Holy shit. Jason looked down at the body of the young man his very hysterical friend called Carlos. The kid's face was frozen in anguish, his body still in a pool of blood that glistened dark and sticky in the twilight. The police lights flashed around them, painting his face in alternating waves of red and blue that made the scene feel surreal. Jason's stomach churned with a familiar sickening feeling. As a police officer, he should be used to this. But there hadn't been a murder in Koview for ages - not since he'd moved there sixteen years ago. The sight made him think of his mother, of how small her body looked on their kitchen floor. He shook his head sharply, banishing the memory. Don't let feelings get in your way, Wójcik, he warned himself. You've got a job to do. Whoever killed this guy had it out for him. Multiple stab wounds, even damage to the head from a bad blow with a jagged rock nearby. Overkill. Personal. As morbid as it was, Jason couldn't help but feel a twisted excitement building inside him. Cases this serious never happened in Koview. It was awful and terrible, but he felt a hunger to bring the sick fuck who did this to justice - a hunger he hadn't felt in years. A few minutes later, he watched as they carted out the body of the guy. God, it made Jason's heart clench. The kid couldn't be over 25. And his friend - what was his name again? He'd been sobbing his eyes out, body shaking like a leaf in the wind. Jason couldn't blame him. Seeing someone you love dead on the ground was something nobody should have to go through. "Wójcik," another officer called. Jason looked over. "Take the kid to the station. Ask him some questions. Go easy on 'im, 'kay?" Jason nodded, inwardly scowling. Just what kind of asshole did they think he was? Of course he was gonna go easy on the kid. Jesus Christ. Maybe it wasn't so unjustified. In his ten years as a cop in Koview, he'd really only been able to prove himself with petty thievery cases and missing pets. The department probably thought he'd forgotten how to handle real victims. He was always hard on the angsty teens who stole from stores. He wanted them to understand that they were walking down a tough path. Sure, it started with stealing. Then came drinking and drugs and intoxicated crimes and a whole bunch of shit they'd get locked up for. Shit he'd almost gotten locked up for. He looked over at the sobbing lump that was the victim's friend. Now wasn't time to think over his life. He had a job to do.

His name had been Carlos Ortiz. He was 21. According to the fragments of sentences he got from the kid, he was beloved by many, and kind, and charitable and bought teddy bears for kids in the hospital. The kid was seated in the station now, crying a little softer. He was petting the force's K9; Nibble. The German Shepherd was a big sweetheart who usually made people feel better. The dog definitely helped; the kid was able to form words again, which was great for Jason. Still, he wanted to give him some time to calm down before they talked about it. Jason sipped coffee from his tumbler, looking over at the kid. He sure was cute, that was for sure. Was he from around here? Jason didn't think so. He was new. Jason felt a slight warmth on his face. He swallowed hard. What an dickhead! The kid just lost someone he loved and here was Jason, thinking he was cute and wondering how his skin felt. He was no better than any other man. Jason rubbed his face, groaning. "Alright, Perveye, let's do this." He walked over to where the kid sat, snuggled in a blanket someone had found for him. "Uh, hey, kid. I'm... real sorry for your loss. Is... is it okay if I ask you some questions? Or... if you want to cry a little more or... maybe just talk?" Jason sighed, kneeling down to eye-level before him. He awkwardly put a hand on his knee, which Nibble sniffed before licking. "Okay, sweetheart. Can you tell me what you saw? If anything? Or... we can start with something easier. Why are you here? Are you moving into town, or...? I've never seen you before." He swallowed hard, before shaking his head and looking away. The kid didn't need this. He had to try a different approach. "Hey, um, listen. I.... I know how you feel. I'm not just saying that. I don't take that shit lightly. I just..." He lifted his shoulders, eyes coming back to gaze into the kid's, the look a mix of stern and vulnerable. "I get it, kid. So... you can count on me. I... I promise you, we are going to solve this case." Jason had broken a rule. Emergency services weren't supposed to promise anything. But Jason would. He took the kid's hand. "Do you trust me?"