Liam headed to the crime scene on foot. Showing the world his new jet boots, right now, was out of the question. Best to keep that trump card under tight wraps. Then, when he was up against the wall, he could pull them out. Suddenly fighting an opponent who could fly would be a little shock for his unfortunate adversary. Liam could almost imagine the startled look on their faces. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to that reveal.

Plus, there was H-Bar and the rest of the team. None of them knew about the boots. And their reactions to his first flight would be just as interesting. Liam was almost positive H-Bar would ask for a pair on the spot.

Heading towards the crime scene, the green bar in Liam’s HUD climbed. He was off school grounds by the time it was full. Another reason to walk instead of fly.

Leaving the school campus, Liam scanned the nearby neighborhoods. Looking for the telltale signs of police activity. The trees to his right were the first clue he found. As they reflected a muted strobing of blue and red.

Heading toward the lights, Liam entered a silent neighborhood. The sleepy little community looked like a hundred others in the city. With houses on either side of the road that were old, but well tended. The people who lived here likely choose this neighborhood because of its proximity to the high school. And save for the pulsing lights right now, it was an excellent place to raise a family.

Reaching the police cars, a few seconds later, Liam found a dozen of them on scene. With an officer spreading crime scene tape around one property. It didn’t take much detective work after seeing that to figure out where he was going.

The home was a small one story building at the end of a cul-de-sac. Nestled between two ancient oaks. The trees branches dwarfing the small home as they draped over it. A gentle breeze picked up and one of the house’s shutters squeaked angrily against the motion. Sending a running chill down Liam’s back.

Averting his eyes, Liam looked around the rest of the cul-de-sac. The other homes stared out vacantly. With an occasional shadow moving through one of their windows. Must be neighbors trying to decipher what was going on. Not that they would glean much from their efforts.

Luckily there were no news teams in sight. Thank the little miracles for that. Though it wouldn’t be long until they arrived. Knowing those groups, they were already on the way. Best to make the most of the time he had without them Liam thought.

A few officers eyed Liam as he moved towards the police line. Unsure who was approaching. The darkness obscuring Liam’s profile. Once he reached the line, the officers’ reactions changed. In the light of nearby cars they recognized who he was. The hulking black and green armored Hero was easy to identify. Unceremoniously the officers waved Liam through with little more than a nod.

Walking through the tape line Liam got a better picture of the house. From afar the house looked like any other on this street. Small but loved. On closer inspection, Liam saw that wasn’t the case. Where the neighbors lawns were immaculate, this one was a total mess, it’d been weeks since it was last mowed. The grass was threatening to take over the yard.

The sidewalk was rough and uneven. Weeds peeking through the cracks between cement blocks. To the side, on the mailbox, one of the address numbers was missing. Leaving those at the scene to guess at the property's actual address.

This house was years from being derelict, but the owner had been making great strides in that direction. It was a far cry from the pristine home where the previous murder took place.

Opening the front door Liam turned on his camera. The little cylinder popped out of his suit’s shoulder. Capturing the world around him. The camera had proved its worth at the last murder. Its video being instrumental in his programs analysis of the crime scene. Liam wondered if it would provide help from this scene. If this killing was related to the other two, then there might be some new clue tucked away inside.

The room that greeted Liam was a conundrum. While the outside of the house was in disrepair the inside was immaculate. The entryway rug was in perfect order. Every strand of its fringe aligned in unison. Not even a piece of fuzz on it. A hutch to the right displayed a sparkling set of china, recently cleaned, if its luster was any indication. And over the entire space not a spot of dust was in sight.

Whoever lived here had interesting tastes. While they didn’t care how the outside world viewed them. They made sure their living space was in perfect order. A strange conundrum that.

Walking farther into the property, Liam found a pristine bookshelf. Each volume in alphabetical order by author’s last name. The spines of the books aligned just right. So every book was even across the shelf.

On one end of the bookcase was a small glass bowl. A set of keys and IDs rested inside. Shuffling through the IDs Liam found the first link to the other crimes. A gym pass to the same gym, just like the two previous victims. Not a great sign Liam thought, this might be the work of their serial killer.

After going through the rest of the entryway and finding nothing else tying this victim to the others, Liam headed deeper into the house. The next room was a small kitchen. With almost the entire countertop occupied by a microwave. Leaving just enough space to fit a cutting board next to it. To the far side of the room was a small table and chairs. All of which were arrayed with an exacting precision around the table.

