The Dark Star - Aftermath Pt. 05

"I know what it means."

"Two-minute job then ... just hold still."

Lyndsey felt the sharp but bearable pain of the tattoo gun as Nessa with a swift and skilled hand began to etch the outline of the little star, no more than 2 centimetres in diameter onto the underside of her wrist.

A broad smile crept slowly across her face as she watched her pale skin daubed with the symbol she had longed to earn for so long.

The symbol that meant so much to her.

**********

Crossing the car park in the shadows of the 7 storey Police Head Quarters D.I. Rose Callaghan shivered. Her light blouse giving very little warmth. It was supposed to be the hottest day of the year but at six twenty-three am it was still remarkably cold.

Stepping in through the glass double doors she smiled at the PC sat behind the reception desk, she'd passed her before she timidly spoke.

"Ma'am this has been left for you," she smiled offering a plain A4 manila envelope. "I think it's been here a few days."

"I've been off," Callaghan matter of factly stated stepping back towards the pretty blonde in the dark uniform, taking the envelope marked only with her name on the top left-hand corner she turned it over in her hand. "Do you know who left it for me?"

"Sorry," the blonde offered sincerely. "Like I said it's been sat here for a few days."

Without another word Callaghan tucked the envelope under her left and headed for the lift to her office on the 6th floor, pausing only to grab a coffee from the machine. The coffee tasted like shit but was the best she could hope for. Setting the envelope before her on her desk, as she sat down, she grimaced swallowing down another gulp of what was essentially sweet brown water dressed up as coffee.

Carefully ripping open the envelope along its shortest side she slipped out the Officers Report and the SD Memory Card in a clear pocket file. A handwritten post it note attached to the file; 'Still looking for Phoenix Evidence? This was a while ago. PC Lee Baines'. Stabbing a manicure fingernail into her desktop keyboard Callaghan watched the monitor come to life. Reaching under the desk she slipped the Memory Card into the Tower of the PC sat under her desk. Too impatient to read the associated report, she opened the file on her screen.

Grainy resolution Bodycam footage: she recognised the location although she'd never visited the scene. The Mills, before she could read the report that she had grabbed she recognised one of the faces of three individuals. In the background by the noise and by the constant strobing and flashing lights The Phoenix appeared to be in full swing. Calmly confidently he spoke, assuring the Officer who wore the Camera that they had every right to be here; that they were on privately owned property and that they had every assurance that the noise would abate. The footage was dated from October of last year.

Callaghan paused the video and wound back and forth until freeze framing on the clearest image of his face she'd seen so far. Alex Russel the man also believed to use the pseudonym Spider. The man wanted in connection with the disappearance of Mica Wise and Leah Davis. Callaghan couldn't help but grin as she sat back in her chair her eyes locked on the screen in front of her. Whoever PC Baines was he was fucking tardy for not presenting this evidence several weeks ago, but she could've kissed him were he in the room with her now. Find a connection, find evidence for a raid; that's what she'd been told when requesting Search Warrants and Uniform Support several weeks ago. She had her evidence now and with it she had her connection. Mica Wise missing for 8 months, Alex Russell a person of interest they'd never been able to locate, Sophie McAllister presently missing and known to have recently frequented the Venue of the unlicensed warehouse parties at which Alex Russel could now be proven to be associated with. She'd demand the search warrant.

Grabbing the desk phone in front of her she speed dialled the number.

"Parsons, where are you?"

He'd barely had chance to answer. In the background she could hear the sounds of suburban hell. Squealing children were unpalatable at any time but before 7am she could imagine nothing worse.

"I need you here now".

His excuses fell on deaf ears.

"I don't fucking care about your toast or the fucking school run... here now... we've got our reason to knock ... oh, and grab me a decent coffee on your way in".

**********

Relentless mid-morning sun beat down on me as I cross the fields of long grass. Ahead of me I can see the ominous shapes of the three mill buildings.

