Prologue
Spoiler:
Carl takes Julia Stevens’ statement: Mick jumped down from the rafters, took out Lee Jay’s guys, and then Lee Jay shot him. She ran out of the building, and Beth ran in. Then Carl takes Beth’s statement: Julia was mistaken, Mick ducked and Lee Jay’s gun malfunctioned. Mick then killed Lee Jay in self-defence. When Carl asks where Mick is, she says he was exhausted and would come to the station tomorrow. Beth leaves. Carl is suspicious about what really happened—Beth laughed off Julia’s statement a little too easily—and gets forensics involved.
Josh wonders about Lee Jay’s threat, “I know what you are, Mick,” especially after Beth finally arrives home, distracted, and gives him the same guarded story she told Carl.
Josh wonders about Lee Jay’s threat, “I know what you are, Mick,” especially after Beth finally arrives home, distracted, and gives him the same guarded story she told Carl.
Spoiler:
Mick comes to the station to give Carl his statement. Like Beth, Mick also laughs off Julia’s statement, and though his answers all seem plausible, something still doesn’t seem right to Carl—especially when Mick appears concerned that they will be investigating further and confirming the self-defence claims with forensics.
Spoiler:
Carl calls Josh to tell him about the suspicious statements, and Josh tells him about Lee Jay’s “I know what you are, Mick” (which Beth erased off the answering machine). They decide to investigate what really happened in the warehouse that night.
Carl goes through the notes on the fingerprints found by forensics, and discovers that besides Lee Jay’s, his goons’, Beth’s, and Julia’s prints, there was a set of unknowns on the inside only of the warehouse door. They can’t be Mick’s, because, as a PI, he’d be in the database. So whose are they? No one mentioned anyone else being there. Julia’s statement that Mick jumped from the rafters won’t leave him alone until he finally decides to go check things out at the warehouse. There he finds wooden stakes, which he dismisses as strange but irrelevant, and a bunch of prints up on an open window on the roof.
Carl goes through the notes on the fingerprints found by forensics, and discovers that besides Lee Jay’s, his goons’, Beth’s, and Julia’s prints, there was a set of unknowns on the inside only of the warehouse door. They can’t be Mick’s, because, as a PI, he’d be in the database. So whose are they? No one mentioned anyone else being there. Julia’s statement that Mick jumped from the rafters won’t leave him alone until he finally decides to go check things out at the warehouse. There he finds wooden stakes, which he dismisses as strange but irrelevant, and a bunch of prints up on an open window on the roof.
Chapter 3
Spoiler:
Carl has Sammy the lab tech run the fingerprints he found, though he doesn’t mention where they were found. Sammy says that the prints were from two different people: Mick, and the same person with the unknowns from inside of the door. Carl now has to explain how two people entered through the window on the roof. Then Sammy drops another bombshell on him—the forensics techs found what appeared to be blood spatter on the floor. The spatter pattern resembled like that of one from a shotgun blast, but the blood, while blood, didn’t register as human or animal, and has traces of silver in it.
Carl takes the strange blood sample to his friend Maizie at BioNalysis. He tells her to analyze it and find out what she can. Meanwhile, he’ll try to get a sample for comparison.
Carl takes the strange blood sample to his friend Maizie at BioNalysis. He tells her to analyze it and find out what she can. Meanwhile, he’ll try to get a sample for comparison.
Spoiler:
Carl shows up at Mick’s apartment around dinnertime, and Mick takes a minute to answer the door. Carl asks Mick to explain the blood splatter if he wasn’t injured. Mick can’t, but offers to strip to prove he wasn’t injured. Carl only wants a DNA sample, but Mick refuses on the grounds that it is unnecessary and invades his privacy. Mick gets a phone call and takes it in his office. While he’s out of the room, Carl is now so curious he decides to get a DNA sample even if it’s not legal and wouldn’t be admissible in court. He finds a glass in the sink with some remnants of red juice in it and takes it. Mick returns and tells Carl to talk to Beth, who can confirm Mick wasn’t injured. Carl fears that Mick will somehow discover he's taken the glass, especially when Mick stares at him as though he suspects something. Carl is unnerved by Mick.
