Slash

“Officer Dinah Hardwicke Shift Report: Tuesday, Nov 15, 1988 At 6:47 PM, responded to vehicle/pedestrian accident at Adams and Menlo. Pedestrian identified as [juvenile, name withheld]. Her injuries were minor and she was treated by paramedics on scene. When I asked what she was doing so far from home, wandering in traffic, she replied that she had been “following the music” and appeared neither scared nor in particular pain, but largely irate that the car had interrupted her. I spoke to [juvenile]’s guardian, her grandmother, and suggested she consider psychiatric treatment for the girl. Recommend follow-up from CPS to confirm.”

“Officer Carlton Glover Shift Report: Thursday, Apr 21, 1994 Answered call at 9:17 PM for an incident at Good Samaritan psych ward. Orderlies had largely regained control prior to my arrival. According to their statements, [juvenile], a teenage schizophrenic and frequent patient, attacked two nurses. During the assault, witnesses claim the girl screamed about carving “the spiders” out of the victims before they could do harm. Victims’ injuries are serious but not life-threatening, and no charges are being filed at this time. [Juvenile] is being held involuntarily for further psychiatric evaluation.”

“Officer Carlton Glover Shift Report: Saturday, Jan 20, 1996 Responded to disturbance at Inkremental Tattoo at 4:30 PM. Found Armand Saez, proprietor, in near-fugue state, carving jagged lines into his skin with used tattoo needle. Called paramedics, attempted to restrain Saez from further self-harm until their arrival. Eventually coaxed Saez into telling me that a teenage girl had come in for tattoos of various “spider-like” patterns, but that once she had departed, he found himself unable to stop repeating the markings. Could not identify girl except to say that she’d insisted he play Swan Lake on stereo while working.”

“Officer Carlton Glover Shift Report: Wednesday, Feb 14, 1996 Reviewed security footage from yesterday’s Speedy Shop convenience store homicide for Det. Chen’s investigation. Discovered that homicide suspect actually fled empty handed after shooting cashier. Theft of money from register was apparent crime of opportunity, committed by young woman on rollerblades after original perpetrator departed. Video too unclear to be sure, but tattoo pattern on secondary suspect’s arm could match “spider-like” tattoos as described in my Jan 20 report. Young woman also appears familiar to me personally. Will check past reports in hopes of identifying her.”

“Detective Dinah Hardwicke Ongoing investigation, case #24995: Saturday, Feb 24, 1996 Have identified sufficient samples of his illegal/experimental cybernetics work to confirm Dr. Ruslan Mamonov has indeed set up shop here since USSR collapse. Tracked Subject One (patient of Mamonov’s, name unknown) to a known junkies’ alley. [Location withheld to protect multiple informants.] Subject One was not present, but I recognized one of the users as [juvenile]; see report dated Nov 15 1988. Answers now to street name “Slash.” Told me she didn’t recognize Subject One, but appeared deeply fascinated by my description of him.”

“Detective Dinah Hardwicke Ongoing investigation, case #24995: Tuesday, Mar 5, 1996 Learned that Subject One answers to street name “Anarki.” Real name unknown. Tracking his recent movements, located underground clinic; observed for 24 hours, then raided. Neither Anarki nor Mamonov present, but located several associated surgeons (see attached) and [juvenile], a.k.a. “Slash.” She told me I led her here; apparently she’s regularly been clinging to my bumper on her rollerblades since we spoke about Anarki. Surgeon abruptly became very agitated, claimed to hear music when operating on “Slash.” By the time surgeon was subdued, “Slash” had slipped away from accompanying officers.”

“Detective Dinah Hardwicke Ongoing investigation, case #24995: Thursday, Mar 7, 1996 Regretfully must report I lost a suspect today. Locating “Slash” wasn’t difficult, nor was the initial arrest, as she was high at the time. After being placed in the car, she began a sing-song recitation about music disturbing the webs, which become spider legs, which become veins. It was at that moment I felt something crawling under my collar. I’m afraid I briefly panicked, and when I’d finally determined there was nothing on me, she had somehow escaped both her cuffs and the car. I will find her again.”

“Detective Dinah Hardwicke Ongoing investigation, case #24995: Monday, Mar 11, 1996 Have eyes on “Anarki” and “Slash” both. I knew they’d return to the alley for their fix eventually. One or both of them will lead me to Mamonov. Apparently her little mind games are still eating at me; I could swear I’ve spotted tiny shapes moving in the shadows of the alley around them. Imagining things? Smudges on the lenses? Doesn’t matter. Two can play at psychological warfare. I’ve gone over her files, and I’ll be collecting something from her grandmother’s house that just might slow her down some.”

“Officer Carlton Glover Shift Report: Thursday, Mar 14, 1996 Finally located Det. Hardwicke, missing for three days. Hardwicke was found aimlessly wandering near Adams and Menlo, blindly jabbing an empty needle into her arm. Needle contained traces of heroin. On scene, she repeated over and over that she watched two people vanish; that they covered themselves in “dancing spiders,” and were gone when the spiders scattered. She interrupted her repetition only once, to order me to “Tell grandmother someone stole her music box.” (Det. Hardwicke’s grandmothers are both long deceased.) We’ve left Hardwicke at Good Samaritan for psychiatric evaluation.”