Sheriff Daylon's Story

It started to dawn on Alyssa that this shit ran far more deep than a simple hit and run case. This investigation could make her entire career as a private eye. She tapped her fingers on Caleb's file after setting it back on her desk.

"I'm going to phone the Feds in on this. This is not just a simple case of a drunken man about to be convicted for attempt man slaughter," Alyssa said.

"Hm," she hummed before she sat in her desk chair. Alyssa pulled open a drawer and took out a business card. She dialed a number on her desk phone and spoke to a receptionist.

Alyssa was calling a man named Daylon in the Federal Bureau of Police. When she was finally put through, Alyssa told the man all about the ongoing investigation and about how her evidence almost set the conviction in stone, at least for the hit and run. They had the bastard by the balls.

Before Alyssa gave Daylon the address where Caleb could be arrested, a tinkling sound filled the front room. A few seconds later Alyssa was being summoned to the front.

"I want in on the interrogation even if it's just behind the glass, Daylon. I've basically handed you possibly one of the biggest cases in Wing City in years, so I damn well better go down in the books too. We'll be in touch," Alyssa said before she ended the phone call. The woman looked at Brayden and motioned for him to come along with her. There was probably another client with a new case.

"Hello, I'm Justice. What can I do for you," Alyssa said as she moved to the man with a hand held out to shake his in introduction.

Alyssa looked like a sharp woman. Her Armani suit was pressed and her shoes were sensible but effective if she needed to chase down a suspect. There was no makeup on her face and her brown hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail. She met the man's eyes with considerable ease.

Once Alyssa had finished on the phone, Bray spoke. "I want in on this too. I want to listen in as well." Bray tried not to sound desperate, like he might know something else or that he knew that this ran a lot deeper than Alyssa must have presumed. He didn't want to have to talk. But he needed to listen to the interrogation and listen to what Caleb said.

And when Alyssa was summoned, Bray followed. Alyssa in a smart suit, Bray in jeans and a hoody. Great image, he told himself. But did he care, no. He just needed to do his job. It didn't matter what clothes he was in. He'd rather be comfortable.

The man offered a nod and then he extended his hand to take Alyssa's before he handed her an envelope. Should she open the envelope she would find a warrant for all information relating to the hit and run accident, signed and titled by the Aschen Empire's Ministry of Law.

"I'm Detective McKenna with the Confederation Protection Force, I'll need all information relating to the hit and run accident, including possible suspects, witnesses, interview notes, and all pertinent reports relating to the case." He said as he pulled his jacket back revealing his badge.

"What is the agency in charge of all police matters related to your case? I'll need to be put in touch with them as well."

At an eighteen hole golfcourse just a few blocks from the Federal Bureau building in the suburbs of Wing City the Sheriff and four other officers were just past their tee-time: the sky a bright menagerie of blue and off-white making shadows fade and return again behind all of the officers.

Daylon slanted his eyes at the Corporal, a stare nearly able to bore into the back of his head as the man tweaked his hips awkwardly and caused his club to slice the golf ball cleanly into a water hazard. “ … Oh you fucking yuppies.”

Edgar Stein, a Coalition-born Terran that had been brought back to ‘the homeworld’ personally for the Sheriff’s select team, pumped a fist in the air before taking his tally card and scribbling something for a moment. Pointing back to the Corporal, now visibly distraught at his lack of competency, as he threatened to smash the club over his knee

“You, boy from the Outer Empire, suck a fat one at civilized sports.”

The crew of FBP officers all exchanged laughs for a moment at the expense of the Corporal, who bitterly put his club bag back onto the small cart and took a beer from the cooler just beside the bag carrier. “Yeah just … say I made par on the first few.”

“No, that’s cheating.” Stein replied matter-of-factly as he stepped up to the tee and readied a golf ball for his own shot. “I mean, I’ve seen Bingheads missing fingers from shaving their domes who didn’t slice this bad!” Edgar raised the club back, a perfect arc, and came down in the sweetest of spots to send the tiny ball over the water hazard, the sand trap and onto the turf just mere meters from the hole. “I also thought Bingheads couldn’t play golf!”

“It’s true, it is a pretty bad slice.” The Sheriff remarked dryly as he stubbed the cigarette out in an ashtray and took a five-iron from his bag. After shooing Edgar and the Corporal away Daylon planted the tee into the ground and took a deep breath as he steadied his grip. “If I had a nickel for everytime one of you Colonials thought a golf club was a butchering utensil though.” Daylon flashed a grin at Stein before the other men joined together in more laughter.

