The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 803: [THE SHADOW WITHIN] (XII)

AS the victim was still in surgery, Lewis investigated his identity.

Since they suspected he had been meant as the fourth victim, Lewis worked through Greyhaven Central Hospital’s patient records with Stevens’ access. They focused on recent therapy patients who matched the pattern they had been working with. It did not take long before they found him.

The victim was identified as Julian Mercer, twenty-nine years old. His records showed he had been undergoing treatment for Schizo-Obsessive Disorder, a condition that combined obsessive behaviors with episodes of disordered thinking. Notes from his sessions mentioned intrusive thoughts, compulsive actions, and difficulty separating what he felt from what was actually happening around him.

Lewis read through the summary once, committing the details to memory, then closed the file. Before he could say anything, his Terminal lit up with an incoming call. He answered immediately.

"Lewis." He listened for a moment. "Understood," he said, then hung up. He turned to Stevens. "The surgery’s done."

Stevens looked at him but showed little reaction.

"They’ve moved him to recovery," Lewis added.

Stevens gave a small nod. "In that case, I will speak with the psychiatrist who handled Mr. Mercer’s therapy. There may be details in his sessions that could be useful."

Lewis did not object since any information might help them. "I’ll go check on his condition."

They parted ways there, Lewis heading toward the surgical wing while Stevens turned back toward the psychiatric department.

***

Lewis took the elevator to the floor where the surgery had taken place. The hallway was quiet, with only a few staff moving between rooms. A doctor stepped out from behind a set of doors as Lewis approached.

"Detective Lewis?" the man asked when he saw Lewis.

"That’s right," Lewis said. "Are you the doctor who did the surgery?"

"I am," the doctor replied.

Lewis got straight to the point, there’s no need to beat around the bush at this point. "How is he?"

"The operation was successful," the doctor said. "We were able to stop the bleeding and repair the damage."

Lewis waited for more information that the doctor would share.

"However, he lost a significant amount of blood before arriving," the doctor continued. "He is currently in a coma. We can’t determine when he will regain consciousness."

Lewis nodded once. He was glad Mercer had survived. Not just because it would help the investigation, but because a man should not have to die like that. "He’s stable, but still unconscious."

"That’s correct."

Lewis paused briefly before asking his next question. "Were his wounds documented before surgery?"

That was standard procedure, but he still had to make sure.

"Yes," the doctor said. "A nurse completed the initial assessment and recorded everything."

"And that report?" Lewis asked.

"It has already been forwarded to the police," the doctor replied.

Lewis nodded again. "Alright. Thank you."

The doctor gave a brief acknowledgment before leaving.

Lewis turned and headed back toward the elevator. If the report had already been sent, then there was only one place it would be.

He needed to get back to the station and speak with Vargas.

***

Lewis was walking to Vargas’ office in the coroner’s department, his pace steady but faster than usual. He needed confirmation, and he needed it quickly. If the wound on Mercer matched the injuries from the previous three victims, then there would be no more room for doubt. It would mean the same person had attacked him.

Once he had that, he could take it to the chief.

They could start moving people out, send officers to check abandoned buildings and empty spaces across Greyhaven. If Stevens was right about the pattern, then there was still a chance to get ahead of it this time. Even if they could not stop it completely, they might be able to interrupt it again, or at least catch the person responsible before he disappeared.

Lewis turned into the coroner’s wing and headed straight for Vargas’ office.

The door was half open when he arrived. Inside, Vargas stood near her workstation, a virtual display open in front of her. Several images were lined up across the screen, each showing different angles of a wound.

She glanced up when she heard him walked in. "You’re fast."

"I had to be. I need an answer," Lewis replied as he stepped in. "Mercer’s, does it match with the others?"

Vargas turned back to the screen and adjusted the display, bringing one image forward. "Yes. The wound is consistent with the previous three victims. Same depth, same direction, same entry pattern. It was made by the same kind of blade. Most likely the same knife."

Lewis exhaled slowly. "And the drug?"

"Present in his system," Vargas said. "Same composition as before. A paralytic that keeps the body from moving but doesn’t block pain. Whoever did this used the same method."

That was the confirmation he needed.

Lewis nodded once, already thinking ahead. "Alright. That’s enough to move—"

"There’s something else," Vargas cut in.

Lewis looked back at her. "What?"

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes shifting to the image again. "I’m not completely sure how to explain it," she said. "But the wound feels... off."

Lewis frowned. "Off how?"

Vargas shook her head slightly. "I can’t put it into exact terms yet. The cut is similar, but something about it doesn’t fully match the others. It’s close, but not exact."

Lewis stepped closer to the screen, studying the image. "Could it be because he didn’t finish cutting Mercer’s torso?"

Vargas considered that, then gave a small nod. "That’s the most likely explanation. The process was interrupted. If the attacker had more time, it probably would have looked the same as the others."

Lewis held her gaze for a second, then nodded.

***

Lewis walked into his office after leaving the chief’s room. The tension from their talk still affected him. He shut the door and stood there for a moment before moving to his desk.

The discussion had gone the way he expected.

The chief had been blunt about the investigation’s lack of progress. The lack of results was bad enough, but losing the suspect on top of that had made things worse. Lewis could tell the man was close to losing his temper completely. The only thing that kept him in check was the situation itself. The case had already leaked to the media, and pressure was building from outside the department.

Despite that, the chief had still approved his request. Officers were being deployed across the city to check abandoned buildings and low-traffic areas. It was not a perfect plan, but it was something. At least now they were not just waiting for another body to turn up.

Lewis sat down in his chair and leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose. Before he could gather his thoughts, his Terminal lit up with an incoming call. A video feed opened, and Stevens appeared on the screen.

"Detective," Stevens said.

"What did you find?" Lewis asked, referring to how his talk with Mercer’s psychiatrist went.

"According to Dr. Cruise, his psychiatrist, Mr. Mercer only moved to Greyhaven a few months ago. His previous doctor transferred his case when he moved here," Stevens replied.

Lewis listened without interrupting.

"Dr. Cruise said that Mercer required consistent medication to maintain stability," Stevens continued. "He complied with his treatment. He attended every scheduled session and did not miss his medication."

Lewis’ expression changed a little as he took that in. The man had been trying to keep his life in order, following his treatment, showing up when he was supposed to. And then someone chose him to be their victim, anyway.

Lewis let out a quiet sigh before looking back at the screen. "What about the three?" he asked, talking about their current suspects. "Were they at work when Mercer was attacked?"

Stevens paused briefly before answering. "Interestingly, all three arrived late today. Their schedules show that none of them were present at the hospital during the time the incident likely occurred."

Lewis frowned. "So all of them had the chance to do it."

"Yes," Stevens replied.

Lewis leaned back in his chair again, his jaw tightening slightly. He had hoped this would narrow things down. Instead, it only confirmed that they were still exactly where they had been before.

***

Later that evening, another body was found. This time at an old water treatment plant on the edge of Greyhaven. The victim was discovered in a lower chamber, past a rusted door and down a narrow set of stairs. Most people would not have noticed it unless they were looking. The killer had struck again.