then as he hung on the words. It was almost a familiar story, except for the part about the mental breakdown. It wasn't that his mental condition was any better than hers, but he at least hadn't gotten pegged as a headcase. Still resting his chin in the palm of his hand, he pursed his lips gently, as if trying to decide on something. Finally he gave a small nod, not to her so much as to himself, as if having come to some sort of decision. That's an interesting story, Abigail. I suppose it's only fair I tell you a little something about myself then. Looking to her as he sat up, he watched her for a moment, not in the sense of ogling her body, but in more of a thoughtful manner. Caleb Randall, he told her as he settled into the chair a bit. Sergeant in the N.Y.P.D. S.W.A.T. unit. Been with the department for three years. Before that, eight years Navy, the last six on the teams. Having been military, Abigail would have known what the 'teams' meant. This guy was a fucking SeAL! Well, it did explain a lot. Giving a bit of a shrug, he continued to speak. After my discharge I got restless, so went out for he P.D. A year on patrol, and I went out for S.W.A.T. Everyone else was going for the detective's exam, but that crap just seemed boring to me. Taking a moment to let Abigail soak in all he'd said, he finally continued after a minute. Made the team, naturally. Not like there was much competition. But I guess you're probably wondering how I got into my...night job. He pursed his lips a bit, perhaps looking a bit angry at what he was thinking about. Over the last few years I've watched so many assholes manipulate the system to get out of trouble. Witness intimidation, dirty officials, you name it. Guys who use their money and influence to make charges mysteriously vanish. About a year ago, Antonio Peretti was on trial. You might remember that. Well, the primary witness for the case was a teenage kid, witness to an execution where Peretti pulled the trigger himself. Kid never showed, and was really all the state had. Peretti walked. Kid's body turned up a few weeks later in the river. Of course they couldn't prove anything, but I knew better. He took a deep breath, this part of the story obviously somewhat emotional for him. I had brought that asshole in, just to have him walk by killing someone else...and the system just let it happen. I snapped. I drove out to his place, the one outside the city where he thinks he's hidden and safe, snuck in, and left him lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He got to look into my eyes first, though. He knew what was happening, and why. After that, I realized that sometimes justice means going outside of a broken-ass system and taking care of it yourself. Been doing it ever since. Giving Abigail a few minutes to let everything sink in, Caleb eventually continued. I remember some old belief that a person who isn't laid to rest whole will never know peace, so I always take a small part of each person I kill. Might be just an old myth, but I like to think that I'm guaranteeing their afterlife is a tormented one. No less than they fucking deserve. That's why I take a tooth from each one. Giving a shrug, he fell silent once more, almost as if contemplating what to do after they had each shared their stories.