Upon arrival, Nines reflected that Fighting Island was indeed a beautiful place. It was no surprise that the BASF had declared it off limits to all but its caretaker. Unlike mainland Detroit, the plant life was flourishing. Though the weather was grim, he also noted various birds and insects no longer seen in the city. This was a haven of nature. His LED span yellow as he scanned the area, looking for signs of human activity. He'd docked his boat in a small nook, away from the wooden pier that he assumed led to the research base. This left him in the throes of nature, forcing him to climb and fight his way through the underbrush to reach a clearly trodden path.

He was cautious as he stepped onto it, scanning for cameras and activity. Curiously enough, there was none. Perhaps that was to be expected. The Hickory Killer, or Dr Berkshall as he had chosen to be called, had never expected anyone to find him. How could they when he'd covered his tracks so thoroughly? If not for that chance sighting by an unseen android, Nines would never have found the small boat. The BASF would also have something to say if he went around putting up cameras in the reserve. They were supposed to be preserving nature, not choking it with technology. The lack of cameras was good for Nines as he worked his way through the trees and shrubs to finally come upon the base itself.

It wasn't anything special, just a two-storey building, a little bigger and wider than the average house. The roof was sloped, making rainwater gush into thick gutters that led into reservoirs where it could be saved and heated for baths and cycled through the heating system. Long windows lined both floors, but the glass was dark. Mirrored, like those of Elijah's mansion. Security cameras circled the building, filming the path to the door and the rear entrance. That was the only precaution Nines could see. Scanning the building, he was troubled to find no activity. Perhaps Dr Berkshall and his android were elsewhere. He could only assume Gavin would be kept somewhere more secure than the upper floors. It wouldn't do for guests to hear his cries for help.

Knowing the coast was clear, Nines waited for the front camera to turn and hurried to the door. Hacking the lock was a simple matter for his advanced systems, and within moments, he was standing in the welcome hall. It was roomy, with shiny linoleum flooring and various pictures of the reserve hung on the walls. This was likely a foyer, a reception for visiting classes and researchers. Drawing his sidearm, Nines cleared the building room by room. If not for all the connections they'd made, he might think he'd made a mistake with how normal it all seemed. The lower floor was set up as a sort of visitor's centre. There were terminals offering various information about the animals and plants on the island, papers that young children could stamp at various stations, and even a small lecture hall with an electronic screen.

The upper floor was also unassuming. The rooms along the right were classrooms and small offices with more advanced terminals. This was likely where Dr Berkshall and any visiting students conducted research. There was a science lab containing various microscopes and stored plants. Chemicals and petri dishes, test tubes and pipettes, and many other items that could be used for experiments. There were also display cases full of preserved insects and dried plants; hundreds of varieties. Years of work that had likely been started long before Dr Berkshall arrived.

Further along the hall, on the left, were the personal living spaces. Two communal bathrooms, and four guest rooms with a kitchen and living area attached. At the far end was an office that belonged to Dr Berkshall and a private apartment that had clearly been his personal living space. Nines took great interest in these. The office was empty. Hooks remained on the walls where items had been removed, the desk had been cleared with the chair tucked beneath, and multiple bookcases remained stocked with books. Interesting...He'd taken the pictures, but not the books.

The living area was also surprising. Furniture remained inside, ready for someone else to move in. There was even food in the fridge, though nothing that had been opened. Everything was clean and tidy. Stepping into the bedroom, the wardrobes and drawers were empty. Nothing remained that had belonged to Dr Berkshall. Is that by coincidence or by design? It was entirely possible that this was a secondary living space, somewhere he only stayed when researchers were visiting. It certainly wasn't where he'd kept Gavin and gone about his less savoury activities.

With that in mind, Nines headed downstairs. As the only secure building on the island, Gavin must have been kept on-site. The Hickory Killer would want to see who was coming and going and ensure his secret was safely kept. With that in mind, he knew there must be somewhere in the house suitable for his purposes. He'd already searched the level above, which meant the only other direction was down. Scanning the floor made him even more certain. The signal bounced back. A less advanced android would read that as the ground being solid, but Nines recognised it for what it was. A false signal that said the ground was filled when it wasn't. If there was a room beneath his feet, there must also be a way to it.

