Second Shift’s Grey Team took over the scene after the battle with the pelesits, and while Third Shift’s Grey Team went home to recover, their colleagues were given orders to burn down the pelesit nests that Arthur Gray had left in View Road Hospital, but not before gathering enough evidence proving that the serial killer was responsible for a series of graverobbing regular officers from Special Crimes had been investigating where parts of the corpses were stolen instead of valuables, further evidence of his skills in the dark arts. At the moment, Jason was having a meeting with other members of Grey Team in their office, along with Dr Marog and Agent Millhart.

“Last night’s operation was a disaster. Seven officers down, along with two FBI agents and even a superintendent. Not sure how I’m supposed to write my report,” Jason muttered as he stared at the body camera footages of the attempted capture the previous night .

“I’m more concerned about the fact that this Arthur Bray fellow has actually fused with his polong,” Farhan added as he pointed at one still image of the polong that shows Arthur Bray’s face partially showing itself through the red mass.

"Yeah, he’s like fucking Carnage from those pre-war comics, man," Ajibade commented.

“Still, this Arthur Bray being fused with his polong could be the explanation as to why your bullets struck him instead of phasing through when he was attacking Vera Seow,” Dr Marog quipped.

“But I’ve never heard of a polong and its master being able to combine with each other. Could it be some form of advanced ritual we don’t know about?” Farhan asked.

“Hmm… I might have a theory. Dr Marog, as the one person here with the most knowledge on magic and night creatures, please correct me if I’m wrong: Once a polong is created, it is stored in a bottle, usually one with a narrow neck, like a vessel, am I right?” Jason asked.

“Usually, yes, though there are some exceptions.”

“Well, we all know by now that at some point during his six years in Malaysia, as well as a number of visits to both Singapore and Indonesia, Arthur Bray learnt how to create and control polongs and pelesits. However, the 100ml restriction law used in many countries meant he won’t be able to bring the polong along with him back to the United States via flight, so-”

“Wait, Jason, are you suggesting that Arthur used himself as the vessel?” Weijin cuts in.

“Who knows? Anything is possible nowadays. We can’t just think that something can’t be possible just because traditions say it’s not or it’s lost.”

“The inspector’s right. The instructions to perform the Sangreversión Ritual, an ancient magic used for turning converted vampires back to mortals, was believed to be lost during the Mexican-American War in the nineteenth century, then a mage-in-training unknowingly re-created it during a test three years ago. It could be that Arthur experimented on himself and discovered that it was possible to use his own body as a vessel,” Dr Marog added as he tapped his pen on the table.

“Is that why Arthur looked so hideous? He’s sharing his body with this polong thing you’re talking about?” Millhart asked.

“Could be. Guy looks zombified,” Ajibade replied.

“Our problem now, however, is trying to find out who his next target is. Ever since his rampage left four dead and one injured, every far-left social media personality in Singapore has gone silent.”

“All except one, sir,” Lucas, whose presence in the room had up until now only been detected by Ajibade and Dr Marog, suddenly spoke up from a corner, causing everyone else to jump.

“Damn it, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to your near invisibility, Lucas, sorry,” Jason said as he regained his composure.

“While you were discussing about Arthur Bray, I got a message from my wife. Look,” the Nobody said as he showed his phone to everyone.

Brother Sarathkumar visited! OMG, best day ever! was the caption written below a picture of a slightly rotund Indian man with glasses interacting with children at an orphanage where Ella volunteers during Saturdays, posted on the Hengs’ shared social media page.

“Okay, so what does that has to do with the case?”

“I sent a message to Ella, asked what he was doing. Turns out Mr Sarathkumar was just starting to volunteer at the orphanage, and she overheard him talking about the serial killings with a friend. The friend was urging him to cancel an event that will take place at the National Conference Plaza tomorrow night.”

“I’m assuming that he refused.”

“I just did an online check. He’s the only one on our list of potential victims who’s still active online, spreading messages of being progressive along with the usual religious quotes,” Amirah said as she displayed her screen on the holo-display.

“This man is making himself a target. Not a good idea,” Millhart commented.

“Or Arthur might use him as a distraction to murder someone else. That man’s proven himself to be quite a cunning opponent,” Farhan replied when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Jason invited, and the revenant officer from Counter-Magic, Hats, entered the room wearing a bucket hat and carrying inside a special tank the captured pelesit from a few days ago, which appeared to have shrunk quite a bit.

“Oh, Hats, what’s happening?” Weijin asked.

Replying in sign language, Hats revealed that he had picked up more information from the ectoplasmic residue on the pelesit. Putting down the pelesit tank, Hats then picked up a whiteboard marker and began writing down the names of three locations: Acerwood Hotel, Union Street back alleys and Straits Boulevard. Once he was done, Hats tapped on the board, added plus signs in between all three places and then an equal sign before writing down one last location: National Conference Plaza.

