Brockmann felt the pressure in his chest, the pain in hs back, the faster breathing, the sweat all over his body. The police officer sat in the corner of the room, his hand cuffs chaining him to a radiator.

„Listen, there is no way ...“ He began.

„Shut up. Not my first round around the block. I know the game.“ Brockmann grunted.

„All I wanna say is youi make things worse. If you give up ...“ The policeman had courage, negotiating with a man with a gun. The room had no windows. The door looked massive and Brockmann had thrown a cupboard in front of it. They would not easily get through there. He assumed the set up an ops right now. Leaning against the wall he felt his hands shake.

„Shut up or I gag you.“ He grunted at the young man. „I will not kill you, don‘t worry.“ He added. Desperation made people do desperate things. he took out his mobile and looked at the door.

„Hello?“ The voice came from outside. „This is Bernhard Schauenburg. Can we talk?“ The voice came from outside. He had picked a storage room. There was no phone in here.

„I want a car in front of the door and ten thousand in cash or I will kill your colleague!“ Brockmann shouted and stepped away form the door.

„We can talk about this, but you need to understand that we need a proof of life form our colleague first.“ He shouted.

„I am okay!“ The young man yelled. Brockmann threw hum and angry look.

„Don‘t play the fucking hero.“ He hissed at him.

„Thank you. We are all very glad you did not harm him. Does any of you three need medical attention?“ He asked.

Very good, they thought Simon was in here with him. They had talked to the Doctor.

„No!“ Brockmann said and he saw the policeman wanted to say something, but he aimed his gun at his head and the young man stopped before a sound escaped his mouth.

„Listen Marcus is only a policeman, he has family. You do not want to harm him, do you? Maybe we can resolve this situation without anybody getting hurt!“ The man outside yelled.

„Marcus, hm?“ Brockmann said and looked at the young policeman. His mobile vibrated. He swiped the screen and Simon had messaged him.

I AM OUT! DO NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID!

Brockmann sighed in relief. He ripped the back of the mobile off and took out the SIM card. Looking around he wondered how to destroy it effectively. There was nothing here. So he simply put it into his mouth and swallowed it. Then he put the mobile to the ground and smashed it with the grip of his gun. Hitting it five times, until it was nothing but a splintered husk. It felt good actually.

„You are not well.“ Marcus said. Brockmann gave him as look.

„Okay, you are right!“ He yelled at the man outside. „I give up. I am alone with Marucs. I put my gun down now!“ He did exactly that.

„Come out with hands above your head!“ Another voice yelled.

„Sure!“ Brockmann yelled back. He felt his chest getting better and he pushed the door free. Finally he turned to Marcus.

„Sorry.“ He grunted, opened the door, raised his hands above his head and fully opened it with the foot. As he stepped out they SWAT members who had positioned themselves right and left of the door put him to the ground and he put up no resistance.

„He needs a Doctor!“ Marcus yelled from behind. Brockmann turned his head. The boy was a good man. Even now he tried to do the right thing.

„I am alright.“ Brockmann said, as he felt the knee of a policeman painfully pushing against the back. It hurt like hell.

****

„The police has confirmed the man who has taken hostages at the Charité today has given u and is in police custody now.“ The woman in the radio was clearly relieved as she reported. Simon was taking the next corner and stopped the car. He closed his eyes and cursed silently.

Somehow he had hoped Brockmann would escapes through some sort of miracle. Obviously there were no miracles today. He did not know what to do. Call Fornby? Probably Brockmann needed that lawyer now. His partner would spend the rest of his days in prison, probably.

Taking out his mobile he called Fornby.

„Yes?“ The voice was there before the phone even rang. He imagined Fornby staring at his mobile, waiting for them to report.

„Brockmann got arrested.“ Simon said and leaned his head on the stirring wheel.

„For what?“ Fornby asked.

„The hostages in Charité? That was him.“ Simon said. „He sacrificed vhimself so I could get out.“

„Fool.“ Fornby hissed into the phone. „Okay, I will call my layer friend. You need to come back to Hamburgb immediately.“

„No.“ Simon answered.

„Pardon?“ Fonby asked.

„I need to find he Wormking and kill that thing.“ Simon said.

„And how do you wanna do that without Brockmann?“ Fornby asked.

„I do not know yet, but I need to do it anyway. It was what Brockmann wanted.“ Simon looked up at the cassette recorder. He could figure it out, Brockmann had said. What was the name of this man? This Doctor who had researched the worm?

„Boy, this is not a game. I order you to return to Hamburg immediately.“ Fornby had a firm voice now. He tried to show authority.

„Screw you.“ Simon answered.

„You spend too much time with Brockmann.“ Fornby said.,

„Do you know of as Doctor here who has researched this thing?“ Simon asked.

