Vice Cop Ch. 09

"Sold my soul, sold my soul, and who hasn't? I did it all for Love, and all for Fame and Glory, It's the same old Story...All those who made it big did the same Sold my soul ...Sold my soul and who hasn't?...."

The first "act" of the rock opera had lots of special effects, and this monster movie type of stuff was what Siegfried's band was famous for. Faust the rock star is transformed from human to satyr, half-man and half-goat. The woman he loves, a girl who looked Goth in dark hair and dark clothes and a ton of blood-red make-up, rejects his love after his transformation. As for the Devil, played by Siegfried himself, he strutted around the stage belting out his own songs in red body paint and long flowing cape, Siegfried's signature costume.

"Could you believe I'm actually enjoying this?" Mason said to Lexa.

"It's pretty operatic stuff," Lexa said, "they could use some of those sets for the Metropolitan Opera."

"So here's what I want us to do, Lexie. During intermission, we'll go to Siegfried's dressing room and we'll talk to him, let him know we're undercover cops doing our thing. His reaction will say everything. If he's ok with us being here like this, then he's probably not a suspect. If he reacts strangely, then we have reason to believe he's responsible for all the bizarre murders. So far I have seen nothing strange. I've been keeping an eye out."

"You must have great eyesight, Detective. It's kind of hard to do that with all these rowdy teens."

Intermission time arrived.

There was to be an Act 2 Finale afterward. The fans were still treated to a few instrumental pieces by the other musicians but Siegfried and Val, who had been singing the part of Faust, excused themselves and left the stage. Mason and Lexa cut through the crowds and headed for the backstage area. They let the security guards in that area know that they were undercover cops with Homicide. They allowed them to walk into the backstage area. Because the Paradise was such an old theater, they had used various parts of it for a vast backstage area and it sprawled before them like a labyrinth.

Little did rock fans know the world behind the curtains Here Mason and Lexa saw a host of groupies, smoking and preening in their little make-up mirror kits. They were standing in a row, almost like a chorus line, each waiting their turn to chat with Siegfried. They were apparently waiting for him to emerge from his dressing room. Some of them were walking up and about. When the other members of Darkness arrived backstage, some of them approached them and each took the arm of their favorite idol.

"Hey, you two," said Diedrich, one of the vocalists from the band, shouting out to Mason and Lexa, "yeah you guys. What do you think you're doing? You're in a restricted area."

"We're New York Police, Homicide detectives," Mason said, "this is Lexa O'Neil and I'm Detective Mason Holmes."

He showed Diedrich his police identification as did Lexa. The singer was silent and nodded.

"If you're looking for Siegfried, he's getting dressed and ready for the next act."

"We need to talk to him."

Diedrich did not say a word but nodded again. There was a look of concern and an "it's all over" expression in his face. Mason and Lexa approached Siegfried's dressing room. It had the classic star painted on the door with his name on it. Mason knocked forcefully on the door.

"Fraulein, I'm not ready yet, I told you. Come to me after the show," said Siegfried.

"He must think it's one of his groupies," Lexa said to Holmes.

"Mr. Kroll, we're with New York City Police. We need to talk to you," Mason Holmes said.

"Come in."

He looked up from his chair. He was looking into the glass of the vanity mirror, framed with light bulbs, and applying red lipstick. He was in his Devil costume but with a slight variation. He was wearing the satyr's lower half -- the goat legs in addition to the cape, ram horns and crown. On the table beneath the mirror were little red candles and he had his hookah with him, though he was not smoking it. A plastic skull was on the desk under the mirror.

On another part of the dressing room, there was a bong and it had been recently used. Siegfried had a cold expression in his face, and it was very legible: he was not pleased to see cops at his show. He made a gesticulation with his hand to let Mason and Lexa know they could take a seat on two chairs in the room.

"Surprised to see us, Mr. Kroll?" Mason said to him.

"Not at all," he said, "I'm glad you came to one of my shows. Did you enjoy the first act?"

"It wasn't bad," Lexa replied, "lots of showy theatrical effects and killer rock melodies."

"I composed each song myself."

He said that as if to flirt and make himself appear impressive in front of Lexa whom he was regarding as beautiful.

"Mr. Stader, isn't that what you told me your real name was?" Lexa replied, ignoring his lusty look.