He'd already walked the rooms and cleared them of activity. He'd tried every door, and looked in every cupboard. There were two ways one could enter a basement. A stairwell, or some form of chute. A slant or straight down. That meant there had to be a space for it somewhere. His LED span yellow as he walked the rooms, scanning the dimensions and putting them together like a jigsaw puzzle. There is something missing...A hole in the three-dimensional map he'd built in his head. Right in the middle of the lower floor. He frowned as he walked through the different rooms. False walls? Laying his hand on the surface, he could feel it was thinner than most. Wood and plaster.

He'd found the lost space, but how had the Hickory Killer opened it? He surely wouldn't break through the wall every time he wanted to go downstairs. There were no seams that he could see, so the wall itself didn't swing or slide open. There was a bookcase against one wall, but it wasn't a false fronting. It was a real bookcase that he could pick up and move. Here...On another section of the wall was an electrical terminal. The terminal had an out-of-order sign fixed to it, and for good reason. Upon scanning it, Nines found it wasn't a terminal at all. It was a false fronting, which swung open like a door when he found the latch.

Behind the door was a steep staircase leading down to a second door. Yellow bounced off the walls as Nines drew his sidearm and crept down the steep steps. He ran scans constantly, looking for any sign of life or some form of trap. The stairs were clear, at least. At the bottom, he pushed the door open. It was a plain wooden door that hadn't even been locked. Clearly, the Hickory Killer never expected anyone to get this far, or wasn't worried if they did. Beyond the door, lit by automatic lighting, was a long, cramped hallway lined with heavy metal doors. They were like prison doors, clearly meant to keep victims confined.

He moved to the first door, scanning for any sign of life or activity. The room beyond was empty, as far as he could tell. He pushed it open, LED blinking red as he took in the dried red stains splattered across the cement floor. The faded colour suggested someone had tried to clean it up, but a mixture of faded pink and darker red remained. Two heavy wooden chairs had been fixed to the floor, faded patches down the sides suggesting they'd been scrubbed raw many times to remove the stains. The only other thing in the room was a small table, which had been wiped down and left against the wall.

There were more rooms like this, some with chairs, some without. One had a small cot, and another room housed three glass cells. The cells themselves were clean, the cots ready and made up for future victims. The floor outside was another matter. Like other parts of the basement, the cement was stained with red and pink, revealing faded boot prints that matched some of their victims and Gavin. Nines' LED span red as he ran a second scan to confirm the size and pattern. Gavin had been in this room! He crouched and ran his fingers over the faded print, thirium pump grinding at the sight. This was the closest he'd come in months. Gavin!

With a new fire in his chest, Nines stormed down the hall to the only other wooden door in the whole corridor. Upon opening it, he frowned to find such a normal-looking room beyond. Gavin's scent hung heavy in the air. It wasn't a dirty, unclean smell. It was a freshly bathed smell, a sign that he'd been using his usual products. The large bed was freshly made, as if waiting for him to return. The table was neat and tidy, with three chairs tucked beneath the round surface. Three? His stomach component clenched at the thought. The feeling only got worse as he continued his search.

Though partly empty, the closet was full of clothes matching Gavin's usual choices. The same brand of jeans, the same woollen tops. The bathroom was full of his usual bathing products, though there was no toothbrush or razor. Such items had likely been packed and taken with them in the move. The only thing that was out of place was the small, tiled room beside the bathroom. His LED span red as he took in the cuffed chains and stained tiles. Had they kept Gavin in here? Had he been chained like an animal and tortured? He swallowed, trying not to think about what they might have put him through. Looking for clues was the most important task.

Fresh heat swelled in his chest as he turned the corner and found yet more cells. They were all neat and tidy. Clean. Possibly unused. There was no way of knowing. The lack of clues was disturbing, but perhaps not surprising, considering the Hickory Killer owned an android. He would have used the Jack android to clean up as they left to ensure no evidence was left behind. Gavin is gone...Heat burned his chest and throat as his fist slammed the wall. Silent wails filled his head, a shrill cry of despair leaking into the void. Colin joined him there, asking for details and comforting him in his despair.