“The National Conference Plaza? Lucas just mentioned that Mr Sarathkumar has an event there tomorrow night,” Amirah exclaimed.

“I heard that building’s one hell of a public place. Seems our serial killer’s done killing from the shadows and now wants a public performance,” Millhart said.

“Sounds like he wants to make sure his message is loud and clear,” Ajibade commented.

“And that will be troublesome. I don’t like this plan I just formed in my head, but given that Arthur Bray is most likely in hiding now, I think we might have to used Mr Sarathkumar as bait to lure him out,” Jason said with a sigh.

“That’s too risky. What if we can’t get to him in time?” Farhan rebutted

“Plainclothes infiltration with uniformed back-up around the area. That way, we might be able to stop the killer with a pincer attack.”

“Should we at least warn Mr Sarathkumar about this first? He would be most offended to find out he’s been used as a fishing lure.”

“Yes, we should. Hopefully, he’s willing to cooperate. We should sort out who should be infiltrating first. I believe Arthur Bray saw a few of our faces, and I can’t risk him recognizing us. Anyways, where’s Xiaoye and Roderick? Bradley told me not to disturb the two for reasons he won’t speak of,” Jason asked.

“Oh, Xiaoye dragged Roderick to the hospital to visit his father. She’s getting sick of being dragged into their little family feud,” Weijin replied.

“What?”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Roderick complained as Xiaoye registered their names as well as Father Sergei’s at the front desk of the hospital.

“Well, I’m tried of you and your old man fighting over me. So today, you two talk things out. If it goes fine, fine. If he’s still an arse, cheerios to him forever. It’s up to you,” Xiaoye replied.

“No offense to you, Father Sergei, but are you sure you can talk things out with my father?”

“Your family is Catholic. I am Catholic. Perhaps the words of one from the same religion might sway your father’s mind. I do not doubt his devotion, but I worry that he is doing it wrongly, letting his personal problems interfere with his beliefs and thus causing him to worship in the wrong manner,” Father Sergei replied.

“And how does one worship in the wrong manner?”

“When we disagree on something, we discuss it like proper people, we try to guide the misguided down the right path, or we leave it as it is and tend to someone else more willing to listen. We do not force our beliefs and opinions on another person like this woke culture of the West. To judge a person correctly, we must see both the good and the bad with our own eyes, not attack their beliefs. Your father’s devotion to God is unquestionable, but using religion to justify his discrimination of others proves that his heart is not in the right place. That’s why I said he worships in the wrong manner.”

“Did you know? Father Sergei used to hate me for what I am,” Xiaoye added, surprising Roderick.

“For real?” he asked the priest, who merely gave a remorseful smile.

“A lesson in life I learnt the hard way, and a story you’ll hear once I speak with your father. Now, shall we proceed?”

Superintendent Lawrence Harper was not happy to see that it was a cambion that had brought his son and a priest to come see him. Xiaoye opt to wait outside while Roderick and Father Sergei remained in the room.

“Not exactly who I expected to pay a visit, Roderick,” Roderick’s father commented.

“What, you expecting Ben? That guy dreams of running you over every night.”

“Really?”

“He even talks about it. His wife’s urging him to drop the grudge, and Vicky’s husband is urging her to do the same.”

“As if I believe that. Both of them married someone from another religion, they’ve already turned their backs on God.”

“Don’t start with that religious bullshit, dad. You want me to whistle blow you to the authorities? Gonna be costly to your career if Singapore finds out one of their top cops is a racist.”

“I am not a racist. Don’t you dare accuse me of such filthy behaviour.”

“Well, what are you then? A fanatic? Or maybe I should invent a new word for you: A religionist?”

“Roderick, calm down, we’re in a hospital,” Father Sergei urged gently, and Roderick felt himself calming down for a bit.

“Who’s this, a priest? I’m not going to die of a dislocated knee, Roderick. Why bring a priest to see me?” Supt Harper asked.

“Xiaoye insisted. I didn’t want to come. I didn’t want to talk to you, but she forced me to do so,” Roderick replied curtly.

“Damn cambion just can’t seem to mind her own business, eh?”

“It’s her business. You dragged her into it.”

“And why the hell would I include that spawn of an unholy union into our family problems?”

“Because you wanted a fucking scapegoat so you don’t have to face up to your failures as a father!” Roderick exploded.