To anyone else they'd represent an eyesore in an otherwise picturesque landscape. For me they represented the horror of that first fateful night I'd visited. Full of anticipation as Chloe had driven me up to the main buildings the first back last December. The night she'd turned on me, albeit following my ill-advised behaviour with her little sister, but more significantly the night I'd unintentionally killed Spider. If I closed my eyes for long enough, I could see him lay there across the wooden floorboards in that room, blood pumping from the deep wound I'd inflicted on the side of his head. Chloe the first time I'd ever seen her visibly scared crouching over him feeling for a pulse before looking up at me gravely. I could argue he deserved it, he'd been raping Chloe when I'd walked into that room and there were many reasons besides that I knew of which could be used to justify what I'd done, but I knew in my heart not one of them could truly justify taking another man's life.

Stepping closer to the The Mills I try to compose myself. I need to be calm I need to be collected. I need answers.

Sarah had grown increasingly distant and reticent in the last week. I thought she'd resented my night out at first, despite her constant reassurances at the time. She was disappearing now with more frequency, claiming to be searching for Sophie via friends and contacts on social media, but she was keeping me at arm's length, almost as though she had reason to not involve me. I worried for her physical and emotional wellbeing. She'd wake in the night from restless sleep panicked and breathless. I didn't want to be back here; I hadn't told Sarah I was coming here but given Sophie's initial experience I couldn't park the thoughts in my own mind any longer. I was unlikely to get answers, but I hoped my unannounced arrival would drive reactions I could gage.

Heading between the shade of the buildings my Grey Tee soaked to my back with sweat I push up my sunglasses. Shivering not by the temperature drop but by the very proximity to my past.

"Look what the Cat dragged back in".

I recognised her voice immediately from behind me.

"You've a fucking nerve showing back up here after all this time".

I turn in my Adidas crunching gravel beneath their rubber soles as I catch sight of her framed by a wooden doorway. My mouth dry I watch her steely unreadable expression.

"It's been a while Chloe... it's been a while".

**********

"You missed the turning?" Callaghan raised an eyebrow as she fired a stare at the out of shape Traffic Officer behind the wheel of the BMW in which she sat in the passenger's seat of, "You missed the fucking turning?"

"It's the middle of nowhere... not even the Sat Nav," he stammered slipping the vehicle in reverse nervously unaware that the Van full of uniform officers had followed him along the wrong country lane. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry".

Parsons bit his lip in the rear of the vehicle, and adjusted his stab vest, the car had started to feel warm and claustrophobic despite the aircon being cranked up.

"Fucks sake," Callaghan hissed slapping the palm of her hand against the passenger's side dashboard.

**********

"So, you never got round to learning to drive then?"

Chloe smiled, her most disarming of smiles as she leant across the desk towards me while I drain the Ice Cold can of Sprite before setting it down on the Table. The coolness of the room, on the mezzanine level, a welcome respite.

"Gotta get around to it." I shrug my shoulders, feeling genuinely awkward to be in the same room as her.

She looks a little different, her hair is longer possibly blonder, and her face looks a little gaunt. Dressed as ever in black, a sleeveless tee, black skirt, black tights and black knee-high boots that had all accentuated her figure as she'd led me through the maze of corridors to room she referred to as her office. I try not to think about how good she looks.

"Same old Jack ... Always putting things off until tomorrow," she teased, "Good to see you haven't changed."

"Have you?" I throw back at her instantly.

"In ways you wouldn't imagine," her eyes narrowed at me. "But I don't think you came here for a catch up."

Her blunt nature suddenly drawing me back from the somewhat relaxed level of chat that was developing. I take out my phone and pull up a picture of Sophie.

"I've something to ask you and I'd appreciate and honest answer..." Sliding the phone across the top of the makeshift desk come table, "...do you recognise her?"

Chloe picks up the phone and considers the photo; pinching the screen she zooms in and sits back in her chair. "Should I?"

"She was here at the last Phoenix event. Her names Sophie"

"So were thousands of others," Chloe looks up at me, "She's pretty ... who is she your girlfriend?"

"Friend of a friend," I state without thought and covering the truth with a partial lie. Not entirely sure I trust Chloe with the full truth.

"Jack like I say there were thousands of..."

"Apparently she was taken down into the basement," I cut across her, "From what she's let on she was ... well, you don't need detail to imagine because you know what used to happen to girls at those house parties."

"I do," she stated coldly. "As do you as I recall."

I feel the guilt twist like a knife in my stomach.

"Jack ...all that came to an end ...and you know why?"

In my mind's eye the vision of Spider prone and bleeding flashes before my eyes once again.

