-Quan Leung-

The shadow which walked in front of me was ominous. It had its head lowered and shuffled across the room like a zombie. It wasn't what I had expected to find when I started to use my magic. I had expected to find more of an answer, more than just a shadow. But why would a shadow act so sluggish if it wasn't meant to be in Simon's room? Surely, they would be scared of getting caught. Then came the other figure.

The other figure wasn't a shadow, but rather a figure of light. I hadn't witnessed anything like it within my two decades of schooling my psychic abilities. If I had to take a wild guess, I would say that it was a ghost, but it looked unlike any ghost I had seen. It flickered and zoomed around the room, floating inches off the floor. It was short and slim, inhumanly slim.

"What do you mean, more than one person?" Ruarc asked from behind me.

"Well, what does it sound like?" I asked, my tone bridging onto sarcastic. I didn't have time to be explaining things that should be obvious. I took a deep breath to try and ground my mind. He was in mourning, and I was snapping at him. It was my usual, but it wasn't necessary right now. "There was more than one person here."

"Who killed Simon?" Mrs. Addams asked through a choked sob.

I nodded my head and lifted a hand to my chin, tapping it as I thought. "You said that nobody would want to harm Simon, but does that mean that nobody would want him out of the picture?" My words were harsh and to the point. I didn't want to beat around the bush or avoid the answers that I needed. If there was someone who had a reason to hate Simon so much that they would kill him, that would be extremely helpful. Yet, I had the feeling that I would've been told about any possible suspects already.

"No, he did harm to no-one," Ruarc denied. "Anyone in the street could tell you that."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Are you sure of that?" I didn't want to have to interact with the group who were just outside. They were intimidating and I wasn't one to get along with strangers, or people in general.

Ruarc seemed to hesitate. "Yes, yes, I'm sure that Simon wouldn't have had any enemies. He was too good for that."

I ignored the pained noise which came from Mrs. Addams' throat. I didn't want to completely ignore her emotions and opinions, but they could be troublesome when it came to investigations.

"Being good doesn't mean that you don't have enemies," I pointed out. "After all, the stereotypical conflict is good versus evil."

Ruarc sighed. "I know." He paused for a moment. "But then that just means that he was a target, because he was good. That would make it impossible to find out who it is."

I shook my head. "Difficult, but not impossible."

"That's just talking in riddles," Ruarc said with an exasperated sigh. "I feel like I'm just going to have to go along with whatever you're thinking and pull you out of the danger that you will inevitably get in."

I shrugged my shoulders. "If we're looking for someone who targets good people, I don't think I'd be good bait."

The noise of a soft slap echoed through the room. "Great, you already have a plan which includes bait."

I shook my head with a small chuckle. I knew that my chuckle could be mizzen as disrespectful and ill-placed, Yet, after being in this occupation for so long. Things such as jokes and other methods of lightening the mood, became things to rely on. We knew the gravity of our jobs, and some of us reacted to the fact in several ways.

"I think we got all that we need," I said and straightened my back. I walked over to Ruarc and held my arm out to him, which he immediately looped his arm around. "Should we share what we've found?"

A beat of silence was broken as he said, "no."

I didn't think that was a good idea, it would only make Harlen and Ruarc's other friends more suspicious. "What are we going to tell them?"

"Leave that to me."

I hesitated, I really wanted to insist to know what he was going to tell them. I didn't want him to mention my powers, or my small plan to figure out what was behind the killer's eyes.

"Okay."

We were met by the group as soon as we left Simons' house, but I was led to the brick wall just outside. I couldn't make out the whispers that were exchanged between Harlen and Ruarc. Vampire's sense of hearing was far too frustrating.

"Fine," Harlen finally said with a scoff. "But we're not just going to forget about it. Remember what happened last time?"

My ears twitched, I had heard so much about Ruarc's past, but never anything that was straight forward.

"I know," Ruarc assured. "I'll keep you in the loop this time, all of you."

"Maybe not Luka," Harlen said after a moment of silence. I wondered why they were speaking in a normal tone now. Luka would be able to hear them very well if he was still with the group. "You saw how he reacted."

"He's a soft soul. But you should keep two eyes on him," Ruarc advised. "After all, the only victim that we know of has been an angel."

"You think angels might be the ones that are being targeted?" Harlen asked.

That's what I had feared. Ruarc was giving something away as soon as we left the house. It wasn't his fault, but Harlen was sharp and picked up on things. That was incredibly good to know for the future.

"We don't know who is being targeted. We're starting with what we know," Ruarc explained.

Harlen inhaled audibly. "Okay, keep it up and keep is in the know." Footsteps came closer to me. The minimal light from the streetlamp was blocked. Cold breath hit my cheek, along with the scent of mint. "I'm watching you detective, if you had anything to do with this, or if I find out that you're doing this for another reason. You won't make it to tomorrow."

My lip twitched in amusement. "Noted."

"I should put you on a leash," Ruarc muttered.

I kept my expression stoney at his words, even though I found it hilarious. They fought like old friends, or even family from what I had experienced. I didn't have the best childhood, so other families were what created my view of the sort of relationships which were possible. I didn't understand how there could be negative words and remarks passed back and forth and yet there still be mounds of love.