Chapter 5
Spoiler:
Josh answers Beth’s phone while she’s in the shower. It’s Mick. After Josh promises to have Beth call Mick as soon as she can, Josh’s phone rings. It’s Carl, wanting to come talk to Beth. They both find it odd that Mick called Beth right after Carl left. Josh says he won’t let Beth talk to Mick before Carl’s had a chance to. Carl also informs Josh that Mick refused a DNA sample and made him really nervous.
Beth insists that Mick was not injured, and that she saw him shirtless. Carl suddenly realizes that Beth had Mick’s car that night…so how did Mick get home? Beth claims she doesn’t know, that maybe he called a cab or a friend. She says she can’t see where Carl is trying to go with this inquiry. As Carl leaves, Josh asks him to keep him informed.
After Carl leaves, Josh mentions that Mick called earlier, before Carl arrived. Beth seems a little upset that she's only hearing this now, but says she’ll call Mick tomorrow. She says she’s tired and going to bed, but Josh sees her take her phone with her.
Beth insists that Mick was not injured, and that she saw him shirtless. Carl suddenly realizes that Beth had Mick’s car that night…so how did Mick get home? Beth claims she doesn’t know, that maybe he called a cab or a friend. She says she can’t see where Carl is trying to go with this inquiry. As Carl leaves, Josh asks him to keep him informed.
After Carl leaves, Josh mentions that Mick called earlier, before Carl arrived. Beth seems a little upset that she's only hearing this now, but says she’ll call Mick tomorrow. She says she’s tired and going to bed, but Josh sees her take her phone with her.
Spoiler:
Carl takes the glass he took from Mick’s apartment to Sam to prep for BioNalysis, then gets to work trying to find out how Mick got home that night. After calling every cab company in LA and determining that no taxi had picked Mick up, he decides to try a different tactic and summons officers MacCallum and Johnson, who were assigned to the vicinity of the warehouse that night, to see if they saw anything suspicious. They didn’t, other than a Ferrari that looked a little out of place. One of the officers remembered part of the plate. Carl runs it, and discovers that it belongs to big-shot hedge fund trader Josef Kostan.
Carl gets a mysterious phone call from Sam to come to the lab immediately. When Carl arrives, Sammy tells him that, though he wasn’t asked to, he analyzed the red “juice” in the glass. But it wasn’t juice; it was blood, and this time it was confirmed human. Carl takes both samples (DNA from the rim of the glass, and the human blood in the bottom) to Maizie to analyze. She doesn’t have anything for him yet on the “mutant” DNA, but jokes that maybe it belongs to a werewolf because of the silver. Carl tells her that werewolves don’t exist.
Carl gets a mysterious phone call from Sam to come to the lab immediately. When Carl arrives, Sammy tells him that, though he wasn’t asked to, he analyzed the red “juice” in the glass. But it wasn’t juice; it was blood, and this time it was confirmed human. Carl takes both samples (DNA from the rim of the glass, and the human blood in the bottom) to Maizie to analyze. She doesn’t have anything for him yet on the “mutant” DNA, but jokes that maybe it belongs to a werewolf because of the silver. Carl tells her that werewolves don’t exist.
Spoiler:
Carl goes to Kostan Industries to question Josef Kostan about his Ferrari in the warehouse district, only to be told by the receptionist that Mr. Kostan won’t be in until late that night, as he deals with a lot of overseas clients. Carl tries again at 9, only to be told by a different receptionist that Mr. Kostan is in important meetings all night and is not to be disturbed. The receptionist says Mr. Kostan requested that Carl come back tomorrow evening.
Josh calls Carl, annoyed that he hasn’t been updated (Carl had completely forgotten). Carl goes to his office to get him up to speed in person. He recounts the fingerprints on the roof from Mick and the unknown, the mutant blood spatter, and Josef Kostan’s Ferrari. They’re not sure what it all means…
Josh calls Carl, annoyed that he hasn’t been updated (Carl had completely forgotten). Carl goes to his office to get him up to speed in person. He recounts the fingerprints on the roof from Mick and the unknown, the mutant blood spatter, and Josef Kostan’s Ferrari. They’re not sure what it all means…
Spoiler:
Maizie confirms that the mutant DNA from the blood spatter belongs to whoever drank from that glass that Carl found. Carl inadvertently tells her who he believes it is—Mick St. John, the PI. He seems to be strong and fast, and somehow got to the roof of the warehouse and then to the ground below.