Moving into the kitchen Liam spotted an officer going in the opposite direction. Stopping him Liam asked, “Have we IDed the victim?”

“Yes Sir, he’s a Mr. Martin,” the officer said as he skimmed through a little notebook.

“What do we know about him?”

“Only that he lives alone and is some sort of bookie at the local racetrack,” the officer said. Scratching behind his ear between page flips.

“Thank you. Please let me know if you find anything else,” Liam said.

This victim, Mr. Martin, wasn’t in a job directly related to the other victims. Just like they’d seen with the first two. Though Mr. Martin’s job at the racetrack might be hiding something. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think someone got upset about a failed bet and came to take it out on him.

Just as the officer reached the far side of the room Liam spotted something on the floor. Out of place in the otherwise clean house. Bending over Liam took a closer look. It was a gooey fluid in a small circle. It took a moment for Liam to realize what it was. Skip had jumped here. And was still ignoring regulation. Keeping his irritation in check Liam spun towards the retreating officer.

“Officer, before you leave. Do you know where Skip is?” Liam asked.

“I haven’t seen him.”

“If you do, let him know I’m looking for him,” Liam said. Skip must’ve jumped to the scene and was back getting the rest of the team. They would be here in the next few minutes.

Instead of waiting for them, Liam kept exploring the house. He wanted to have a good picture of what they were dealing with before the rest of the team got here.

Entering the next room, a living room, Liam found the second clue showing this crime was related to the previous two. There was no obvious disturbance to the room except a man sticking halfway through the wall. Almost a perfect match to the previous cases Liam thought. Letting out a deep sigh as it felt like the floor was giving way under him, Liam switched on his radio and called Ullr, “Source checking in.”

After a brief pause of muted static Ullr responded, “What did you find?”

“Still too early to know for sure, but this one looks related,” Liam said. “Just found the victim, Mr. Martin, sticking out of the wall.”

There was a longer pause this time before Ullr asked, “What about the gym? Was this victim also a member?” As always he cut right to the chase.

“I found a gym card to the same place,” Liam said. Imagining some of Ullr’s tension leaving his body. It wasn’t another Cowl killing people. But the same killer in all three cases. That was something they could work with.

“Sounds like your program was on the right track,” Ullr said.

“Yet to see if it was right about everything.”

“True. But if it was right about the gym, then I think it’s right about Phaser as well.”

“If we could catch her we’d know for sure.”

“We’ll get her. Just give it a little time,” Ullr said. His steady tone leaving no room to argue. The team would find Phaser, and soon, or Ullr himself would tear the city apart in the search. “The team is headed your way, should be there in a couple minutes.”

“Great, I’ll be waiting.”

Liam scanned the rest of the room. Looking for anything that could tip them off about this most recent victim. Ideally something the team could use to figure out why Mr. Martin was picked by the murderer. As Liam scanned the room, he noticed something missing. The victim didn’t have any pictures in the house. None of the man himself, his family, pets, vacations, or anything else. Almost as if he was a ghost in his own home. What Liam did find, in abundance, was abstract art. Something he’d never understood. Why create art that made little sense. True art was found in the beauty of realism. Capturing the world with paint and pen. Liam hoped he’d one day understand why people liked abstract art, but he knew, deep down that would not happen.

Snapping out of his daydream Liam left the room. He’d look into Mr. Martin’s tastes later and try to figure out why there were no pictures in the house. Until then he’d have to table the thought.

Walking back into the kitchen Liam leaned up against the wall next to Skip’s goo. When the man arrived he’d be face to face with Liam. Giving Skip a little scare. Sure it was a sophomoric prank, but that wouldn’t stop him.

Liam waited and tried to figure out how Phaser was picking victims at the gym. Unwanted advances? That was possible, but wouldn’t that happen anywhere? Failed relationships? Another possibility, but the quick turnarounds between killings suggested something else. Whatever the reason was, the team hadn’t been able to crack it yet.

As Liam was deep in thought the team started to appear. The abrupt arrival causing Liam to jump and step back. Hovering over the original Skip goo. They’d teleported behind him. Foiling Liam’s little prank.

The first two to appear were Ullr and Skip. The latter’s eyes dropping to where Liam was standing before he jumped and disappeared. Hopefully annoyed that Liam was standing so close to his teleport spot. If that was the case, Liam could gain some measure of face back.