„The one Brockmann was looking for?“

„Yeah. What was his name?“ Simon asked.

„Simon. I talk to you as a friend. You are not prepared for this.“ Fornby said.

Simon wanted to yell at him. Ask him where he was when they were out here doing their dirty job. Where he was when Helena died or those kids. He knew it would not be helpful. Swelling his anger down his voice was so intense as he spoke, it even surprised him.

„I have seen first hand what this Wormking does to people. What it makes them do. If we do not stop it, this city will go to hell.“ Simon paused. „Listen, I am running out off time. There is footage of me in the Charité. They will figure out who I am and by then I need to have done what needs to be done.“ Simon said. „Give me a fighting chance at least. You owe me that, You owe Brockmann that much.“ Simon said.

Fornby was silent for a moment.

„Valdimir Boyka, Doctor. With a V. I send you the address,.“ He finally said.

„Thank you.“ Simon ended the call and took the cassette recorder. Clumsy and probably ten years old. He remembered the tape and it would take a while. He had no time to loose, so he started the car again and drove back to the hotel.

****

Brockmann had booked the room, so his name would not appear on the check in. He packed their stuff as quickly as he could and grabbed the large bag with Brockmann‘s equipment. Finally he sat down and took a bottled water from the fridge. He drank from it and looked around, making sure nothing that betrayed his presence here was still in the room.

His thoughts drifted away. Figure this out. How should he figure this out? Nothing made sense. Why had the worm that had infected Helena been able to reproduce? Only the first generation could do that. All afterwards were sterile.

Brockmann had said his information had to be wrong, but Simon did not buy this. Just because it did not fit with the rules, did not mean the rules were different. It meant probably they asked the wrong questions.

He wanted to ask Brockmann a million things. that would no longer be an option though. the only source for answers he had was Dr. Vladimir Boyka. An expert on this. He made sure the old voice recorder was still in his jacket and took the bags. Quickly he left the hotel, trying to avoid being seen or drawing any attention. Outside he quickly pushed his luggage into the back of his car and got in. The sun was shining. It at least gave him an excuse to put sunglasses on. Also the day was coming to an end and he would need to find a place to sleep. It was warm enough to sleep in the car he supposed. Maybe the safest option. So he drove out of downtown Berlin, which was a rather large area consisting of both the western and eastern downtown districts. FInally he ended up in Pankow and parked his car in front of a supermarket. The sun was going down and soon people would leave. He leaned back in the car, took out the cassette recorder and pressed play.

The voice of Brockmann came from the small speakers.

„I will record my conversation with Doctor Boyka about the creature known as the Wormking for later analysis.“ He sounded clumsy. This had been out of his comfort zone. It was more like Simon to make a recording.

The tape jumped right into the conversation the two had. Simon listened closely. He smiled when he heard the theory of this being an ancient creature. Maybe those guys from National Geographic were really up toi something. When he was done he reminded the tape and listrened to it again. This time e took out his mobile to make notes. Dr. Boyka was indeed and expert on the matter. Regrettably Brockmann had asked not too much about the movement ratio of these things. But that they stayed alive only roughly an hour once they were outside the host was interesting. Helena had been infected by Burzynski. So where had Burzyinski got his infection from? Simon googled him and he seemed to life in Charlottenburg. Old western Berlin. The best part of town. Online were pictures of him with his family. Simon had to fight his emotions, as he remembered this was the man he had shot. The man he had killed. The murderer of dozens of children had a cute little boy at home himself.

Charlottenburg was far away from the school. It was far away from everything. Five kilometers to Helena‘s flat. Four to the school. Simon searched for violent crimes in the area. reports of the shutting, the arson attack on the Coroner and the hostage crisis at Charité popped up. All of them nowhere near Burzyinskis home. In Charlottenburg there was only a robbery and minor vandalism. Nothing dramatic. Nothing that sounded remotely as if he had spread the worm.

Simon remembered the frightening large monster that had burst from his stomach. A worm as large as a human arm. It had been in there for quite some time to grow to this size, right? It had to. Aimpn rewinded the tape again,holding the small black machine in his hand and listening to the sound.

Brockmann was right. There was something missing. Some pieces made no sense, some did not fit together. Brockmann had felt it probably on an instinctive level. He had known there had been a puzzle to piece together, a riddle to break and then he had never gotten around to talk to Simonl because Helena nad the worm had messed up everything. But he had been right. The tape clicked and Simon was ripped out of his thoughts. He played it again.

He listened to it half a dozen times, until the battery went out and the last three items he did with closed eyes, listening to the words as his head leaned forward on the stirring wheel.

****

It was here he woke up. His eyes snapped open, as he realized he was not alone in the car.

„Do not freak out.“ The voice said from behind.

„You again.“ Simon wanted to turn around.

