Kaden
Legacy Name: Kaden

The homeless encampment clogged the barren land under the skyway.
The Skyway: twin four lanes, stacked sheltering in the lower level from the weather as those above enjoyed every bit of city scenery while the interior level enjoyed glimpses of the city as they drove directly from one end to the other with a few on and off ramps that lead to the industrial areas. While those above were all residential and tourist traveling to and from their destinations. It kept the big trucks from the little cars and the congested traffic from jamming often.
The pillars holding up the Skyway provided those without homes a sense of natural walls. The chain link fences torn and pulled down by so many.
Yellow police tape stretched around two of the pillars. Trying to block the curious encampers from getting too close.

Kaden shook his head. “Dang it.” He grumbled staring at the weathered body laying in a heap on a cardboard floor. The flies already swarming around as the white medical teams scoured the person for evidence. The click and flash of cameras documenting the evidence.
“It’s the same MO.” Denny sauntered up to Kade. “No one heard anything. No one knew anything was amiss until the smell started to hit.”
Kaden groaned. “Yeah well, that smell is pretty hidden with the rest of the stenches. I am figuring that open pit right over there is the latrine for everyone?”
“Yeah.” Denny nodded, wrinkling his nose. “The bathrooms are there; they just empty into the pit.”
“Out houses Denny. Those are outhouses.” Kaden grumbled glancing at the row of wooden structures. “Yeah, that would camouflage the start of the decay.”
“He’s been gone about a week.” Renee spoke up, lifting her white covered head up. The clear visor fogging up as she talked. Her scowl wasn’t directed at them. “Most of the valuable inner organs are gone.”
Denny frowned. “We’re going to have to fight the clinics again to see if any of them seen this man recently.”
Kaden lifted his chocolate eyes to the lookie-loos. “Denny, start here. We’ve been fighting with those fraggin’ clinics for two years with each new case. Not one of them has helped.”
“Ya…” Denny glanced at the worried faces. “Yeah, let me see what I can do.”
As Denny wandered off. Renee glanced up. “Why are you shoving the poor rookie to the wolves?”
Kaden smirked. “Because the rookie is cute. Everyone talks to him. They don’t talk to me.”
Renee smirked. “That he is.” The scowl back on her fog covered face. “Keep your eyes on him. The wolves tend to eat the cute ones.”
“Yep.” Kaden agreed, watching Denny source the crowd.

Denny paused seeing a pregnant woman, dirty from the streets and in tattered clothing. He singled her out. “Hey, miss?”
Her large eyes terrified at the cop talking to her.
“Hey.. you need to see a doctor, right? Who do you go to?” Denny asked not even beating around the bush.
“I… I can’t say…” She shrank into her self, hands covering her belly.
“Look, I’m not looking to get you into trouble, but this is the 8th no fix address murder of the year. The way someone cut him, used a medical tool. None of the big clinics are talking. I’m getting worried these are all targeting certain people by knowing their medical history.” Denny tried hard not to beg, but that youthful whine slipped into his voice.
“Shit.” Someone cursed behind Denny. “We don’t go anywhere.”
Denny turned to talk to the weathered beaten old man. “I beg your pardon?”
“We don’t go anywhere; they come to us.” The old men grumbled. Glancing at the pregnant female, he nodded.
She vanished quickly into the crowd.
“Who comes to see you?” Denny glanced at the fleeing female. Letting her go.
“This church group comes around once a month. We all get excited when St. Mary’s come. They bring their own doctors. Set up things and sees us. Anyone who is in need is given a card to go see the clinic on the dead end street.” The old man explained.
Denny frowned. “The one tucked in on Birch street?”
“No.” The old man scratched the back of his neck. When he pulled his hand away, a wiggly louse trapped under his curled nailed.
Denny did everything he could not to jump back and scream as the louse was discarded on the ground casually. Keeping the professional mask in place.
“No.” the old man repeated. “Dead end, Ass? Road?”
“Asp.” Corrected another man, not hiding the disgust of lice. Crunching the louse on the ground under his heel. “Asp road clinic. It’s some sorta house.”
Denny frowned. “Can you show me?”
“No.” Both men snapped.
“Got it.” Denny sighed. “Just.. be careful.”
“If murder is the price to have health care, maybe it’s wroth is.” The older man with lice shrugged.
Denny frowned. “As long as your organs stay your own?”
The other man sucked in his breath. “Oh…” Glancing around. “Yeah.” The stiffening and flickering eyes made Denny decide he needed to hang around longer.
“Thank you for your time. I’ll be around for some hours.” He offered, heading back to Kaden.

“Told you, they talk to him.” Kade smirked as Denny rejoined them.
“Got a hook, going to hang around for a few hours.” Denny warned.
“I hate you.” Kaden deadpanned. Sighing heavily at the idea of standing around smelling the open pit of sewage.
Denny shrugged innocently.

As the gawkers slowly dispersed, that one man lingered. Finally slipping closer to the working trucks and cruisers.
Denny and Kaden headed to their cruiser, getting in as the man climbed willingly into the back. The group of them heading back to the station.
This might be the break they needed.
As long as they could keep their informant alive.

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