"Yes."

"Well Mr. Stader, we're here investigating in an undercover position. Since so many deaths have occurred in your own concerts, we figured tonight's show would not be any different."

"And have you found the murderer?"

"We've seen nothing suspicious or strange."

"You see, Herr Detective. It's like I said. I'm not behind any murders and neither is the band. I hope that this proves it once and for all."

"Not exactly," Mason said, "just because one show went by without any incident doesn't mean that the case is closed. The killer is out there, somewhere, closer than we think. He might even be at tonight's show."

"If you're so good at what you do, Detective, it shouldn't be hard to find him," Siegfried said, with a deliberately slow and sly voice, "it is probably right under your nose all along."

"We'll see. My partner Miss O'Neil and I will be back again for your second concert and show at the King's Theater."

"Oh, I shall be delighted to see you there. Do bring another friend."

He was being curt and sarcastic and Mason wondered if he found all this amusing. It was really a strange way to react, too.

"Come on, Lexie, let's get out of here."

"Aren't you staying for the final act? We have lots more numbers and monster rock ballads."

They closed the door and left Siegfried alone to stare at them with a sly grin on his face.

EIGHT

Mason came down with the flu and as luck would have it, Hudson Banach was asked to fill in for him.

He would be working undercover again for Homicide. It was not unusual. He worked both Vice and Homicide in undercover and paid positions, if only because he was quite good at what he did as a cop. Lexa did not like that she had to work with him again, knowing there would be tension again. They were told to use one of their own cars, and to go to the concert quite late, so as to catch the singers off-guard and to keep a lower profile. The idea was if they arrived somewhat later while the night wore on, they might find that something was amiss.

They were appropriately dressed again: Lexa in the same skirt but a different wig, this time a red one, and Hudson in a leather jacket and tight-fitting blue jeans. Lexa decided to wear black boots.

Hudson and Lexa had argued over which car to use. Lexa had recently bought herself a stylish but small blue Corvette. She wanted to use it and she figured it was cool enough to take to a rock concert. But Hudson wanted to take his own black Camaro with the phoenix emblem on the hood. Lexa, too tired for a fight, gave up and they ended up driving Hudson's car to the concert. They drove in silence, not uttering a word. They had argued over things like that before. When they had been assigned as partners back when they were both still working patrol duties, they always fought over who would drive the police car. Sometimes Hudson would yield to Lexa and other times Lexa had to let Hudson drive.

A greater crowd arrived at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn than had attended Siegfried's show at the Paradise in the Bronx. A large poster was outside the theater. It was the horror movie poster for Siegfried's horror film Lucifer. He would be showing a short preview of the film to the audience before his show began. This show, he had told his fans, would use many of the special effects, costumes, sets and even animatronics that would be used for the movie. Another group was singing there that night, opening for Darkness. It was a similar type of band, only this one appeared to be more of the Goth rock type. It was called "Vampire". The members dressed in the signature black garments of Goths, wore lots of makeup and even had fangs.

"Who's their lead singer, Dracula?" joked Hudson.

"I've heard of these weird types. Some of them actually engage in consensual bloodsucking. It's a lifestyle and culture. Isn't it terrible?"

"Oh I don't know. I wouldn't let just anyone bite my neck. It would have to be someone very special to me."

He laughed out loud.

"Come on, be serious, and let's focus. Remember, Mason said to keep a lower profile this time."

As Lexa looked closer at the poster, she noticed that their lead singer, Val, was the singer that Siegfried used a lot for his shows. He was dressed entirely in black, which Lexa knew was the new underground Gothic fashion among some teens. He had his mouth wide open and fangs that dripped with blood. This brought to her mind somethingMason had said when he first assigned her to the case. One of the two killers bit his victim's necks like a vampire. Could it be possible that Val....?

They entered the theater. Inside, the old movie palace had been restored, in part, to some of its former splendor. A beautiful mix of Rococo and nineteenth century French Second Empire design adorned the interior of the theater. The theater was vast and Hudson and Lexa wondered if any newcomer could get lost by accident in the nearly labyrinth-like atmosphere.

