"You did wonderfully, Gavin." He hated the way his skin prickled at the praise and gentle touches. His green eyes fluttered as soothing fingers laced in his hair. Ungloved fingers. Jack was elsewhere in the house for now, leaving him alone with the Hickory Killer. He was probably getting the shower ready. Gavin always liked to shower after these sick little games, washing away the shame if not the blood. His clothes weren't even dirty this time. He'd killed at a distance, far enough away to escape the resulting splatter. "Tell me how good it felt." Bile rose in his throat. How good it felt?

He'd never claim to have liked Detective Yates, not even a little. They'd never been on a first name basis in all the time they'd known each other, and he didn't care to be. The man had hounded him relentlessly for years. Since the day he'd been arrested with the gun in his hand, Yates had tried to send him down. He didn't believe in rehabilitation the way Fowler did. Even after he'd passed the academy training and proven himself, even after years of service and multiple promotions, commendations, and accolades, he didn't believe he'd changed. If he didn't turn up himself, he sent his lackeys to spy on him across the bullpen. There wasn't a day that went by in his first year that he hadn't felt eyes watching him. Jack had checked his locker with him every day, morning and night, to ensure nothing was planted. Even as a sergeant, Yates had looked at him like he was no better than the dirt on his shoe.

"It did feel good...I could see it on your face." A ball of ice knotted his chest. I-it didn't! "It's hardly surprising after what he put you through. It's what he deserved. Years of bullying and harassment, a constant thorn in your side, a catalyst for the deaths of hundreds. You did the world a favour, Gavin. There's no shame in that." It wasn't right to justify it like that! That's the sort of thing a vigilante killer might say, and maybe the masses would agree. It happened every time a paedophile got shanked in prison, or when a serial killer got shot by police. He got what he deserved! Whoever killed him is a hero! I would have done the same myself! Being able to justify it didn't make it right. The person being a shitty human being didn't justify it. Compared to many others, Yates wasn't even that bad. He was a dirty cop, but still only targeted those he thought were bad people. He was wrong though. Not all of us are bad..."The heat and intensity in your eyes when you fired was really quite...captivating."

Gavin would have pulled away if he could bring himself to move, but he was frozen to the spot. He hadn't moved an inch since he'd been guided into the kitchen and parked by the counter. His head still felt thick and cottony from the gunshot, though his ears weren't ringing anymore. He could still see it. The fearful snarl of Yates' lips, the bitterness in his steely eyes. He thought he was a piece of shit to the very last second. The world was probably a better place without him in it, but that didn't justify it. Despite that, the Hickory Killer's words got to him. I could see it on your face. What the hell had he looked like to give him that impression?

"Do you remember it, Gavin? The years of torment?" Of course he remembered. Shit like that didn't just disappear overnight! Even when Yates stopped following him around, it had taken months for him to stop looking over his shoulder. The first time he'd gone to his locker alone, his heart had all but jumped through his chest, blood pumping with adrenaline as he was plagued by all the what ifs. He'd almost felt silly afterwards. Knowing Yates as he did, Fowler probably would have looked into it if something had been planted in his locker. They could have drug tested him and found him clean. He had Jack and Tina to back him up. That didn't stop him from feeling nervous for weeks afterwards. Thinking about Yates used to make him feel so fucking small. Small and out of place, like he didn't belong there, like he was a pretender. "You won, Gavin." Won? Did murder count as winning?

"I didn't-" Gavin fell silent as a finger brushed his lips. He swallowed, heart racing as he stared into the Hickory Killer's greyish blue eyes. They were close enough that he could actually see them behind the mask. A hushing sound whispered between his lips, slightly muffled by the thick resin of his mask. The finger lingered, stroking his lips and pushing inside to tease his teeth. Gavin didn't even think before opening wider, letting it tease his tongue. A gasp slipped out as he was backed into the counter, leaning back on the breakfast bar with the Hickory Killer looming over him.

"You can't deny the freedom, Gavin. Your heart soared the moment your finger pulled the trigger, knowing he would never come for you again." The Hickory Killer gripped his jaw, forcing him to look him in the eyes. Gavin swallowed nervously, feeling the calculating scrutiny in his cool gaze. "Even now I can see it in you...You were excited. You felt the heat, the rush of adrenaline, the almost giddy feeling. You loved the power and control, how you got to choose." Gavin did his best to take deep, slow breaths as he listened to the accusations. It was hard to deny the truth of what the Hickory Killer said when he was looking at him like that, but he also knew it was a lie. Power and control? What power and control did he have? He was a fucking puppet! A marionette forced to dance for the Hickory Killer's amusement.

"I-I don't-"

"It's alright, Gavin...You're safe from judgement here." What the fuck did he mean by that? He flinched as a knee slipped between his thighs, putting pressure on his crotch as the Hickory Killer leaned closer. The fact he smelled nice was almost insulting. The cologne was unpleasantly familiar as the brand Aaron always wore on those nights he'd coaxed him into going out. "They've lied to you for years, making you feel ashamed of your humanity, but we are animals, Gavin. At our core, we're no different to hungry wolves or prowling tigers. There is beauty in death, and no shame in seeing it. The weak are there to be devoured. Savoured. Yates was weak...Weak and pathetic. A corrupt, simpering sack of flesh. He would have killed you, given the chance." Gavin wasn't sure he would have gone that far, but he'd certainly wanted him behind bars. The Hickory Killer wasn't entirely wrong when he spoke about Yates. Maybe he isn't wrong about how I feel, either..."You can't wholly deny it, Gavin...It felt good, didn't it?"

