“I thought you’d need more time and process for this kind of thing.” Sitch asked, while on a bus sitting beside Marcus, wearing a colorful hat with decorative feathers and a pair of sungsses with a bright blue frame, while cheg the bandages on his hands.

  “There usually is more protocol to follow. But believe it or nht now yours is a less prioritized case.” Marcus shrugged: “And - when are you going to start talking? And why the docks?”

  “It’s not any docks, it’s the doud River.” Sitch poked the back of his left hand with his right index finger and gasped in pain: “You know what’s been going on there?”

  “Some low level trolled substaraffig activities, traffig of trolled aricted vegetation, seeds and livestocks.” Marodded and answered: “Also the occasional shipping of dirty money. Yeah, we know quite a lot about it.”

  “That’s not all of it.” Sitch shook his head: “That has been going on forever, everybody knows it’s going on. And the unity collective know about it. Hell, many of the cil members have their hands in it. But retly something new has started - something more - well - more malicious, as it seems.”

  “Okay, more malicious how? Are you saying they have been using the ships to traffiatched kids? How did that get past anyone? And why ’t you tell me that at the prect?”

  “They have people on the inside, and I mean both the collective and the police.” Sitch sighed: “At least, that’s what I’ve been told - and that’s how I know you are not one of them. If you were, you’d let me go by now, or, you’d have killed me on the spot instead of arresting me and bringing me in.”

  “Okay - what happeo you ierrogation room?” Marcus thought for a short moment, then asked: “Did they pething on you? To make sure you won’t be alive to talk in case you get apprehended?”

  “No, they did not put anything ohey took my hair and some of my blood, to locate me when needed.” Sitch shivered as if he was just blown in the face by a gust of cold wind: “And it was with these they were able to unleash that - that thing on me.”

  “What thing?” Marcus frowed: “Are you talking about - some kind of spirit?”

  “So you know? You know? You saw it?” Sitch looked to Marcus as if he just turned into a knight in shiny armor, his haeowards Marcus, trying to hold his arm but immediately retreated as he was met with Marcus’ warning looks: “Of course you know - how would you know how to get rid of them if you don’t - ”

  “That was my guess. And no, I don’t have any idea what it is.” Marcus shook his head: “Kevin would be the one who knows. And I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t see anything. So why don’t you expin to me?”

  “You don’t know? You couldn’t see it? Then how could you - ” Sitch seemed utterly surprised, but then he shook his head: “Nevermind - the thing is, they promised me that if we ever get in trouble like this, they’ll get us out. And - and we’re actually doing something for the greater good, if you could uand? ”

  “Greater good?”

  “Yes!” Sitch scratched his head then looked up: “Haven’t you noticed? Haven’t you heard? Terrible things started happening all around the city - horrible, unspeakable things - and it’s only due to a curse that lies deep under, beh us all. The only way to calm it, is to offer sacrifice - young blood, fresh flesh, as the ultimate sacrifice. I know that anything good I say about myself would mean nothing to yht now, but believe this - I will be the final body on the pile.”

  Marcus stared into Sitch’s eyes, and after a long moment of silence, he asked: “Then why did you talk to us?”

  “It’s because - they just tried to kill me, with that - that spirit, that monster.” Sitch shivered once again and answered with a trembling voice: “That thing - I’ve seen it kill, the poor man shriveled and dried up, like a defted bag. I - I could still hear his screaming and g - and all the begging for a quid …”

  “That’s okay. ” Seeing that Sitch started choking up and was barely able to speak, Marcus interrupted him: “I get it. What more you tell me about this ‘curse’?”

  “I - I actually don’t know too much about it. ” Sitch wiped the tears from the ers of his eyes with his right forearm: “But I have seen it - well, at least from a dista’s - it’s in the Mud River, all those g, cursing souls. Anyway, the curse has somehow bee active, and it started ing i people. And they told me, if I want to help prevent the ey from falling into suffering and horror, I would have to help them find the sacrifices. ”

  “Who are ‘they’ ?” Even having heard this reasoning a few times, Marcus still had to fight the urge to punch Sit the face or rip his throat out: “Do you have names? Or do you know how to identify them?”

  “I - I do - don’t have any names.” Sitch stuttered, sensing the anger from Marcus: “Which - which is why I am taking you to see for yourself. They have a meeting at the docks tonight - and I take you there, maybe you identify some of them, or remember what they look like…”

  “You are a native to the South-Eastern District right?” Marcus asked: “ you tell if any of them are from the district as well?”

  “Ye - yes.” Sitch immediately nodded: “Around half of them are, but there are also some from the other two districts - you’d be surprised, there are people from the whole city involved in the whole thing. And - and, I ask you ohing? Just one small favor?”

  “Shoot.”

  “When you deal with them, and when you have gotten them under trol, I have my hair and my blood back? I know this is a long shot, but - ” Sitch tried to sound rexed and nont, but his arms were still trembling: “One of them should have it, the leader of roup, a guy who likes wearing a mask.”

  “I’ll see what I do.” Marcus sighed and heopped talking and sank into his own thoughts.

  In front of Marcus, sat a father and his son. The young boy seemed barely eleven or twelve, and was reading a thick paperback picture book, even pared to the size of Marcus’ hands. Thus, the boy’s father had one hand on the back of the book to help him hold it in pce.

  “Legend of the Burnt Queen and the One-armed Knight”, a fable, a fairytale and a heart-warming love story only told across the whole Poison City. Marcus once had a book of simir size, if not thicker and bigger. But it was lost somewhere at the ter of Lake Aqiu, almost 15 years ago.

  “You like that story? Or do you just like the book?” Sitch asked Marcus, since he noticed that Marcus’ sight lingered on the well printed cssic-looking cover for quite a while.

  “Nothing, none of your business.” Marcus shook his head.

  “’t I just be a bit curious?” Sitch shrugged: “You know, for a cop in the South-Western District, you seem quite familiar with ours. Maybe even too familiar.”

  “Mind your own business. You’d better think about how yonhe DA when we’re back. ” Marcus scoffed: “Just because your case will be handled by us, doesn’t mean yon an easy charge aence. You just won’t end up hanging by the street.”

  “Ohing at a time.” Sitch sighed and looked up, his eyes peeking through the top of his sungsses: “Now, I’m just more worried about being alive… And - listen, whatever you have with you, whether you inteo save me or not, I must still thank you.”

  “Okay, that reminds me.” Marodded with a frown on his head: “Tell me more, about this - this ‘evil spirit’ that attacked you.”