Sam calls Carl to the lab to tell him he got a CODIS match on the human blood at the bottom of the glass from the DNA profile Maizie sent him. It belongs to a deceased ex-con who was killed by a rival gang member.
Carl goes to see Josh again to tell him about this latest development—the “mutant” DNA belongs to Mick St. John, and there was human blood in the bottom of the glass retrieved from his apartment. They speculate on how he could have gotten the blood, and more importantly why he could possibly have human blood in a drinking glass (blood cult, serial killer with a fetish, etc.)—but nothing explains that as well as the mutant DNA or the fingerprints on the roof. Josh also worries that Beth has been dragged into the cover-up somehow and is lying to him. She's shutting him out.
Sam calls Carl to the lab to tell him he got a CODIS match on the human blood at the bottom of the glass from the DNA profile Maizie sent him. It belongs to a deceased ex-con who was killed by a rival gang member.
Carl goes to see Josh again to tell him about this latest development—the “mutant” DNA belongs to Mick St. John, and there was human blood in the bottom of the glass retrieved from his apartment. They speculate on how he could have gotten the blood, and more importantly why he could possibly have human blood in a drinking glass (blood cult, serial killer with a fetish, etc.)—but nothing explains that as well as the mutant DNA or the fingerprints on the roof. Josh also worries that Beth has been dragged into the cover-up somehow and is lying to him. She's shutting him out.
Spoiler:
Carl finally gets in to see Josef Kostan, who he finds very obnoxious and stares much the same as Mick. After some playful and evasive answers to Carl’s question, Josef finally admits that he was in the warehouse district on the night in question and is a friend of Mick St. John’s. Josef also admits to driving Mick home and leaving Beth to take Mick’s car home after taking to the police. He emphasizes that Lee Jay’s death was in self-defence and that the cops should stop looking into it.
As Carl is about to leave, Josef informs Carl that Mick would like his glass back, and that any DNA on it is inadmissible and not necessarily Mick’s anyway. He also tells Carl very pointedly that testing the DNA on it would be a waste of time. Carl is more than a little unnerved.
As Carl is about to leave, Josef informs Carl that Mick would like his glass back, and that any DNA on it is inadmissible and not necessarily Mick’s anyway. He also tells Carl very pointedly that testing the DNA on it would be a waste of time. Carl is more than a little unnerved.
Chapter 10
Spoiler:
Carl goes to Josh’s to tell him about his very eventful talk with Kostan and how he felt threatened. And now they know that Beth was lying—she does know how Mick got home that night: Josef.
Josh asks Beth if she has ever met Josef Kostan, but she denies it and is nervous and defensive. Josh calls Carl to tell him that Beth still denies knowing Kostan, but before they can talk further, Carl has to go deal with a couple of grisly homicides in which the victims appear to be mauled and have all their blood missing. Carl almost has to wonder about werewolves. Later he gets called to the hospital to interview a potential living victim, but it turns out to be unrelated. Outside in the alley behind the hospital, Carl is confronted by a man in a bloody shirt. Carl thinks this may be an actual victim…until the man suddenly appears right before him and says, “Everything’s going to be okay. I’m a doctor.”
Josh asks Beth if she has ever met Josef Kostan, but she denies it and is nervous and defensive. Josh calls Carl to tell him that Beth still denies knowing Kostan, but before they can talk further, Carl has to go deal with a couple of grisly homicides in which the victims appear to be mauled and have all their blood missing. Carl almost has to wonder about werewolves. Later he gets called to the hospital to interview a potential living victim, but it turns out to be unrelated. Outside in the alley behind the hospital, Carl is confronted by a man in a bloody shirt. Carl thinks this may be an actual victim…until the man suddenly appears right before him and says, “Everything’s going to be okay. I’m a doctor.”
Chapter 11
Spoiler:
Just as Carl realizes there is something wrong with the “doctor,” the doctor’s eyes change and fangs appear in his mouth. Carl tries to run, but trips and falls. Just as "the Thing" is about to tear his throat out, someone comes and knocks the Thing out of the way. The Thing identifies Carl’s saviour by smell as also being a vampire. Vampires! Everything falls into place for Carl just as the Thing is being put in his place by Carl’s saviour, who Carl finally realizes is none other than the man he is investigating—Mick St. John. After Mick stakes the doctor and calls for a cleanup, he asks a shaken but grateful Carl if he is okay. When the Cleaners arrive, he tells them he’ll take care of Carl (who is intrigued by the ladies in black leather), and they go join Beth, who actually waited in Mick’s car for once. Mick says they now need to go talk to one of the elders in the vampire community.