"I guess...a-a little?" He must have said the right thing, because his reward was a knee rubbing his crotch and warm hands circling his hips. Despite the physical rewards, his insides tightened like he'd done something horribly wrong. Admitting there was pleasure, even just a little, made him feel sick. He felt worse as those fingers slipped up the back of his shirt to caress bare skin.

"Good boy...These are important steps. There is freedom in truth. Embrace your true nature and rejoice." That sounded awfully close to some gospel bullshit. It was the sort of shit he expected to hear in cults like Cyberlight. "You wanted to shoot him, didn't you? It's alright, Gavin. You can admit it here. You can tell me." Gavin swallowed and turned his head, leaning it on the Hickory Killer's shoulder as he closed in. He gripped his shoulders, unable to bring himself to push him back. If he pushed him back, he'd have to face him directly.

"N-n-I-I-di-n-not exactly..." That wasn't a no, and the Hickory Killer treated it as such. He chuckled softly, encouraging him to expand on it. "I-I didn't like him. He was an asshole. A phcking jobsworth always looking out for himself and getting results no matter the cost. If he could get a result by tossing people under the bus, he would." He'd experienced it himself, almost becoming one of his statistics. People worthy of a second chance were tossed in the trash, forever drawn into the gang life or worse. Once your record was tarnished, it was tarnished for life, making it much more difficult to get a job. Some jobs were out of bounds for life.

"He did it multiple times...How does that make you feel?"

"How do you think it makes me feel?" Sure, some of the guys he put away deserved it, but the majority didn't. The majority were dumb kids who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got pulled into shit they didn't understand. Kids from broken homes who didn't know better. Kids looking for someone to give a damn. Looking for family.

"I know how you feel." The truth of those words made him shiver. He could feel it. The Hickory Killer did understand. They felt the same way in this instance. Maybe it was Yates and the fact he rubbed pretty much everyone the wrong way, or maybe it was just the way he'd treated him. Either way, he'd put himself on the Hickory Killer's shit list. "Why do you think I chose him? You needed this, Gavin...You deserved it." I-I did? Maybe he did. Sickening as it was, after all he'd suffered, maybe he did deserve a little payback. If he had to kill someone, why not someone like Yates? After months, maybe even years, of being locked away, fighting for survival, it was only right that he finally got a worthy target.

"Th-thank you." Although it wasn't expected, he knew the words pleased his would-be master. Despite the mask, he could tell he was smiling from the slight thinning of his eyes and the softer sound of his voice as he caressed his stubbled cheek. Gavin swallowed nervously, feeling somewhat coy under the Hickory Killer's gaze.

"You're most welcome, Gavin...Go. Your shower should be ready by now. Relax for the evening, but don't get too comfortable. I'm planning your next test as we speak." His stomach dropped at the news. Another test? So soon? He assumed that test really meant target. Who would it be this time? Fear knotted his stomach as he walked stiffly into the hall and made his way to the stairs. They'd moved on to people he knew now. It stood to reason the next would be more difficult than Yates. Who would it be? Could it be...No. That would be too difficult. It probably wouldn't be anyone at the DPD, not right after Yates. They'd be on high alert. Do they know it's me? His stomach churned at the thought.

The RK series was built for crime scene investigation. With all their scanners, reconstruction abilities, and internal forensics labs, they'd probably work it out within the first five minutes. If they didn't get his identity directly, they'd at least be able to match the shooter to his body type. It wouldn't take much speculation to link that to him. They had history. We have history, but they at least know I didn't choose him, right? How would they know that? They wouldn't know for sure, but they also wouldn't think I did it willingly...would they? Doubt crashed over him like a tide. Why wouldn't they suspect him? He and Yates had hated each other. We had history, but that doesn't mean I wanted to kill him! That was true, but would they believe it? They hadn't seen him for months, maybe even years. Vertigo hit him as he tried to figure out how long it had been.

He stopped halfway up the stairs and gripped the banister to stay on his feet. How long had it been? It was like a pit had opened in his stomach, heart falling through the floor at the thought. It surely couldn't be more than two or three. Kitty didn't look old enough for it to be longer than that. A lump formed in his throat at the thought. Three years was three too many for this shit. Swallowing it down, he continued up to the bedroom, where he could already hear the shower running. It didn't surprise him when the bathroom door opened moments later to reveal Jack, already wet and naked within. He smirked, running a hand through his sodden hair as he leaned on the door frame.

"I was beginning to think I'd have to send out a search party." The sultry look softened into something warmer as he noted Gavin's ruffled demeanour. "Come and join me. You know a hot shower always improves your mood." That was true. He always felt cleaner afterwards, washing away the filth of what he'd done. Why would that day be any different? With that in mind, he approached the open door, tossing his top aside as he went. Jack didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him and accept the needy kisses that pressed against his lips. Whatever Gavin needed, he would gladly provide.