"I'm not into that," Harlen responded lightly. "I don't know anyone who is, either."

I turned away from the conversation and slowly made my way to the bottom of the street. There was a park somewhere, and it'd be nice to stay there for a little while. I didn't want to linger around the group of strangers.

"Where are you going?" Luka asked quietly. I hadn't noticed that he had been walking behind me, he was only a few steps away. "Have you given up?"

"No," I replied. "We couldn't get answers straight away, but I'm not going to get any more answers by being here." There wasn't a falter in my step as he caught up to me.

"What about Simon? What did you learn? What kind of creature did it?" He listed off the questions like he was getting paid for everyone he could ask.

"He's dead, you know that. We learned a lot, and a humanoid-ish creature." I sat down on the bench that I found and crossed my ankles. My cane rested against the bench, pressing into my chest. "Are you concerned?" I hoped that Luka knew something that I didn't, anything would be helpful to the investigation. I also had faith that Ruarc would tell me everything I needed to know.

"Yes, wouldn't you be?"

That was a good question. I'm not sure that I would be scared. Not Quan Leung, investigator of Alchgrove police. He wouldn't be scared of anything like a murder, I used too much logic and knew some self-defence. I especially wouldn't be scared now that Ruarc was hired to protect me. Maybe that was why he kept getting angry that I didn't invite him inside. I'll do more thinking about that, maybe we could come to an agreement.

"Quan?" Luka's voice brought me back to reality. "I take that as a no."

I sighed and shifted so that I was facing him, who had also sat on the bench beside me. "I'm not scared of things like that because I see that every day," I started to explain. The angel's aura made me want to spill my guts and get everything off my chest. "I don't think that anyone would have a reason to go after me, nor do I think I'm defenceless. We don't know all the variables yet."

"Yes, but Simon wasn't defenceless either. Nobody would want to hurt him, and yet he's dead."

Was that how everybody else felt when I was blunt? I appreciated that he was getting to the point, but it was difficult to convince myself that the anger he felt wasn't directed towards me.

I nodded my head. "People can also just be assholes who go for the first person they see. Sometimes, there is such a thing as being too good, so good that it frustrates and annoys people." I sighed again and turned to look forward. "I'm not saying that's what happened, we really don't know."

Luka sighed, but it sounded a lot more agitated. "I don't like the police," he stated firmly. "They can't get answers quick enough, and then my sister goes to work for them, and hardly speaks to us now."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is your sister Jade, by any chance?" I tried to hold back a grin. That would be slightly unfortunate, Luka Lucas isn't a bad name, it's got quite a ring to it, but I'd imagine that type of name wasn't treated too well.

"You know her?" he asked, sounding a bit hopeful.

"Unfortunately," I jokingly replied with a small grin.

My humour didn't quite come across, as he exclaimed, "hey, that's my sister you're talking about." He then huffed in a manner which reminded me of a small child. "She doesn't come around here anymore, to see dad and me. She's always too busy with work, and if she's not working then she's sleeping."

I nodded my head in understanding, which was nearly exactly what I did. "I suppose everyone in the office has unhealthy working habits," I admitted. "Do you want me to talk to her?" I hoped that he would say no, to deny my offer, and say that I shouldn't be getting into other people's business. Truly, I don't know why I offered.

"You'd do that?" His hand rested on the sleeve of my coat. "Seriously?"

I couldn't back out now, not after I had given him what seemed like a smidgen of hope, to me at least, that lit up his entire mood.

"I could, I don't know what I'd say. I'm willing to bring you up in conversation." I hesitated for a moment. "Is there anything I shouldn't mention?"

"Simon," he said immediately. "That would be a very bad idea. That's it though, we're a pretty tight family."

I nodded my head, which would probably be why he was willing to take the help of a complete stranger. Or maybe he preferred the fact I didn't know anything about them. It would make it easier for me to have input, if I needed to give any. I doubted that I would be any use otherwise though.

"Thank you." His footsteps were slow as he walked away from the bench, as though he was waiting for me to go back on my word. I didn't see any harm in doing him this favour, and maybe it would calm Jade down a bit.

"Ready to go?" Ruarc asked. His voice made me jump slightly, I was too focused on Luka, that I hadn't even heard the vampire approaching. "It's quite dark."

I scoffed. "It would be," I said dryly. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Most of it, I think. It was very nice of you to offer."

I grumbled under my breath some incoherent words. That was one of the reasons why I didn't like to do good things, people would start expecting things. Ruarc had already made assumptions about me, and what I would do to help others. I don't want that to be 'nice of me' I want it to be nice. I didn't want people to have assumptions of what I would do, because then they would expect that.

I shrugged my shoulders and led him down the street. He was practically walking beside me, but he was half a step or so behind.

Ruarc and I said goodbye at my front door. I entered the house to find Clover waiting for me. She rubbed herself against my legs and purred. I was reminded of how strange this cat was, always seeming to know when there was something irritating me.

"I'm not going to tell you all my problems, honey," I told her as I scratched behind her ears. I was sat on the floor, wedged in the corner of the door frame and the wall. This was always the spot where Clover cornered me for hugs and attention. "If you want to know, you can find out little bits and put the pieces together."