Chapter 12
Spoiler:
On their way to meet the vampire elder, Carl asks Mick some questions about vampires and about the rogue who almost killed him. Carl finds out that Mick is 85 years old and drinks blood from the morgue, who the Cleaners are and what they do, and what happened with the rogue. They arrive at a mansion, and Carl is nervous about his meeting with the elder, realizing that the investigation will be seen as a problem, even though he didn’t know what he was doing. Carl is chagrined to discover that the “elder” is none other than the young-looking Josef Kostan.
Spoiler:
Josef questions Carl as to his intentions with his newfound knowledge about vampires, especially seeing as one just tried to kill him. Carl is very rational, and respects them for tracking down the rogue, since that’s essentially what he does as a cop. He’s still getting used to the vampire thing, but says he will actively keep the secret, including “assisting” the vampires when police investigations get too close. Josef tells Carl what really happened the night Lee Jay died (that he was the one who actually killed Lee Jay). Carl admits that more people than just him have been involved in the investigation…including Josh Lindsey.
Spoiler:
Beth is shocked to hear that Josh has been involved. The vampires try to figure out some damage control. Carl is informed that anyone who makes threats against the vampire community gets an automatic death sentence—there are no take-backs. Carl leaves with Josef’s private number in case of emergencies. In hindsight, Carl can’t believe he didn’t think of vampires when trying to come up with explanations for all the strange happenings.
Chapter 15
Spoiler:
Meanwhile, Josh is brainstorming ideas on how to further the investigation. He reads Julia Stevens’ book, trying to get a sense of what happened between Lee Jay and Mick’s father to cause so much animosity between Lee Jay and the son. He is amazed at the resemblance between Mick and his father. He decides to find out if Mick kept his dad’s files, and tries to break into Mick’s office in the middle of the afternoon. Mick catches him trying to pick the lock. After trying to explain he came to see Mick and thought he heard a burglar inside, he sees Mick is in pyjamas and starts questioning whether he was with Beth last night. Mick doesn’t answer the question. Instead he informs him he’ll never be able to pick that lock without a warrant and goes back into his apartment.
Josh decides it’s time he visits the crime scene for himself and discovers a bunch of things at the warehouse that the forensics team seemingly missed, such as wooden stakes and Lee Jay’s backpack. In Lee Jay’s backpack, Josh finds a bunch of books on vampires and suddenly everything becomes clear. He calls Carl and tells him to get over to the warehouse ASAP.
When Carl arrives, he finds an agitated Josh who informs him that vampires exist. Carl tries to calm Josh down, telling him he knows, too. Josh is upset Carl didn’t tell him, but even more upset that Beth kept this quiet. Josh starts to call the government until Carl pulls a gun on him.
Josh decides it’s time he visits the crime scene for himself and discovers a bunch of things at the warehouse that the forensics team seemingly missed, such as wooden stakes and Lee Jay’s backpack. In Lee Jay’s backpack, Josh finds a bunch of books on vampires and suddenly everything becomes clear. He calls Carl and tells him to get over to the warehouse ASAP.
When Carl arrives, he finds an agitated Josh who informs him that vampires exist. Carl tries to calm Josh down, telling him he knows, too. Josh is upset Carl didn’t tell him, but even more upset that Beth kept this quiet. Josh starts to call the government until Carl pulls a gun on him.
Spoiler:
Carl tries to explain to Josh why he has to kill him if Josh tries to contact the government. Josh thinks Carl—and Beth—have been brainwashed by the vampires. With his gun still trained on Josh, Carl calls Josef to inform him of the problem. Josef says they will be there shortly.
Josh calls Carl a traitor, despite the fact that Carl has little choice if he wants to maintain peace. Josh fakes out Carl to distract him. They fight and the gun accidentally goes off, grazing Josh. Carl is momentarily stunned, but Josh uses this to his advantage and punches Carl to get the gun away from him. He then prepares to shoot Carl.