Just as Daylon was about to fall into his backswing a phone started chirping though.

“Oh fuck, who’s is that?”

“Not mine, turned mine off. Don’t need to be hearing about this planet's dumb shit.”

“Sonuvabitch, it’s mine.” Daylon said as he brought the club back down, using his spare hand to reach into his pocket and withdraw the handheld device.


Back at the club house the group of officers looked particularly annoyed to be cutting their game early, especially in consideration of the prices for such a day out. Though owned by a franchise of families this particular course was a vaunted destination for Scatterrans whom cherished the sport: travel was just one of the many great things about golf, after all.

“So what’s going on, Daylon?” Edgar and the Sheriff were standing outside for a cigarette as Ray checked the screen of his phone once before explaining.

“Looks like your typical rabbit hole situation -- Aschen citizen injured in a DUI, hit-and-run,”

“And just why the fuck is that the Bureau’s problem?”

Daylon inhaled deeply before spitting the cigarette into the ash tray, his face a slanted grimace as he tried to think the question over and find an answer for himself. “It’s not, really."

"Oh, so that just means you're gonna' go walking into it smiling shit right?" Edgar shook his head back at the Sheriff before looping his fingers through the straps of the suspenders. Raymond waved the Terran away with one hand before unlocking the sleek Bureau unmarked cruiser just outside in the parking lot. "Knock knock motherfucker it's the big bad Sheriff -- we've not even got six days before we're going back to the Garden, Raymond."

"Plenty of time to get this sorted out then, you get those ordinances taken care of and I'll handle this."

Alyssa should have known that the Aschen would send out their own investigators. She had to comply with the law and give over all the information she had busted her ass collecting. The woman wasn't pleased in the least. Damn authorities swooping in and taking the kill. It had been the same in the force.

"CPF, huh," Alyssa said in a dry tone. She flicked her gaze over to Brayden before she opened the packet. Alyssa read over the warrant and slid it back into the folder. It was all legitimate.

"This is bullshit. You guys come in here and snatch investigations like candy from a baby. This is my fucking turf, do you understand me?" asked Alyssa in an annoyed tone of voice. she pointed the folder at the Aschen.

"I'll give you all the information that I have, but only pertaining to the hit and run. Otherwise any other investigations pending are not your problem, sir. You got that?"

Alyssa put the envelope beneath her arm and turned to Brayden. There was obvious anger in her eyes.

"Go get the man copies of the investigation report and show him the fucking door when you're done," she told Brayden. Alyssa disappeared into her office and slammed the door shut.

Bray took his own look at the warrant, reading over it three times before deeming that it was legit. It made him snarl. He was glad when Alyssa told the officer that he was only getting stuff pertaining to the hit and run, even if she hadn't Bray would have hidden the part about Caleb from him. He'd simply give the list of names he'd found pertaining to the case instead. Yes, it was withholding information valuable to the case, but what they didn't know, didn't hurt.

"Sure thing."

Caleb moved to the desk and browsed through the papers there until he'd gathered what he'd needed and tidied the other mess away at the same time. He then took the manila folder with all the information in and went and got copies, making sure to add his information in too.

Five minutes later he came back with all information copied pertaining the to the hit and run, but left out anything to do with Caleb's name. Though the man's name was on his list of ten others, he expected that the cop would work his way down, Caleb's name near the bottom. That would give them time to get Caleb arrested for their other investigation.

"There you go sir, it's all in there. I hope what he have managed to find will help your investigation. And I hope you catch the idiot that did this to that poor girl. Saw her in hospital yesterday. Glad she's getting on the mend."

McKenna scowled at the woman and then promptly shook his head. "I don't care about your other investigations, all I care about is the incident concerning an Aschen Citizen, anything else is your business." He said, tucking the warrant back in his pocket when she was done looking at it.

"I need to know the Investigating agency, and when a suspect has been named, the Ministry of Law can begin extradition proceedings." He explained.

"I'm not here to take your investigation, only request evidence for the Ministry of Law to present to the Terran Government for extradition, nothing else. Provide me with what's requested and I'll leave the way i came." McKenna explained. Then he checked his list one last time, he was to pay an old friend in the WCPD a visit.

"Oh and here's my card." He said, holding out his card. "Notify me as soon as an arrest is made."

Once McKenna had left, Bray moved into Alyssa's office again.

"I only gave him information that we'd found on the hit and run. I didn't give Caleb's name and information or the tip. I gave the list my men drew up. Caleb's name is there, but at the bottom." He moved over to the drawers and pulled out Caleb's file. "So, we have time before they get to his name and figure out what's going on."