The crowds flocked like sheep into the main auditorium. A separate room which had many seats was a screen room and a preview of Siegfried's horror film was playing. By the time Hudson and Lexa arrived, the movie preview was over and everyone was in their seats before the vast stage and enjoying the beginning of Act 2 of Siegfried's rock opera.

It was his first heavy metal rock opera, which he had written about age eighteen back in Austria. It was scored with electric guitars, drums, bass, strings, chorus, synthesizer, organ and other very innovative instruments that evoked an older period but still remained very "rock". This was his first attempt at music and it showed a musical genius at work. His rock opera was called Siegfried, and despite its title bearing his own name, it was a rock version of the 19th century Richard Wagner operas "Ring of the Nibelung", a fantastic account of the rise and fall of the Norse gods by a cursed ring. To get audiences to relate, he made the hero into another "rock star" heroic type, with all the hair and glamour of a 1980's heavy metal star, made Brunhilde, the love interest, a gorgeous blonde in breastplates and thong. The gods who dwelled in the golden and heavenly Valhalla were changed to "gods of rock and roll" who often battled each other on electric guitar. The big winner was a killer guitar which transformed into a sword to slay the Red Dragon, a huge animatronic winged dragon based on the Great Red Dragon described in the Book of Revelations. Among other monsters used in his show was the "Beast" of the Apocalypse whose number was 666. Audiences in Europe loved his rock opera and it was being shown for the first time in New York City.

Hudson and Lexa found that there were no more available seats so they had to stand and watch all the spectacle. On the stage was fog, covering the floor like a thick mantle, and a fake forest. Siegfried was being sung by another band member, one that Lexa had not recognized from the previous night. He was in the middle of a big song and purple, red and white lasers shot into the air above him as he sang to the accompaniment of the band. As he finished the lengthy song, his electric guitar, which he had been holding gently falls from his hand and disappears in the fog and mist. From the darkness above him there was a glow. It was a yellow-gold, red and white light which dazzled the spectators and as they focused their eyes in the dark, they noticed it was a great bejeweled sword. The sword flew into his hand and he wielded it, his heroic image complete.

The audience broke into applause.

"Hey that's not bad," Hudson observed, "this guy knows a little opera. The Professor told me about Wagner's operas and this guy knows the story to the Ring of the Nibelung really well. He must be very smart."

"Well, I only met him last night for the first time," Lexa said, "and he didn't seem like the good kind of genius to me if you know what I mean."

"Shh, here's more," Hudson said, absorbed in the show.

From the darkness emerged a large animatronic red dragon, with enormous wings. It spewed fire, and the special effects were breathtaking, creating a zesty response from the audiences who cheered. To the strains of more monster rock music and elaborate riffs and solos, Siegfried slayed the dragon and awoke the beautiful sleeping Brunhilde, who had been enchanted by her father Odin, the King of the Gods, and surrounded in high fiery flames. He awoke the heroine with a passionate, open mouth kiss.

What followed was an epic, Gothic, very elaborate "rock tragedy" inspired by the final Wagner "Ring" opera Gotterdammerung. A rival rock band, jealous of Siegfried and his magic guitar, jealous that he had his hot girlfriend Brunhilde, stab Siegfried during a hunt and force Brunhilde to marry the Beast. Grief-stricken and desperate, she erects Siegfried's Funeral Pyre and to great rock music, summons her winged horse Grane and immolates herself by leaping into the flames. This causes the end of the world and Valhalla burns to ashes. Nothing but darkness remained on the stage.

"Looks like we got here only in time to see the last part," Hudson said, "Any sign of the guy?"

"Siegfried seems to be absent," Lexa said, "come on, let's go back stage and see if he's there."

NINE

The groupies regarded Lexa in her short blue wig, skirt and boots like she was too old to even be a groupie on some rock star's tour. Lexa completed her undercover image by bringing along a cigarette. She loved that undercover as a hooker or in this case a groupie, she had an excuse to smoke, which she loved to do at any rate. Hudson, too, smoked, and he had worn his hair in a ponytail to give his "rock fan" persona a more plausible appearance. They walked into the backstage area and discovered that no one had seen Siegfried. He had been the narrator voice in the first act and had sung a few lines before leaving the theater.

"You think he's up to something? Was he aware we were coming?" Hudson inquired.