Carl readies himself for the shot and closes his eyes. When nothing happens, he opens them to find a woman in black leather holding Josh up. She says Josef put in an emergency call for a Cleaner to meet him here and she lives nearby. Carl briefly fills her in.
Carl is attracted to the Cleaner and flirts with her a little. A disgusted Josh insults them, and, when the Cleaner is momentarily distracted by Carl, Josh pulls a stake out of his jacket and stakes her.
Josh calls Carl a traitor, despite the fact that Carl has little choice if he wants to maintain peace. Josh fakes out Carl to distract him. They fight and the gun accidentally goes off, grazing Josh. Carl is momentarily stunned, but Josh uses this to his advantage and punches Carl to get the gun away from him. He then prepares to shoot Carl.
Carl readies himself for the shot and closes his eyes. When nothing happens, he opens them to find a woman in black leather holding Josh up. She says Josef put in an emergency call for a Cleaner to meet him here and she lives nearby. Carl briefly fills her in.
Carl is attracted to the Cleaner and flirts with her a little. A disgusted Josh insults them, and, when the Cleaner is momentarily distracted by Carl, Josh pulls a stake out of his jacket and stakes her.
Spoiler:
Carl’s heart nearly breaks as the Cleaner falls to the floor. He thinks she is dead and KO’s Josh, then discovers she’s still alive. She asks him to take the stake out, which he does, and then he offers her his blood. She appreciates the offer, but is fine—to Carl’s slight disappointment. However, when she sees that Carl knocked out Josh for her, she is extremely pleased by the gesture.
Josef arrives and catches Carl and the Cleaner making out. He doesn’t let them hear the end of it until Josh regains consciousness. He has Carl lock the doors minutes before someone begins pounding on them. Soon after, Mick jumps down from the rafters, ready to fight—he assumed there was trouble. Mick is shocked to find out what’s been happening between Carl and Josh. When Carl hears that Beth is waiting outside, he offers to go and get her. When Beth arrives and finds an injured Josh, Josh whispers in her ear that Mick tried to kill him.
Josef arrives and catches Carl and the Cleaner making out. He doesn’t let them hear the end of it until Josh regains consciousness. He has Carl lock the doors minutes before someone begins pounding on them. Soon after, Mick jumps down from the rafters, ready to fight—he assumed there was trouble. Mick is shocked to find out what’s been happening between Carl and Josh. When Carl hears that Beth is waiting outside, he offers to go and get her. When Beth arrives and finds an injured Josh, Josh whispers in her ear that Mick tried to kill him.
Spoiler:
Despite the indignant denials from the vampires, Josh still insists that Mick tried to beat him to death before Beth came in. Carl reveals that he was the one who hurt Josh, not Mick, because Josh found out about vampires and was threatening to inform the government. Josh also was going to kill Carl and staked the Cleaner in an attempt to kill her. Beth is shocked and upset by Josh’s actions but makes an attempt to plead for his life. However, she understands when that’s impossible and instead asks them to make it quick as he’s suffered enough. She leaves, despite Josh begging her not to, and Mick follows. Josef informs Carl that he doesn’t need to watch. Josh pleads with Carl to stop things, but Carl is done—he tried to warn Josh, but Josh didn’t listen. On Carl’s way out, he says he’ll wait for the Cleaner, as they should talk. Josh is left alone with the vampires.
Chapter 19
Spoiler:
Carl is waiting outside the warehouse when Mick returns after finding Beth, who wanted to be alone.
Meanwhile, Josef and the Cleaner explain a few things to a terrified Josh about vampires and why Josh has signed his own death warrant. Josef also enlightens Josh as to the connection between Mick and Beth, yet Josh is insistent that Mick has brainwashed Beth and is trying to seduce her. The Cleaner tires of the conversation and says it’s time to kill Josh. Josef now wonders if they should kill him...
Meanwhile, Josef and the Cleaner explain a few things to a terrified Josh about vampires and why Josh has signed his own death warrant. Josef also enlightens Josh as to the connection between Mick and Beth, yet Josh is insistent that Mick has brainwashed Beth and is trying to seduce her. The Cleaner tires of the conversation and says it’s time to kill Josh. Josef now wonders if they should kill him...