He was even smirking a bit, until his phone went off and he opened the message, frowning as he read it. And it wasn't his work phone either, it was just a cheap one, nothing like the phone he'd been given by Alyssa.

"Is there anything else I need to do before we arrest Caleb?"

Alyssa stood up and took Keating's hand with a firm hold. She shook twice and let go.

"Caleb Jefferson. He already has a record on trafficking. He sold an infact to his half-brother on the blackmarket. The man was apprehended and sent to jail. Bastard got out on bail by some miracle," Alyssa said. She placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm waiting for someone from the Feds to show up before arresting Caleb," Alyssa said as she checked her watch. The man was due soon.

"I'll send in the report personally to you once we make the arrest and get him booked," said Alyssa to Keating. "This bastard isn't getting away this time. Attempted man slaughter is serious business and we can use him to get closer to the trafficking ring."

Alyssa turned for Keating's office door to go wait outside the precinct for Daylon.

"Oh, and Keating, remind me to send you a fruit basket," she said as thanks. Alyssa was then out the door, through the station, and standing on the curb waiting for Daylon.

After passing by his office at the end of the day Daylon found himself navigating the roads of Wing City towards the police department, although it had been long since he was in the city on the routine the Sheriff was still familiar with the intricacies of the urban sprawl. The Sheriff tossed a cigarette into the ashtray as he turned at an intersection and spotted three men under a street lamp exchanging conversation: though, all Daylon needed was one of them. Pushing an empty takeout container into the small trashcan he kept in the car to free up the passenger seat the Sheriff continued on at the shoulder of the road, just mere inches from the curb: as the car closed the distance, Daylon recognized the one in particular he was looking for.

“Oh shit, man … “

“Shifty! What’s up, Shifty?” Daylon smiled brightly as he looked out the driver’s side window at the three men, the only Scatterran amongst them quickly taking on a look of regret.

“Who the fuck is this?”

Frowning just behind the door slightly Daylon pulled the magnum revolver from the holster under his shoulder and idly placed the barrel outside of the car. “Take a hike kids, I just want the tweaky guy.” The Sheriff remarked plainly before pushing a tab and unlocking the passenger side door.

“Man, I don’t know if ridin’ with you’s best for my personal safety -- “

“Get in the god damn car, Shifty.”

As Daylon pulled out of the turning lane towards the police department he finally looked in the rear view mirror at the dishevelled Tarsan behind him. “So what’ve you been up to, Shifty?”

“Nothing … “ Daylon narrowed his eyes as the car came to a stop at the light and glared at the man from the driver’s seat.

“Shifty, I got a call from a Terran today about trafficking -- “

“Hey now man -- ”

“Not you, Shifty.”

“You mean the network?”

Daylon wrenched his fingers over the wheel for a moment in thought, until nodding to himself with a silent affirmation before he looked at Shifty. “I mean anyone, Shifty.” He said, a foot slipping over to the brake pedal as the police department loomed near.

“Shit man, I’ve been steering clear of that circuit since some guy named Faust came around.”

“Good then, found your sorry ass for a reason after all -- you can help her out on the case.” Daylon replied as he noticed a woman on the curb and leaned himself forward to better see through the windshield.

“Man, after that last time I couldn’t even rent from the movie store anymore.”

“Just shut up, Shifty.”

The Crimson Sergeant sent the audio message to the Wing City Police as ordered. When someone at the headquarters answered the phone he said, "The Crimson Family has come to your world. We have already hit your Government Center and will continue our attack upon your city in a few hours."

The Sergeant slid a small device across the phone, frying it, and then tossed it out the window along with its owner who they had strapped bombs to her. She bounced twice and rolled into the shoulder of the road before exploding and throwing cars nearest to her end over end.

Alyssa was wound up like a tight coil. The trap was set and ready to spring. Brayden was at the Motel Six with Caleb Jefferson in his fucking hand. Her employee kept giving her updates every two hours just as she ordered Brayden to do. The man knew how to get the damn job done. Alyssa could not have made a better decision in hiring him.

The detective’s phone chirped and Alyssa sprang it open. It was another update from Brayden. They were still at the motel and the suspect was drunk. The woman’s brow grew tight as she searched the street for Daylon. She met the man once before, but it was far too brief to remember what he looked like.

“Son of a bitch, where are you?”