„If you turn and look at me I will be gone. You do realize this, do you?“ The voice asked and there was something familiar in it. Something entirely different then last time. Or maybe it was just now he heard it. Now that the voice was not whispering anymore. Now that his brain had not coded it as Brockmann‘s.

„Why? Why would you vanish?“ Simon asked.

„You know why.“ The voice answered.

„Because you are not really there.“ Simon sighed.

„Well, define ‚really there‘, Simon.“ The voice said. Simon blinked irritated.

„Sandra?“ He asked. The sentence was so his ex-girlfriend it stroke him like a flash.

„As I am not really there, do you consider the question if I am Sandra to be a very smart one?“ The voice asked and now it was clearly Sandra.

„I cannot do it. Sandra, I do not figure it out. I think this time we are gonna loose.“ Simon said. „So why do I see you? Are you here to spend me comfort? Or am I just going insane from the bad consciousness?“ Simon asked.

„How many times did you hear this tape?“ Sandra asked. Simon looked at the recorder.

„Six times, maybe seven.“ He replied.

„Why?“ She asked then.

„Just in case I did not get anything. I need as many facts as I can get.“ He said.

„Bullshit.“ Sandra replied and he looked into the rear view mirror. Even through on this one she looked blurry.

„Okay, then why do I listen to it?“ He asked.

„Because the answer is on it and you can feel it. Somewhere. Something he said or did not say is important and neither Brockmann nor Boyka realized it.“ Sandra said.

„Yeah, maybe, but I cannot figure it out. I need to find another way.“ He looked at the dark parking place. there was only one other car around. It was late at night.

„Okay, then where do you look?“ Sandra asked.

„I do not know.“ He said.

„Bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. You are afraid, scarfed as hell. You cannot think straight and you are afraid to fail. Ironically that is hwy you goddamned idiot will fail. You will fail Brockmann.“ She said from behind.

„No, I will not.“ Simon said.

„So where is the Wormking?“ She asked.

„I do not know!“ He said. „I must go look at the beginning.“ He finally said.

„What is the beginning?“ Sandra asked.

„I do not know!“ He yelled. Then he grew silent.

„Yes, you do.“ She answered.

„Burzynski. He must have gotten his infection straight form the source.“ Simon said. „I need to look into Burzynski.“ He finally said.

„Wow, that took long.“ Sandra replied. He wanted to say something, but regrettably he woke up ... again. This time for real.

He raised from the stirring wheel and the difference between a dream and reality was, that in reality his neck felt stiff and hurt. He stared in the darkness. In reality he was the only car left now. He turned on the engines and knew where to drive. He needed something. Helenas had to give him one last help.

****

They had sealed her flat. As if a piece of sticker kept anybody out. He pushed the door open. the lock had been broken by Brockmann. He had his flashlight and did not dare to turn on the light. He did not wanted anybody passing the flat see him inside of there. So he stepped in. The table was still broken, the blood was still on the floor. Crime scene cleaners had not been here he assumed. There were little labels at the blood, the window and at some other places. He opened the fridge and the worm was gone. So she had her will. Public health would know. It would take them months to figure it out probably. But they knew.

He went to her bedroom and began opening the drawers. He then turned to her small night table and he found what he was looking for. It was in a leather wallet. A plastic card in green, showing a picture of Helenas face and the eagle that identified it as a German police passport. he took it and put it into his jacket. They really needed to forge those, he realized. Then he realized there was no „they“ anymore. He did not let the impact of the Realisation reach him, but quickly made his way out of the flat. Outside he took the car and drove to Charlottenburg. It was the early morning, when he parked opposite of Burzynski‘s flat and waited until the sun went up. It was 07:30 when he saw a woman in black leave the house with a little boy. They both seemed very sad, not talking. he was wearing a large schoolbag on his back. Burzynski‘s wife and his son. A widow and an half-orphan. He had made them that. Patiently he waited for her to return. She did half an hour later. As he saw her strolling down the street he got out of the car, took the police I’d card and made sure his thumb was over the picture. Then he went on interception course. He realized he did not know her first name. He should have used his waiting time to find out.

„Mr. Burzynski?“ He asked. The woman turned around.

„I do not talk to the press!“ she replied and began to walk faster.

„Wise move. I am not with the press. My name is Simon Bergmann, I am from the Berlin police.“ He held the ID up for a moment only and then put it away. She sighed.

„Oh. I am sorry, the journalists have harassed me and my boy over them ast few days and I thought you are one of them ...“ She said.

„I am sorry to hear that. My condolences for your loss. I am very sorry.“ He said and he meant it.

„Funny. You are the first to say that.“ She replied. „The others did not bring it out. I guess they only see the monster in my husband. My late husband.“ She fought tears as she said those last words.