"Not from what she said," I offer ignoring her brief comment alluding to Spider.

"Bad things happen to people all the time... The events are becoming increasingly lawless... more and more drugs from outside... we had a stabbing in the field where the cars are parked last time ... if something happened to your friend's friend, I'm sorry but you asked for honesty and I honestly know nothing about it."

Chloe hands the phone back to me, "That's the truth Jack."

I'm not sure I can trust her.

In the distance I hear raised voices. Chloe hears them too; standing from behind the desk just as the only door into the room bursts open and a flushed face short haired lad who's face, I vaguely recognise bursts in.

Stopping in his tracks surprised to see me there he turns his attention immediately to Chloe.

"Police ... fucking Police everywhere in the Courtyard... fucking Dogs... fucking Van loads of them," his face ashen, his eyes wide with panic.

"Fuck," Chloe's own shocked expression lasts barely seconds. "Code Purple."

"Already instigated," he states backing away towards the door.

"Then get the fuck out of here," Chloe barked snatching her phone from the table before turning to me her tone dropping to a measured assured one instantly, "You'd better follow me Jack the Lad."

Through the open door I hear the sirens and the confusion. I don't think twice I follow Chloe who despite the heel of her boots makes from the room and down the corridor at speed. I follow her through the Labyrinth of narrow dark corridors. Passing a strip of windows that overlook the courtyard I see at least three Police Vans and a number of Patrol Cars; Officers in Uniforms wrestle with individuals as they flee The Mills. Not far away I hear voices and the ear-splitting bark of a large dog.

Chloe rounds a corner, as I turn the same corner she's nowhere to be seen. I feel her hand grab my shoulder as she pulls me into a doorway hidden in a recess in the shadows. My breath fast in my lungs as I follow her slipping through the narrowest of passageways, so dark I can barely see her, I follow the sound of her footsteps by instinct. The passageway leading to a metal spiral staircase that only leads down I realise as Chloe lights the torch on her mobile. The staircase rusted and creaking barely looks like it'll take her weight as she starts to descend.

"Where the fuck..."

"Shut the fuck up and follow me," she snaps on a hushed tone and find myself diligently following.

The fragile stairs case seem to go on forever in the darkness. I light my own torch, but it serves very little purpose. Eventually the winding steps cease, opening up into an apparent dead end. If this was her escape plan, she'd made a terrible error of judgement there was nowhere to go. I turn around and Chloe is nowhere to be seen.

"Good job you've not let yourself go since we split," I hear and realise she's crouched on the floor pulling a solid looking metal grill from a wall where it meets the floor. "Pull this back into place behind you".

Watching in disbelief as on hands and knees she starts to crawl through the gap in the wall she's created.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"You can take your chances if you want" I hear her say. Crouching in the darkness I shine my phones torch into the narrow crawl space illuminating the heels of her boots and the back of her nylon clad thighs.

"Pervert," I hear her state and suppressing a grin I clamber into the claustrophobic crawl space myself immediately realising I can't pull the grate up behind me. Crawling back out on my hands and knees I grab the sturdy metal grill and crawl backwards into the hole in the wall pulling the grill back into place as best I can. Crawling backwards on hands and knees I'm grateful when in very little time I feel the crawl space open behind me and managing to turn I realise I'm in close proximity to Chloe as soon as I stand. The light of the torches reveals an abscess between four brick walls barely any distance apart. If I stretch out both my arms, I could touch the walls at the widest part.

"Where the fuck are we?"

"I believe they're Ventilation shafts." she suggests as I look up and high above us and can see the merest glimpse of the summer sky.

I can only assume I'm as dirty and covered in dust as Chloe, as I briefly catch a glimpse of her as her torch light disappears.

"Turn off your phone." she instructs.

"What?"

"Turn off your fucking phone so it can't be tracked."

As I turn off the phone the darkness is all too apparent as we press up against one another in the narrow confines of the shaft. I'm not sure it's the raid is as sophisticated as to be tracking mobile technology, then I'm not site what capabilities the Police actually have at their disposal.

"Well, this isn't at all awkward" she giggles pressed up against me in the confines of the narrow chamber.

I can't see her face, but I can imagine her smirk.