Alyssa paced back and forth in front of the police station. Her thumb nail was bitten down to the nub. Never before in her life had the detective felt so anxious to put someone behind bars. There was no moral compass in the city anymore, Alyssa found herself thinking. Why ever would a person sell someone else for profit and a child at that? God, it just wasn’t right.

Damn it was going to feel fucking good to put this asshole in a cell to rot for the rest of his life.

Alyssa checked her sidearm which was hidden away beneath her blazer. It felt good to have her partner back. Her badge was strapped to her belt with extra ammunition and full clips. Getting someone like Caleb Jefferson to the precinct sounded like an easy snatch but in a place like Wing City things could get sour too fucking fast.

Alyssa wasn’t going to be the one unprepared.

All Alyssa needed to do was to keep her head clear and in the game. Steering away from her focus on capturing Caleb was unacceptable. The detective was on the scent like a blood hound and she wasn’t going to let anything stop her.

Not even her complications with Randin Kaye.

Alyssa grimaced and shook her head. That was exactly the kind of thought that didn’t need to be going through her noggin. As far as she needed to be concerned the only people that existed was Brayden, Caleb, and Daylon.

Devon. Kenny.

The detective cursed beneath her breath and shut out the distractions.

A low rumble rolled across the city but Alyssa assumed it was a storm coming in. There were low and heavy clouds in the sky and a distinct smell of ozone. It was going to start raining soon.

As Daylon made a brief look in the rearview mirror at a ruggedized computer in the back seat he pressed his foot on the brake, bringing the car towards the curb on the side at the police station. Traffic continued on beside him, gesturing at the Scatterran next to him to hand over the laptop. “Get ready to talk about that network stuff, Shifty.”

“Cop party’s are lame man.” Shifty remarked bitterly as the car come to a stop and Daylon took the computer from the man. With another hand he rolled down the windows as he pointed at the woman just ahead of the car.

“Well there’s a lot of trafficking going on Shifty, she thinks it’s pretty important.” He replied before putting a hand out the window and waving out the driver’s side of the car. “Where are you even finding your things lately?”

“Around, in the usual places.”

“Okay, just stay here and have something better to say about that later.” Daylon frowned in the rearview mirror and taking the magnum from its holster on under his coat. “I’m putting this away because I think we can have a good, normal conversation.” He replied shortly as he opened the glove compartment and placed it inside.

“But you remember, I still carry ankle gun right Shifty?” Looking at him pointlessly the Sheriff simply nodded once back to the Scatterran. Next he made a slight indication back to Shifty as he turned to open the door.

The Sheriff nodded to the man as he opened the door after a belated chuckle and expressed Shifty to stay put. “Detective Justice I presume?”

Alyssa turned on her heel and came face to face with Sheriff Daylon. She took a once over of the man and nodded. He wasn’t very attractive but that didn’t matter in the least as long as he was damned good at his job.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Alyssa said before she leaned over to have a look at the car. “You must be Sheriff Daylon. I’d shake your hand but we don’t have time for that right now.” She put her hands on her hips and met the man dead in the eye.

“I’ve got someone undercover sitting with Caleb Jefferson right now. We’ve got to get over to the Motel Six off of Main Street near Gambit’s Building before the man decides to kick my guy out. No time to lose,” the detective said.

“You driving or what?” said Alyssa as she nodded toward Daylon’s car. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a passenger inside of the man’s vehicle. She raised a brow at Daylon questioningly.

Zosimos arrived via police cruiser to none other than a riot outside of the Wing City Police Department.

The sun had just set, and special accommodations had been made to facilitate the Trial of Zosimos by Wing City and the TNG. This was a hugely controversial trial. While the majority seemed to cheer and jeer for justice to be brought down on the neck of Zosimos, there were small groups of extremists who had come to support the elder vampire. A barricade had been set up to keep the crowd back, cops in riot gear staring stonily out into the crowd every few feet. Some of them were bigger and wore armor that didn't match the others- these were members of the Forces Vankoryth. Lest the allotment of the WCPD failed, they would be there to ensure Zosimos didn't escape.

The elder vampire of the Sangue di Bistreo, Zosimos, stood accused of a number of blasphemies, by a number of forces on Aslund and greater Terra. A part of this tickled Zosimos, to have all eyes on him. He didn't mind the hate. Unlike Casren, he relished it. They could hate him all they wanted. In his own mind, the vampire considered himself superior.

When Zosimos turned a member of the Van Helsing family against their will, it was applauded by many within the Vampire community. This was unfortunately after a treaty between mortals and vampires was made. Those who care about that sort of thing were mortified, upset, and called for justice. He didn't check the crowd to see if any of them were present.