„It is hard for all of us. That is why I am here. I do not see your husband as a monster. I want to understand why he did this.“ Simon said. „May I come in?“

„Sure.“ She answered. „But I have no idea why he did that. He loved those children. It was his calling to teach he always said. He loved to be a teacher.“ She said and opened the door to the house. Simon followed her.

„Yes, I heard that too. May I ask if your husband showed any unusual behavior lately?“ He asked.

„No, nothing. He seemed a little more tense, but that was not ... it was nothing.“ She went into the elevator and Simon followed her.

„I see.“ He looked around. They lived in a rather modern house. He memorized every door. One lead to the cellar. Maybe that would be a place he had to look. Sewers, probably too. Somewhere here Burzynski had infected himself probably.

They went three levels up and got out. She opened the door. „Coffee?“ She asked.

„No, thanks. I appreciate you taking the time.“ He said.

„I feel I need to help where I can. I feel I have to make up for what ... he did, you know?“ She said and went to the kitchen, making herself a coffee. Simon looked around. A room for the kid, a mess of toys and games on the floor. A living room, which was small but cozy. A kitchen and a bedroom. Nothing suspicious. Pictures on the wall. Burzynski laughing. Driving ski. Playing with his kid. Enjoying the day with his wife. A young Burzynski and her getting married. A life he had ended right there on the walls. It felt like a shrine.

„Did he suffer from any medical problems lately?“ Simon asked.

„You area pretty young for an inspector.“ She said. Simon turned and smiled.

„I got a young face. Hear that a lot. Been with the department for two years already.“ He laughed. „So did he have any physical problems?“ Simon asked.

„He had pain in his chest and stomach last few days. Actually he had the night before ... you know ...“ She said. Simon nodded.

„Did he see a Doctor?“ Simon asked.

„No, he said he schedule something if it returned.“ She said.

„And you and your kid? Did you have the same?“ Simon asked. His heart was pounding. If they had been infected he had probably issued the point where an infection would save them. He had no idea what to do then.

„No, of course not. Heart problems are not infectious.“ She said. Simon laughed with relief.

„Of course not.“ He answered. Helena had this chest pain. He had seen it. So he had been infected recently. Very recently.

„Tell me about your last day with him, please.“ Simon asked.

„Do I have to? It is not easy for me to talk about such things, so soon after ...“ The woman stroked her black hair back. She had tears in her eyes.

„Please, it would help me a lot.“ Simon said with as much sympathy in his voice as possible.

„There was nothing special. He woke up, had a coffee. Then we had breakfast and he ... went to school.“ She said. „Afterwards he visited his Dad.“ She said. „He came home, we had dinner and watched TV. He went to bed early.“ She sighed. „Nothing special.“

„When did he have the heart problem?“ Simon asked.

„It was more the chest, you know? He complained when we had dinner. It was rather intense, but only was there a minute. He blood pressure was okay, so we decided it might be a nerve or something.“ She began to cry now. Simon did not know what to say.

„You help me a lot with this, Ms. Burzynski.“ He said and looked around. „Do you think I could talk with his father?“

„I doubt it Maskes a lot of sense. He lives in a carehome. He is barely responsive nowadays.“ She sighed. „Dementia. Final stages.“ Again she cried. „He does not even realize his son is not coming anymore.“ Simon waited for her to regain her calm.

„I am sorry.“ She said. Simon nodded. He felt terrible being unable to tell her it had been him. He felt terrible lying to her.

„Well, could I have his adress anyway?“ Simon asked. It Burzynski had not been infected here he had been infected somewhere else and that had been the only place he had been to.

„Sure.“ Ms. Burzynski said and went to the kitchen. She returned with a card and gave it to Simon. He took it and stared at it, as he saw the adress.

„Is there anything else I can help you with?“ She asked.

„No, thank you. I think I have harassed you enough.“ He said.

„I cannot believe what he did. I cannot believe it!“ She said. He looked at her. „Can you tell my why? How can true man I love turn into a child slayer? He loved those kids more than anything. he wanted to help them, give them a future!“ She cried again. Simon stared at her.

„He did not.“ Simon finally said. He could not leave her like that.

„What do you mean?“ She looked up at him and Simon sighed.

„I should not tell you this, but there is evidence pointing to a potential ... medical condition that your husband had that might have caused this behavior.“ Simon said. „He was not himself, Ms. Burzynski. He was a good man, who had a terrible bad luck.“

She stared at him. „What kind of condition?“

Simon shook his head. „I will tell you one day. today this is all I can give you. I am sorry. Goodbye.“ He went to the door and when he turned around one last time he saw her and there was a sense of relief in her.

Simon took out his mobile outside and checked it. He checked the messages and smiled.

Indeed he had found the missing piece.

„Thanks Sandra.“ He whispered and went to the elevator,