After Skip left, Ullr took a few steps forward. Moving away from where Skip had just jumped. One by one the rest of the team appeared in the same spot. Each moving away before the next arrived. In a matter of ten seconds the entire team had arrived. Gathering together in the cramped kitchen.

The team’s attention focused on Liam. As he was working on a way to describe what he had uncovered so far, another man walked into the already packed kitchen. His worn out brown suit looking only a little worse than the last time they’d met. Spotting the Heroes his attention dropped to the floor searching for something. Noticing the goo, the man’s eyebrows pinched together.

“Please tell me you didn’t just contaminate my crime scene,” Detective Leacock said. Taking his hat off as he stared daggers at the gathered Heroes.

“I have a feeling this’ll be our scene soon enough,” Ullr said.

“I’m sure it will be. But until it’s official, this is my scene and I’d appreciate it if you don’t ruin it with your super goo,” Detective Leacock said as he stared down Ullr. It’d take much more than a group of Heroes to intimidate this detective. Something few people could claim.

“Of course,” Ullr said after a moments silence. Deciding not to skirmish with the detective on this point.

“Good. Then as the team’s already here I have something to show you.”

With that the detective walked out of the room. Looking at each other for a second the Heroes decided to follow. Whatever the detective had to say it must be important to pull them away before they could even begin the investigation.

Reaching the family room the detective retrieved a tablet and turned to show it to the team. On the screen was a paused video. The image showing the street in front of Mr. Martin’s house.

“A neighbor has a security camera,” the detective said. “They let us review the footage and we got lucky.”

What in the world had the detective found that had him so excited Liam wondered. With his curiosity piqued Liam focused on the screen.

The detective hit play and the video of the cul-de-sac started. The light coming through the trees on screen hinting that this was from a few hours prior. If not another day entirely. After a few moments a hooded figure walked onto the screen. It was hard to make out many details as the figure was on the far side of the street. But they appeared to be wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. Similar to their current target.

With a slow gait the figure walked down the street, reaching the edge of the frame. And then the figure stopped and turned. Staring at the house in front of them. Mr. Martin’s home Liam realized. As the video continued to run the figure stayed there motionless, gazing at the house. After thirty seconds the figure turned and walked back across the frame, the way it’d come.

It was hard to make out details of the figure. But the hoodie was a calling card for Phaser. Liam was sure this was her. This was the proof they were looking for.

“Got her,” Gladius said. Venom dripping with each word. These crimes had become personal for the team. And now they’d verified the target to focus their frustration on.

“This confirms your theory,” Skip said as he looked over at Liam. “Good work.” The sudden compliment caught Liam off guard. Skip was just as excited for the news. Thinking back to the hospital, Liam knew how much he cared about the people of this town or at least the young ones. Even if he didn’t always show it.

“Now we just have to catch her,” H-Bar said as he patted Liam on the back.

“And that will be the tricky part,” Detective Leacock said as he stared around the room.

As those around him started to float ideas on how to capture Phaser, Liam’s mind wandered. Why was she even here before the attack? Did she stalk her victims before killing them? Was that a new trait or something she’d always done? Questions swirled around his head.

At the first murder they had a video from the gas station, across the street. Yet they’d never seen Phaser approach before the crime. Why would she do that at this one? Why would she do something so obvious this time while being a ghost the other two? It just didn’t make sense. Even if she didn’t think there were any cameras on this street, it was still a stupid move. Was she changing her MO?

All of Liam’s research into Phaser showed she was secretive to the extreme. The first time she’d ever worked in a team was the bank heist right after Liam first arrived. Before that everything she’d done was solo and small time. Her behavior at this murder was strange and for the life of him he couldn’t see why she did it. But maybe that didn’t matter. She’d just given them all the evidence they needed to put her away for good. And there was no way Liam would let it go to waste.

As the team was discussing the merits of the different Phaser capture approaches a staticy new voice cut in, “Crime in Progress, full team requested.”

“Who and where?” Ullr asked into his radio.

“Reports indicate it’s The Broken Crest. We confirmed Little Knife and Phaser are on scene,” Matt responded.

“Looks like she came to us,” Skip said.

“Detective, we have to go. Thanks for the video. We’ll make sure this chance doesn’t go to waste,” Ullr said.

“Get her off the street,” the detective said. As Skip started to jump the team out of the room. The detective decided not to admonish them. Speed outweighed his concerns for a sterile scene.