As for feeding off of murders in territories under truce, who was to tell him what to do?

Last but not least, Zosimos figured it rubbed Daemala the wrong way that he was more politically strong than she. Not in this position, for certain. He was being scapegoated. There were many who advocated for the total takeover of vampires. The Masquerade was to be reimplemented was it not? Was he not simply behaving by the rules of the night?

The flashbulbs were so bright it was if the sun had made an appearance. He was lucky artificial light didn't burn his skin. With his head held high, Zosimos was ushered dragging chains by two large vampires. Back in the police cruiser, a sorceress in the front seat focused on keeping the magical weaves of suppression on Zosimos. He was to be booked, processed, and carted off to the courthouse for trial.

The mob roared as Zosimos and his escort disappeared into the Wing City Police Department.

Upon the rooftops stood the gray uniforms of the Central Authority, ever watching on the peaceful discourse. Down below, a drab car waited at the headquarters with a single man standing beside it. Behind the barricade, the Sheriff reclined in the seat of the hastily made tower that overlooked the intersection. As the radio box on the shelf began to squawk he loaded the last .47 silver round into the chamber of his Universal magnum.


Sliding down along the rails, the Sheriff let his boots eat most of the traction. There was a narrow pass from a bottle that he only assumed either contained piss or the mixture to a molotov: as the stench of burning motor oil filled his nostrils when he met the ground, he turned away from a smoldering fire at the base of the watchtower.

Straddling his way along a parapet of scaffolding towards a radiobox, the Sheriff dodged a few more idle bottles filled with piss before he met the trooper that had watched the vampire shuttled off almost as soon as he had arrived. Making his way down from the parapets, one last car shuttled through the barricade.

There on the street, the worst of the barrage thrown from the crowd descended. Rocks pinged off the hood and body of the vehicle as a single man in a gray suit disembarked. He was quick to hold his briefcase over him, to at least protect from the glass as he rushed past the Sheriff. After a tense brace with his revolver at the crowd, the Sheriff backed away behind the gates as they closed again.

Intake went as fast as it could, given the clash of procedure with utter disdain those carrying out their orders had for Zosimos. He didn't have a fingerprint, which was annoying, but they were able to capture a scan of him and pinch some DNA. He didn't flinch as they withdrew a fluid from him with a syringe and deposited it into a little carousel. He didn't move a muscle when it was time for the cavity search, until it was clear he was overpowered.

Down he went as he was processed, to the High Security Detention center in the Wing City Police Department basement.

Descending the floor through an elevator, the door opened to reveal the Sheriff. Stepping out from the elevator, he didn't waste time trying to find the room. As the elevator dinged, travelling back to the floors above, Daylon steadied a hand over his gun as a laugh twisted through the back of his mind.

He pushed it away, flashing his badge to a nearby officer. With a silent look, he was brought to the cell. From the outside, his hand then knocked against the door. Each hand was a firm, dull wrapping on hard iron. It made a soft bellow at first, before hinges rattled to make the sound echo. "You're Zosimos."

Daylon leaned against the door, speaking into a small opening. "There's some things I've got to read to you real quick, protocol and all," He began, a rustling sound as he opened up a notepad with two hands. He coughed abruptly, wiping his sleeve at the page before he spoke.



Daylon stopped for a moment, taking a long breath. This was always a lot to say.

As Daylon read what Zosimos assumed were his rights he plastered a shit eating grin on his face, leveling dark eyes on Daylon. He narrowed his eyes as Daylon paused in what he hoped was the middle of the drawl, creeping closer to the small opening from which his voice carried.

When Daylon finished there really wasn't much for Zosimos to say. He was in the mood to kill this man, but had none of the means to do so. Expressing such a desire under the current circumstances seemed more than unwise.

"That's a lot of words," Zosimos spat between sharpened fangs, dropping his smile and leaning against the wall adjacent to the cell door. He almost sounded entertained, as if this was just a big game.

"Who's my lawyer?"

"As far as you're concerned?" Daylon began waving away the blueclothes officer by the cell with him. "I'll be honest and say no one - I could walk out now, make a single phone call and I would be ... " Daylon thought for a second, leaning against the cold iron door. "Well, rich enough to not worry about who is coming after you." With that, he gave an friendly thunk onto the metal.



Daylon laid the back of his head against the wall, taking a long breath as he hovered a hand over the weapon at his hip.



His hand made a slow, rapping toll sound with an old bell that rang throughout the city.