Rythian's POV

The loud thumping of music thundered in my ears and I scowled, which wasn't an unusual feature to be on my face. Not that anyone ever saw my face. 

I don't know why I still come here. It's been five years since I last saw her. Five years...and yet I still can't sleep at night, tossing and turning, wondering where she is, who she's with and...and the most important question.

Why?

The same thoughts ran through my head every single day and night. Why did she leave? Why did she leave me all alone to do my detective work? We made such a good team, her and I. Never let any case get in our way. We were unstoppable...

I shook my head. I'd thought about this too many times, let it get to me. My work was beginning to suffer too. What was the point in working as a detective when all you can think about is her?

"Another?" the bar man, Ravs, said, a hint of worry in his pale brown eyes as he rubbed a pint glass down with a rough looking towel that had definitely seen better days. I nod, my eyes flickering down to my own, empty glass. When did it become empty?

"It's going on midnight, you might want to be outta here to avoid all the rough types" he continues, running a stressed hand through his short brown hair. With his casual light grey shirt with red checkered lines and black trousers, he looked exactly the same as everyone else. Ordinary. Plain. There were only a select few who ever stood out to me in me life. Her, of course. And...

My eyes narrowed, my thoughts going down a more dark path. Him. I would kill him if I ever got the chance to. Then again, I'd have to join the cue-there was line around the block to slit his throat. But no one could kill him. All those who had tried had failed. I needed to find out how to kill him, but that was a topic of thought for another day. I remember my two other rivals, that sly sneaky rat Sjin and the scientist, Duncan. 

Shuddering violently, I almost tip my glass over. I'd dealt with them too many times, yet they still kept coming back for more. They never learned justice, hadn't heard of respect. I wanted to reach out and crush their skulls with my bare hands...

I was grateful when the next drink arrived. Slowly sliding the empty glass towards the waiting barman, I accept the other one, smiling faintly at the straw and tilting my head down so that Ravs and no one else could see under my hood. Then I slowly bring my mask down and slip the tip of the straw into my mouth and suck.

No one could ever see me under the mask.

I gulped the drink down, watching with disinterest as the liquid seemed to vanish in the glass. I was aware of Ravs watching me from the other side of the bar, but I payed no attention to his stares. I was used to it. A detective who covered up more and looked more suspicious than any other criminal. Heck, even the greatest criminal wore fancy ass clothes that looked out of the ordinary. But...but HE was daring, and didn't care about being seen. The police had tried so many times to bring him down, losing half their men in the process. In the end, it was best if they left him alone to do his work and only come in to mop up the spilled blood at the end.

If I ever found out a way to kill him, I would. For Zoey's sake, he deserved to die.

As her name echoed in me mind I bristled, shutting me eyes slowly. I could see her so clearly, her long, vivid red hair, shimmering like a waterfall down her back, the way it bounced as she ran after a criminal, the way she bubbled with excitement after solving a case...

Getting up swiftly, I pulled my mask up, looking up. Ravs nodded at me, and I slipped a hand into my pocket. "How much?" I ask, my voice a little deeper than necessary. I had to get out of here, go back to my flat, go back somewhere...alone. 

"A tenner will do. Have a nice night, Ryth" he smiled, and I plonked a ten pound note onto the table before hurriedly turning to leave. I smile as I spot Teep, leaning against the door, the man, of course, mute as ever. He nodded at me, his arms folded, and I nod back, and we leave through the door, flinching as the cold bite of the wind stung my skin.

"Any news, Tee?" I ask, that little glow of hope that always rose within me was there again, but I knew what the answer was before he could give it. Tee shook his head, but began to point somewhere. "What? Is there someone there?" I demand, waiting patiently. The mute man began to sign what he saw and my face paled.

D O G  F A T H E R

Tee took off down the street, the assassin silent as a cat. I was not gifted with his quiet as a cat feet, and the pounding of my shoes against the concrete made me wince.

Teep took me down the main road, which was empty apart from the odd car now and again-it was midnight after all, only fools go out at midnight. That's what I was, a fool...

He took me down an avenue, and stopped, putting his finger to his lips. I strain my ears and my eyes narrow when I hear talking in one of the alleyways, Teep beckons me to follow him, and we sneak into someone's garden, listening through the fence. I peek one eye through a hole, and I almost fall with disbelief.

Duncan's little friend, Tia was there in the alleyway, talking to the Dog Father.

"...Oh, don't be like that" he says, no doubt a grin wide on his face. I shudder when I hear his voice, that smooth, honey like voice that always promised something but it never came true. 

"I'll get a restraining order on you or something" Tia says fiercely. I shake my head, silently cursing. The only one who could insult the Dog Father was her. And she loathed him just as much as we all did.

"Like that will work." he snorts, and I see him shift so he is closer to her. His midnight black coat is almost invisible in the darkness of midnight, but thankfully a streetlamp on the avenue shines on the golden edges, illuminating him as if he was an angel going to guide you to the safety of heaven from the darkness. But in truth, he was the devil, ready to bring you to a hell so bad you couldn't even imagine it.

"I'm cold, annoyed and tired, so I'm going to go now" she sighs, beginning to set off. I could barely see her in the darkness as well with her completely black clothes, but the golden glow of the Dog Father's coat reflects onto her pale face in the alleyway. No fear was shown in her eyes, the look nearly everyone had when they say him, but it was just anger and impatience. I wrinkled my nose-I hated Tia. Just because she was the only one who could wrap him round her little finger, but she refused to.