**********

Callaghan stood hands on hips looking around her in the dusty room, her stab vest uncomfortably clinging to her in the heat.

"They scarpered like Rats," she stated her frustration barely contained she dare not turn to face Parsons who entered the room behind her with a Uniformed Officer.

The room like so many she's entered in last 20 minutes dusty and decrepit but appearing to have served some sort of purpose. An empty green Sprite can sat on the table in a pool of its own condensation.

"Bag that," she stated to the officer without turning to face him.

"We made three arrests," Parsons offered trying to sound upbeat. "Two males and a female ... we've found a shit load of pills, powder, weed and alcohol in one of the storerooms."

"We didn't find what we were looking for though did we ... was Alex Russell even here and how many of them got away with him if he was here?"

"There were too many exits to cover," Parsons attempted to reason, "They we're jumping out of Windows... scurrying across rooftops... and this place ... this place is a fucking maze."

"We were amateur... a basic recce would have given us more of a fighting chance..." her fist slammed into the palm of her hand when she wanted to pound the table to her left but didn't wish to further contaminate the scene. "... Forensics could spend months in this place and struggle to prove a thing."

"We've broken their operation though," Parsons offered. "Stopped them in their tracks if nothing else."

Callaghan gave a weak smile, stopping The Phoenix was a side effect of the raid so far as she was concerned. The radio clipped to her skinny fit jeans crackled, "DI Callaghan."

Looking instinctively to Parsons she felt a sudden surge of adrenalin for no known reason. Unclipping the radio, she brought the black unit to her mouth. "Go ahead."

"Ma'am were in the basement," the officers voice seemed uneasy, shocked. "Ma'am I'm not exactly sure what... Ma'am you better come see this."

**********

"Fucks sake Jack".

"It ain't like you picked the most spacious of hiding holes," I state into the darkness of our confines.

"Would it help if I turn around," she chuckled "You always did prefer to be tucked in behind me."

"Never had to look at your face," I state, not meaning what I say.

I'd started to lose track of how long we'd been here, whilst starting to wonder how much longer we'd need to be holed up down here.

"Why the fuck do you even need such fucking bolt holes?" I state hearing the frustration in my voice.

"Because let's be honest..." Chloe stated calmly "... you know the level of illegal shit that goes on here."

"Which is what brought me here?"

"Fuck" Chloe states as her arm brushes my chest. "You didn't?"

"I didn't what?"

"You didn't bring them here... the Police?"

I'm shocked she'd even think it. Although I know that Sarah has involved them, Sarah had reported to them what had happened to Sophie here and they'd come and taken statements from us taking details of the location, not that Sophie had been overly cooperative from what Sarah had told me. Had Sarah's actions brought this response, she'd been frustrated by the lack of willing, but had they been investigating and garnering evidence all along. Of all the ugly coincidences, of all the shit shows to accidentally get caught up in and now to be trapped here in the dark dirty confines of the Mill pressed up against Chloe.

"Fuck me ..." I shake my head on a drawn-out page, even though I realise she can't see "...you know I wouldn't Chloe."

"Oh, for the briefest moment I thought that was going to be an offer?" she states with a flirtatious chuckle. Pausing before her voice alters to a darker more measured tone "I know you wouldn't ... after all there's trouble buried here from your past."

"Unfair," I protest.

"That cunt got what was coming to him" Chloe counters "I never did get to say thank you."

Her hands purposely run up my chest causing me to draw a deep silent breath into my lungs as her hands come to rest on my shoulders.

"Perhaps you just did."

"Perhaps," she whispers pulling me closer, "Or perhaps there's another way I can show my gratitude."

"Stop it," I state feeling her body against mine her intent seemingly apparent, although I'd never rule out the fact she wasn't just misbehaving for the tease of my reaction.

"Stop what?" Chloe quietly whispers as I find my hands coming to rest on her hips "It's not like we can play eye spy to pass the time".

I wrestle my conscience.

"No" I state feeling her press herself up against me.

"No" she repeats sliding her hands to the back of my neck.

Moments later I'm pushing her up against the wall as she hitches her legs around me bracing her ankles against the wall behind me. I push her skirt bunched up around her waist, our hands scramble over one another and Chloe let's out a gasp and delicious dark little chuckle as I rip open her black denier tights.