"I don't know. I just know in my gut that Siegfried is the killer. He's so devilish. What we ought to do now is talk to someone who might know where he might have gone. The only other place he could be is his hotel suite at the Plaza."

Suddenly a scream broke out, a woman's scream. It was marked with pain and horror and the groupies backstage grew suddenly afraid.

"The fuck was that?" said one of the groupies.

"Looks like we're in luck, Lexie," Hudson said to her, "we might be at the scene of the crime already. Let's go check it out."

They followed the screams which grew louder. At once, pandemonium reigned. The audience in their seats back at the auditorium thought it was part of the show or some kind of gimmick. Siegfried had always promoted his shows like a horror movie and screams had always been heard at his shows. No one really took it seriously and felt it was part of the heavy metal monster rock culture. But Hudson and Lexa knew better.

Instantly they found a secret door, hidden behind drapes, and Hudson thrust his foot into the door in a powerful kick. He took out his gun from his hidden holster and sprung into action, wielding the gun before him. Lexa did the same. She had concealed her gun in her purse. When their eyes took in the scene, they were struck with horror and astonishment. Val, one of the singers from Darkness and Vampire held a hysterical ash-blonde girl in an arm lock and he was about to bite into her neck and cut her throat with a sharp knife. The girl was crying and struggling against his strong grip. Behind them there was a large four poster bed and an altar to the Devil. Myriad candles were scattered on the floor in a giant pentagram formation.

"Freeze, this is the police," Hudson said.

"Drop the weapon," Lexa commanded," and leave the girl alone or we'll shoot."

He complied and released the girl who was still visibly shaken. She ran toward the cops and stood next to Lexa.

"Hands in the air, punk," Hudson said to him, "now!"

Val raised his hands in the air. Hudson cuffed him at once. Lexa put an arm on the frightened groupie.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"I was one of his groupies," she said, "and I emphasize "was". You hear that you monster?"

She was addressing Val. She approached him, confident that she was in safe hands at the moment and spat in his face. "Take him away; he's a cold-blood killer. He was going to bite my neck without my consent and then he was going to kill me. He said the Devil told him to do it. I was going to be a sacrifice."

"Did he rape you?" Lexa said to her, trying to read the truth in the girl's eyes.

"No. You see, it was seduction. I'm a fan of his and we had consensual sex that turned ugly afterward. He was going to murder me if you hadn't come in time."

"You sick Satanist bastard," Hudson said, punching his face, "you're coming with us and you're going to answer some questions or you're going to wish you hadn't been born, you hear?"

"Miss, you're going to have to come with us to police headquarters, too," Lexa told the girl, "we need you to answer questions."

Manhattan Police Headquarters, 11pm

Val was brought into a private room where Chief Barry Hiller and a group of detectives could see and hear from behind a glass.

Inside the room, Hudson, Lexa and Detective Mason were interrogating Val who was seated on a chair in the middle of the room, looking up as the three of them walked in circles around him. He had a cold and defiant expression on his face. In leather pants and jacket, his dark hair long and his face thin and mean-looking, he looked every bit a murderer.

"Talk, you sick son of a bitch," Hudson said, "don't make me beat the shit out of you."

"Don't make this any harder than it already is, Mr. Val Morgan," Mason Holmes said, "just cooperate by answering our questions. We have been following this case since the beginning. We know that you're responsible for the murders of various teens. Bite marks were found on their necks and loss of some blood. We know that you follow a Gothic vampire culture so all the evidence points to you. But my question is this: were you taking orders to kill these teenagers from Siegfried himself?"

"I was only obeying my master Satan."

"I didn't ask whether you were taking orders from the Devil, I was asking if you were taking orders from the flesh-and-blood Siegfried Kroll. If you answer in cryptic riddles and not in plain straight-forward answers, you'll be here all night until we squeeze the truth out of you."

"Siegfried is the Devil's agent. He told me so himself. He has been hearing voices since he began to compose his music."

"Look, Morgan, I am not going to get into a spiritual conversation here. Some would argue that he's just schizophrenic and insane. I'm only concerned about the victims in all of this. You and your culture do a hell a lot of drugs and that makes you see and hear things. Mr. Kroll is obviously a mad musician with a severe drug addiction. Has he killed anyone himself or did he use you to do the dirty work?"