And also she was Duncan's most loyal companion.

She begins to melt away into the darkness, but his hand shoots out quicker than a bullet and yanks her back. Instead of looking positively terrified and trying to run, she just groans, leaning her head on the wall. "What do you want?" she sighs. He steps forward and she stiffens, narrowing her eyes.

Just then, I lost my balance and fell against the fence hard. I flinched back instantly, and began to run.

I didn't even get as far as the avenue before a strong hand grabbed me by the throat and forced me back. 

"Ah, Detective Rythian, what a surprise" the Dog Father smirks, his bright blue eyes almost glowing with amusement. I splutter and choke as his grip tightens, my vision becoming white.

"You know I don't like surprises" he whispers menacingly, releasing his grip on my throat and I drop to the floor like a stone. I grab at my throat with one hand, feeling pathetically weak as I fumble from my gun. Tee had stopped up the road, debating whether to run or go.

R U N

I signed in the air quickly and he was gone before I signed the last letter.

A shoe kicks me in the chest and I fall back, gasping for air. Damn him and his strength! He places that shoe on my chest, keeping me from getting up, no matter how much I flail around. A gun is useless but it will attract attention. But at the same time, the evil gleam in his eyes makes me realize that would also be the noise of my funeral bells.

"Eavesdropping is rude, you know" he smiles, gazing down at me as if I was a dog who had decided to introduce himself. "You're one to talk about rudeness" I mutter, glaring defiantly into his blue eyes. He just smiles wider. 

"You just can't keep your nose out of business can you? You never could. That's your problem. You wanted to be everywhere all the time, and you were always in the middle of everything." he sighs, looking down in disbelief as I wriggle feebily under his foot.

"You're in a lot of deep crap, Rythian, so deep I'm surprised your not dead. You are lucky to be alive, yet you throw it away in the pub. Still mourning over your precious little Proasheck?" he hisses and I flinch, looking away.

"Did I hit a button there? You're wasting your time trying to find her" he says, shaking his head. "And how the hell would you know?" I snap. "Because I know everything" he smiles serenely, almost innocently, taking his foot off me. 

"You'll never get away with this, Ridgedog. I'll find a way to kill you, one day." I vow, scrambling away from him and standing up.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. You never will" he smiles, before melting into the darkness.

Tia's POV

"Will you ever leave me alone?" I sigh, pausing as Ridge stops in front of me, tilting his head with a smile. "That's a stupid question" he chuckles, and I sigh, my head flopping forwards. I was so tired, I could barely muster up enough energy to look the possibly most dangerous criminal boss in the world in the eye.

His hand lifts my head up, and I jerk my head sharply from his cold, icy touch. He was cold, but he showed no sign of being it. "Why do you still follow me around? What do you want from me?" I demand, waiting for an answer. "So many questions" he sighs, a hint of a smile twitching at his lips. "Then answer them" I snap. He pauses, glancing away. "You'll find out soon enough" he smirks.

"Why isn't that time now?" I ask with a lazy sigh. He sighs as well, shaking his head and looking at me impatiently. He puts his arm on the wall beside me, the edge of his coat tickling the tip of my ear. But if I move, he will too, so it was best just to stay frozen.

"Because it isn't the right time" he replies, the tone of his voice warning me not to ask anymore questions about it.

"So...why are you here?" I ask awkwardly, ignoring his hand when it trails down the scar on my right arm. He was obviously reminding me of when he saved my life. But he was still an annoying twat and no amount of saving-my-life was going to change that. "To make sure you are OK" he smiles, taking his hand back. I scowl at him and he smirks back.

"I can take care of myself" I say stiffly. "Oh, don't be like that" he grins, running a hand through his auburn hair. "I'll get a restraining order on you or something" I snap, glancing to see if anyone was watching this-if Duncan found out Ridge had a soft spot for me he would turn me against him. And, to be honest, I had enough enemies already. It was sort of a relief that Ridge was on my side...sort of.

He was still annoying.

"Like that would work" he snorts, grinning mischeviously at me. "I'm cold, annoyed and tired, and I'm going to go now" I sigh, ducking under his arm. A strong hand that felt like brick yanked on my jacket, pulling me back.

"What do you want?" I groan, and then he steps forward, a smirk on his mouth. I glare at him.

Then, thankfully, someone fell on the fence in the garden. As Ridge disappeared instantly in thin air, one of his many extremely annoying demigod abilities, I took it as my chance to leave. 

I sprinted through the streets, sticking to the shadows as I headed back into the main city. Heading over to the abandoned building on the edge of town, I open the creaky brown door and step inside.

"Who's there?" Duncan's voice spits harshly from downstairs. Honestly, his brand of security was worthless. "Just me" I shout warily back, and I locked the door behind me, clambering up the dirty brown carpet up the stairs. Collapsing on my bed, I shut my eyes.

"Did you get it?" Duncan asks eagerly, appearing in my room minutes later. "Of course not, they claimed they didn't have it. I gave them until tommorow midday" I yawn, my eyes still shut.

He groans. "I needed that" he sighs. "Well, you're gonna have to wait" I sigh, rolling over and shoving my head into the pillow. Taking it as a hint, Duncan leaves quietly, shutting the door behind me.