They were here! There were right here! Colin did his best to calm him, offering gentle assurances that they'd get there soon and secure the scene. Canadian authorities arrived first, flooding the upper floors and securing Nines as if they thought he might be involved. Nines was immovable. He stood rigid in the hall, giving them no reaction as they yelled and pulled him this way and that. There was so little reaction, they began to think he was inactive. They left two men to watch him as the rest secured the scene. It was only later, once the FBI was graciously allowed to join them, that he finally moved, and that was only because Colin stepped up and wrapped his arms around him. Gavin was here...He was here, and I was too late!

We'll find them again...They can't run forever, and having lost a major base of operations, it's more likely we'll catch up to them. In the meantime, we'll tear this place apart. Something must have been left behind. Colin sounded far more confident than Nines felt. He was also gentle and sympathetic as he stroked his cheek and smiled. Nines nodded reluctantly. Though he'd performed an initial walkthrough, Colin was undoubtedly correct. Having lived there for some time, there was likely something left behind. A clue, no matter how small. A single android couldn't clean up over a year's worth of living. Assuming they left within the past day or so...When and how they'd figured it out, Nines couldn't say.

Perkins was already further inside, loudly barking orders at both sides. The Canadian authorities didn't argue. Richard Perkins was clearly used to having his way, and the sharpness of his dark eyes left no room for arguments, despite his modest stature. Agents ran up and down stairs, taking any technology that wasn't bolted to the walls and even some that was. Nines and Colin were soon set to work on scanning and downloading data from whatever couldn't be removed. From what he could tell, it was all unimportant nonsense. Genuine research for the BASF that would do them no good. They took it regardless.

Multiple forensics teams were sent downstairs and even more were out in the wilds. Cadaver dogs were brought. Great hounds that ran howling through the underbrush, barking and signalling whenever they found something. Not every body had been dumped in Detroit. With no one allowed to disturb the deeper wildlife, the Hickory Killer had found the perfect dumping ground. Provided he dug deep enough, the bodies would never be discovered. Seven bodies were found within the first hour of searching, and those were the fresh ones. The Hickory Killer had been dormant for years before returning for Gavin. He was out here the whole time...All those years they'd been looking in Detroit, and he was right here on the outside!

The BASF would surely be furious that their island had been used in such a manner. Authorities had no choice but to dig where bodies were found. The entire island was now one giant crime scene, off limits to everyone, including those who owned it. Nines didn't doubt forensics would be sensitive. Reserves like this were rare and precious these days. They'd likely do their best to maintain the area and dig carefully. Many of the bodies were hidden in overgrown areas at this point. Without constant maintenance, the wildlife flourished within weeks, especially with all the nutrients a fresh body brought.

Nines' LED span red at the thought that Gavin might be among them. That surely wasn't the case. Gavin was too valuable. After spending so much time acquiring him, the Hickory Killer would surely keep him alive. Unless he outlived his usefulness. Impossible. The Hickory Killer had been obsessed with him for years. Whatever his purpose, he'd surely taken Gavin away with him. Taken him where? Had he gone to Windsor, Detroit, or somewhere else? Canada and America were vast. The Hickory Killer didn't need to stay in Detroit, or even Michigan. At least the Canadian authorities are now aware...Searches would be performed on both sides of the river.

I'll return to shore. Investigating the scene is best left in human hands. Nines was restless. Too restless for the pointless searching that was sure to follow. Colin quietly agreed. Good as it would be to find those who'd been killed, it was more important to search while the Hickory Killer was vulnerable. On the run was when he was most likely to slipup. Once he found a new hiding place, he'd have time to regroup. Unfortunately, the Hickory Killer had been smart enough to use a different boat for his escape. The old fishing boat they'd originally traced was still docked on the Detroit side of the island.

Where are you going to start? Colin's question was a good one. Hunting without a lead would be pointless. So I need to find a lead.