Spoiler:
The Cleaner and Josh are shocked at Josef’s change of heart, until Josef clarifies that he wonders if they should kill him in the warehouse. The warehouse is too closely connected with Carl and Josh’s investigation, and, as Josh pointed out, people will notice his demise. Josef tells Josh that as a parting gift, he can choose one of his nemeses to kill him. As Josh is going to die anyway, he decides he may as well take Tejada out with him. The Cleaner binds and gags Josh and they drag him out to Josef’s Ferrari and put him into the trunk.
Carl and Mick are in the parking lot, and they are informed of the new plan. Josef asks Carl to follow in case they get pulled over—which they do. MacCallum and Johnson, eager to please, have pulled over the suspicious Ferrari they saw the night of Lee Jay’s death. They figured they’d at least get a soliciting charge regarding the Cleaner. Carl tells them that Josef is a material witness and they need to leave ASAP and stop calling attention to him. As the officers go to leave, they hear a loud thump coming from the direction of the Ferrari.
Carl and Mick are in the parking lot, and they are informed of the new plan. Josef asks Carl to follow in case they get pulled over—which they do. MacCallum and Johnson, eager to please, have pulled over the suspicious Ferrari they saw the night of Lee Jay’s death. They figured they’d at least get a soliciting charge regarding the Cleaner. Carl tells them that Josef is a material witness and they need to leave ASAP and stop calling attention to him. As the officers go to leave, they hear a loud thump coming from the direction of the Ferrari.
Chapter 21
Spoiler:
MacCallum believes the noise was coming from the vehicle, but Carl kicks the hubcap and tire and claims it was just him checking out the car. The officers are satisfied and leave. Carl has to go start his shift and he Cleaner gives Carl her business card so they can talk later.
Josef opens the trunk in the alley behind the bar where Tejada is in hiding. When the coast is clear, they take Josh inside the bar. As it is only early evening, the bar is empty except for the bartender, who they quickly knock out. A lone gangbanger comes out of the washroom and they knock him out as well. They drag Josh to Tejada’s office, where they order Tejada to kill him. Tejada shoots Josef instead and is shocked when Josef remains standing. Josef shows him his fangs for a little more encouragement, and Tejada finally puts some bullets into Josh. As Josh lies there, bleeding out, Josef breaks Tejada’s neck. The last thing Josh sees is Josef’s ice-blue eyes, and he thinks of Beth.
Josef opens the trunk in the alley behind the bar where Tejada is in hiding. When the coast is clear, they take Josh inside the bar. As it is only early evening, the bar is empty except for the bartender, who they quickly knock out. A lone gangbanger comes out of the washroom and they knock him out as well. They drag Josh to Tejada’s office, where they order Tejada to kill him. Tejada shoots Josef instead and is shocked when Josef remains standing. Josef shows him his fangs for a little more encouragement, and Tejada finally puts some bullets into Josh. As Josh lies there, bleeding out, Josef breaks Tejada’s neck. The last thing Josh sees is Josef’s ice-blue eyes, and he thinks of Beth.
Spoiler:
Carl calls Josh’s office and feigns surprise when his assistant says he isn’t there. He says Josh called him earlier on his cell and he was just returning the call. (This way, he can explain Josh’s call to him that day if necessary). He tries to maintain his concentration as he waits to be informed of Josh’s death, but is distracted by thoughts of Ms. Cleaner. Then he gets a phone call simply saying, “It’s done,” and takes a moment to regain his composure.
Not long after, Carl is called to Chief Murphy’s office and is informed that the body of ADA Josh Lindsey has been discovered and Tejada was involved. The chief wants Carl to take the lead on the investigation because of his familiarity with Tejada. Carl asks if anyone has informed Beth yet. The chief says he’ll be doing it after he visits the scene, which is so far being kept from the press. Carl says he’d better let him go with him, as the news will be better coming from a friend.
Not long after, Carl is called to Chief Murphy’s office and is informed that the body of ADA Josh Lindsey has been discovered and Tejada was involved. The chief wants Carl to take the lead on the investigation because of his familiarity with Tejada. Carl asks if anyone has informed Beth yet. The chief says he’ll be doing it after he visits the scene, which is so far being kept from the press. Carl says he’d better let him go with him, as the news will be better coming from a friend.
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