“How dare you-”

“How dare I? How dare you, sir. You hate Sergeant Di because you see her as unclean, as evil, as a known former criminal charged for one of the most serious crimes in the world. Oh, I know what you did for her. The others won’t tell me, but I did my own research. She never dared talk back to you because she feels that she owes you for making sure she got a fair trial, for keeping her away from dirty politicians, local and foreign, that want to get rid of her.”

“That has nothing to do with it! You know what she is! Do you have any idea what her father is capable of? She’s corrupting you, and I’ll be damned if I do not make sure you see the light-”

“Corrupting me? And you think you’re holier than her? I’ve been with her for six weeks, dad. She’s a lot more human than most humans I know, but all you can see are that two horns on the sides of her head.”

“How dare you! Everything I did was to better you and your ungrateful siblings’ lives!”

“You tore apart an elven family because they didn’t convert, then claim it’s for my own good! You drove Ben’s first love to suicide and all you could tell him was ‘too bad’! Your nit-picking and temper tantrums put Vicky in the mental ward for six fucking months and you never even visited her! And you’ve gone under the table a few times thinking no one knows about it! You hurt so many people, including your own children, and you still dare call yourself a religious man?”

“You little bastard, don’t you dare question my actions!”

“Both of you, enough! This gets us nowhere. Roderick, you need to calm down. And you, sir, you need to realize that everything you did have cost you your children,” Father Sergei said as he got between both men.

“And what would you know?” Supt Harper snapped back, to which the priest sighed.

“When your son told me about you, it reminded me of my past mistakes,” he replied, “Like you, I lost my wife during the war, and I threw myself completely into religion. I let it run every inch of my life, then I lost my temper and denounced my only daughter for marrying a Muslim man. It was only when she ut all ties with me did I realize that my devotion had been corrupted into obsession, but my encounter with Di Xiaoye helped me understood my errors and regain my faith.”

“A cambion helped you re-discover your faith? You call yourself a priest when you accepted help from an unholy being?”

“I thought the same of her when I first laid eyes upon her. A filthy spawn of a forbidden love between a human girl and a demon, that was the first thing I said to her. She was hurt by my insults, but she never showed it. One night, she and her former partner Bradley brought a young girl possessed by a lesser demon to my church. Xiaoye couldn’t enter without being thrown across the street so she stayed outside while me, three other priests and Bradley conducting the exorcism. We… We underestimated how powerful it was.”

Roderick, who was silently listening to the whole conversation, was surprised to hear that AC Bradley was Xiaoye’s previous partner. No wonder their department commander was more lax with her addressing him by name instead of rank, but Father Sergei’s story was not finished.

“I have never prayed so hard in my life before, and not with a possessed twelve-year-old girl crushing my throat with her bare hands. And God sent the most unexpected form of help. The doors were flung opened, and Sergeant Di, the cambion whom I had scorned for weeks, entered ready for a fight. I had no idea how she forced her way into hallowed grounds, but the first thing she did was put the possessed girl in a submission hold and ordered me to complete the exorcism.”

“What? But Father Sergei, I saw the effects an exorcism had on Xiaoye, she was bleeding from her eyes, ears, everything.”

“I know, Roderick. At that time, I did not know that an exorcism could kill a cambion. I did hesitate when I saw the blood just flowing from Xiaoye’s face but she screamed at me to finish it and save the girl. We finally completed the exorcism and the girl was saved, but Sergeant Di, she nearly died. Spent two weeks in a coma at Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, then another three months before she was discharged and placed back on duty.

“I finally realized that on that fateful night, the Lord, for some reason, allowed her entry into our church to save us, but after that incident, she couldn’t enter again. But we began to talk. It was, well, uncomfortable at first, but over time, I came to a realization and began to look past those two horns of hers and saw what she really was: A half-demon with a fully human soul. Sure, she may have wicked thoughts from time to time, but never again did I question her morality. Then I did what I never expected to do: I apologized to Sergeant Di. She replied I should apologize to my daughter, not her, so I ended up writing a letter of apology to my daughter. Reconciliation took some time, but now, we are a family again.”

“I don’t see what you’re trying to tell me here, priest,” Supt Harper said with a slight of disdain and contempt.

“Pride and ego leads to obsession, Superintendent Harper, one of the main causes of discrimination and hatred. Obsession broke my family, letting it go brought us back together and helped me recover my faith, and it’s time you do the same. Your son was convinced by his partner whom you so sorely despise to give you a chance. Don’t waste it on the basis of her being a cambion,” Father Sergei retorted when Xiaoye suddenly came in.

“Roderick, we need to go. SRE Delta declared, National Conference Centre.”

“Roderick,” Supt Harper called out as Roderick prepared to leave with Xiaoye and Father Sergei.

“I’ll talk to you later, Dad, when you’re ready to address my partner by her name,” Roderick replied without turning his head as he closed the door to his father’s ward.