Clover meowed in protest, both at my words and the fact that I was standing up. I shifted to my kitchen and grabbed some instant noodles. I didn't have the best diet, which consisted mostly of said noodles, but I was aware of it and tried to make steps towards eating healthier. It was my new year's resolution for the past decade, and it never worked out.

The evening was slow and quiet, resulting in me falling asleep on the settee listening to the telly. I had an ache in my neck and back the next morning when I face planted the floor of my living room. Today wasn't going to be a good one.

I thought about what I said to Luka as I brushed my teeth. I didn't want to get into family drama, all of which is unnecessary and harmful, from my experiences at least. I didn't know anything about the Lucas family, only that their mother died many years ago, leaving the three family members in some tough times. They had the help of neighbours and extended family, but Jade decided that she wanted to pursue her career in the police force away from her home.

Wearing a police badge had it's perks when it came to people who liked to gossip, they would think that they're being helpful by spilling the beans on everyone in the neighbourhood. I learned not to wear it outside of my office hours after a particularly pain-staking bus journey which had been delayed for two hours.

I hesitated as I passed Ruarc's house, I was going to wave to him, but then I remembered that waving wasn't like me. I placed my hand in the pocket of my trench coat and shook my head. Ruarc wasn't by any windows, but I knew that he would be following right behind me.

I had become closer to Ruarc than I had been closer to anyone before. It was frustrating at how easily he seemed to worm his way into my life, messing with my emotions and thoughts until I wasn't acting like myself anymore.

There was a crowd outside the office, which was incredibly unusual. I recognised the faces of everyone who worked in the office. Even the security guards and Candice were standing outside.

"What's going on?" I asked William, who was standing at the edge of the group, coffee cup in hand.

He shrugged. "Evacuation," he stated.

I resisted the urge to run a hand down my face and groan. "I can see that. Why?" I turned around to try and find Ruarc, only for him to be standing right behind me. "Morning."

"Morning," he replied. He looked over my head, focusing on something. The scars which decorated his face seemed brighter and agitated today. His hair, both on his face and his head, was slightly messed up, and his eyes lacked the regular spark I saw in the mornings. "There was a break-in."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Why didn't we get called?" I went on the tips of my toes to try and see over the heads of people. "When?"

"About twenty minutes ago," Ruarc said.

The air was stolen from my lungs. "How could we have a break in? Who would be stupid enough to break into a police station whilst everyone's there?"

William shrugged again. "They haven't been caught, so I suppose they were pretty confident."

I ignored him, I didn't have anything nice to say in response, and I didn't want to add to any stress anyone was feeling by starting an argument.

"Mister Leung!" someone from the crowd called, breaking through the mass of people with ease. "Miss Afia wants to see you." They were a young guard, most likely a vampire. "Ruarc." The two men nodded in respect to each other.

"Right, where is she? I saw her earlier, but I think I lost her."

"Follow me." I did as I was told, following the guard through the sea of people. Candice stood by the front door to the office, phone pressed to her ear and an annoyed expression on her face.

"Quan, just the person I wanted to see." She gestured for me to come closer, before waving the guard away. I knew that no matter where he stood, he would probably be able to hear our conversation. "And Ruarc, glad to see you're doing your job again."

"I never stopped," Ruarc argued, but he was cut off by a shush.

"Quan, I need you to help me figure out what's going on."

I bit my lip and sighed, turning towards the 'glass' doors which led into the station. I wouldn't be able to do any proper work for the rest of the day if I tried to figure out who sneaked in, but I should be able to figure it out somehow.

"Okay," I agreed with a small sigh. I straightened my back and slipped off one of my gloves. I pressed my hand subtly to the door, trying to focus on the most recent events. Doors were always tricky, as many people walked in and out of them each day.

I shook my head and pulled the door open, much to some people's protests. I assumed that Candice shushed them all again, as they quietened quickly.

I trailed my hand along the wall, faintly aware of Ruarc's footsteps behind me. The corridor that I was seeing through my mind's eye was dark, far too dark for it to be this morning. It might have been in the middle of the night, but that didn't help.

Nothing helped, until I got to my office.

There wasn't a window in my office, but that was the only place which gave me any sort of clues. A shadow passed along the corridor, walking briskly; it knew where it was going. They entered my office and started to look through my desk, not even sparing a moment of acknowledgement towards Ruarc's.

My desk wasn't home to any personal items, as I didn't have many and it was a waste of time, in my opinion. I liked to have my work life and personal life very separate. So, the shadow that I watched wreck my office, left empty handed. I didn't understand why they came here, until I began to concentrate more on the shadow itself.

The figure was familiar, the broad shoulders connected to a relatively short head was familiar. It was a figure that I hoped never to see again in my life.

I pulled my hand away from the door frame and stumbled backwards, hitting Ruarc's chest.

"Quan? Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

I shook my head, trying to focus on my breathing. I couldn't go into the office. I would get more answers there, maybe. I don't know how much they knew about my powers, but I was certain that they knew more than I did.

I didn't know what my father was doing here, nor did I want to know.