An hour after rescue.

“You mean to tell me that the kid overpowered that beast of a cultist?” Detective Daniels asked. 

Still unable to talk because of the broken jaw, Braxton wrote his response with pen and paper. It felt strange to be interrogated by a fellow officer, even if they were from a different precinct. Braxton could more sense than see Captain Hanover behind the one-way mirror. 

Yes, Ben subdued the apprentice called Lionel. He acted in self-defense. 

“Yeah, that’s what the kid said, too. Are you sure you two didn’t have time to corroborate stories?”

Braxton wrote no, but tried to make it casual. In reality, Captain Hanover broke the rules and drove Ben and Braxton to the local precinct. The first things Captain Hanover said was don’t talk, but figure out their stories. By chance, a pen and paper sat in the middle back seat. A note warned that the notepad would end up destroyed and forgotten before their arrival. Doped up on just enough pain meds, the two figured out their story and anytime that Ben tried to speak aloud, the Captain silenced him.

“Well, even though you broke protocol by going into the building, I don’t see that we need to press charges. Most of us wouldn’t know anything about the art show tonight without your warning.”

How many injured in the explosions?

“That bastard injured seven of our guys. One’s in critical condition right now. The Doctors aren’t sure he’ll make it through the night.”

The tension in Braxton’s neck dissipated, but he worried about the one officer. Would it have ended up differently if I hadn’t called them to the scene? And, as if in response, Detective Daniels spoke again.

“I see that guilty look. I’ve been there in a similar capacity, but it’s a good thing you called us when you did. Hell, if you hadn’t crashed that drone, we wouldn’t have found the center of operations for the cultist. How did you know Cass Lawrence escaped? Somehow none of the staff noticed his disappearance from solitary.”

Braxton shrugged.

The kid warned me. After what happened to him last year, I trusted his judgement. 

“And you’re sure there’s nothing else you need to tell us? Nothing that you withheld?”

Braxton wrote no and pushed the pad of paper back. The door opened and Captain Hanover walked in to replace Detective Daniels, who took the notepad, which would end up in an evidence box somewhere. When the door closed, Captain Hanover checked his seven and five for the security cameras. Both the red lights turned off. 

“When they captured Cass Lawrence, they missed something. I found it because I was one officer in that case twenty years ago. Don’t look so surprised, you knew all along. Anyway, I think it’s important you see this, but show nobody else.”

Captain Hanover pushed an envelope across the table sealed in wax with The Mark of the Artist. 

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