3: Carmen

T H E  R E E L I N G  O F  vehicle tires awoke the young dark haired girl who had fallen asleep with her head leaning towards the glass of a window.

Her right temple softly thudded against the glass before she pulled back and opened her eyes to see a black Ferrari drift by along the road.

Turning away from the window, the girl looked over to her left where an old woman was sleeping, her head tilted back.

She was on a bus.

Her mind was in the middle of trying to make out whether she had just been dreaming about an event that had happened at school where she and her friends had been celebrating a graduation party.

Almost instantly, a new thought quickly took over, which was very characteristic of her thanks to her unique high sense of perception.

Where exactly am I going?

She did not wait long for the answer when the bus came to a stop.

Looking through the window, the girl was quick to notice the tall white building with golden pillars standing magnificently just a few feet away from the kerb as a police car drove towards the parking lot—the Atlanta Police Department precinct.

The girl stared at the building for a while when she heard someone speak ahead in the bus.

"Umm. . .ma'am?"

It was the bus driver and Carmen Vega was a little surprised when she realized he was speaking directly to her.

Ma'am? What? When did I even. . .?

"Are you getting off or not?" the driver said lazily and Carmen frowned a little.

She ended up alighting and watched the bus wheel away, leaving her standing in front of the Atlanta Police Department building.

Carmen was still trying to make out what she was doing there in the first place when she heard someone call out.

"Look who finally decided to show up," came a fairly tall African American, clad in a black suit.

"Oh hi. . .Brian," Carmen responded indifferently, noticing something peculiar about the detective's appearance while she approached him.

What did you do to your hair?

Brian Pierce had a police badge attached to his belt and was going on his second year as a detective after getting promoted from a beat cop back in 2028 for helping take down one of Atlanta's most wanted criminals.

"I thought there weren't any internship classes during the Summer," said Carmen, grinning at Brian.

"OK. . .OK," Brian began, a serious expression masking his face, "things may have gone to shit but that doesn't mean you can be cracking up jokes just when you feel like it, Detective Vega!"

Carmen's bright face dimmed a little and her wide green eyes simmered down to their normal size.

"Geez, Brian, since when are you so-" Carmen's voice trailed off before adding, "wait a minute. Did you just call me. . . detective?"

Brian clenched his jaw muscles and crossed his arms, slightly shaking his head that was topped with close cut hair-military style.

Carmen gasped when she looked at herself, noticing for the first time what she was wearing: a dark blue coat and pants and a cream blouse.

What in the world. . .?

She then felt a thin piece of soft thread hanging loosely around her neck and down to the police badge dangling over her torso and that was the least of it. She felt taller and appeared to have aged an additional ten years, which put her around twenty-seven.

"No wonder he called me 'ma'am'," she muttered to herself, still in shock.

"Is everything alright, detective?" asked Brian in a firm voice.

"I. . ." Carmen stopped, her quick thinking kicking in as she rethought her answer, "would you mind reminding me what date it is today?"

"July the twenty-second, year twenty-thirty," was Brian's confused response.

Carmen gasped again.

Impossible!

Friday July 15, 2030 is graduation day! What the hell am I doing here playing dress-up as a cop?

"Hey Cap, I think we got something!" an officer called from the entrance to the precinct.

And yet another gasp found its way from Carmen's mouth.

Brian is now Captain? But it's been barely two years since he got promoted to—

"Detective!" 

Carmen jumped a little when she realized that Brian had been calling out to her.

"Are you coming?"

Carmen did not have much of a choice but to reluctantly oblige.

How is this even happening?

Once inside the precinct, everyone was moving about their business as it was always the case, making calls and bringing in perps but this time it was a little different for the detective that surprisingly nobody noticed anything off about her.

Carmen even went on to check herself on the mirrored door of what she found out was her office.

And there she was, the new adult version of the  dark haired daughter of the Vega family with green eyes looking back at her.

OK. . .this is a dream! It has to be!

Well, all the pinching on her arm seem to disapprove with her.

Captain Brian Pierce was then briefing everyone on a case that seemed to be disturbing as Carmen studied the gloomy expressions on the other officers' faces.

She heard him talk about a criminal they all referred to as the Headshot Killer.

The Headshot Killer was a serial killer that had been taunting the city of Atlanta for weeks now and the precinct was nowhere near to catching him.

"Why do you call him that?" Carmen asked Brian who again was still trying to figure out what she was playing at.

Carmen being a detective had to know of course but her teenage self who had just got off a bus without any recollection of how she got there had no idea of what was going on whatsoever.

The Headshot Killer was unlike any other serial killer, his M.O being quite unclear as he had no specific pattern, no clear motive as to why he killed the people he killed.

The only lead the APD had was that he had a calling card-a signature mark. 

All of his victims would be found with a bullet or a bullet hole to the forehead, ergo the name Headshot.

"W-What about Susan?" Carmen pressed.

Brian had had enough of that and brushed Carmen away, urging her to get back to work.

Carmen then spotted a portrait of a man set high up in one section of the department and her jaw dropped.

It was a picture of Peter Andrews-the mayor of Atlanta but the portrait then seemed to say otherwise as Carmen read what was written under it.

'Died a Hero'

Mayor Andrews is dead!

She quickly learned that the mayor had been killed by the Headshot Killer, having sacrificed himself to save none other than Susan Claire who apparently was not the Captain anymore but rather the Chief of Police.

Seriously, what the hell is going on?

Susan had not been spotted ever since, having gone down a vengeful path to hunt down the serial killer herself. 

"Detective, if you're not going to help out I suggest you leave-" Brian was saying haughtily to Carmen when an alarm began blaring from inside the precinct.

"Bomb! There's a bomb!"

Brian turned from Carmen, quickly springing into action.

"Everybody move out!" he called.

Carmen moved her head left and right, trying to locate where the bomb was.

"It's the Headshot Killer!" came another voice.

"He's here!"

It was already too late to do anything when Carmen felt a sudden deafening blast come from within the precinct and an enormous cloud of fire erupted, unleashing a shockwave so great that the windows shattered.

Carmen was thrown into the air and watched it all happen so fast.

The fire blanketed the entire precinct, swallowing Brian and the rest of the officers with it until it got to her.

She barely had time to even scream as the flames ate away at her skin. . .

She gasped, abruptly opening her eyes.

There was no bomb. No fire and no serial killer, except for an old woman snoring in a seat next to her.

The sound of a speeding Ferrari made her look out the window.

Carmen was back on the bus.

Moments later, the bus came to a stop.

"Umm. . .ma'am?" came the voice from the bus driver to her.

Did he just refer to me as 'ma'am'?

Carmen then instinctively looked down at her clothes.

Dark blue coat and pants, cream blouse and-

A police badge!

"Are you getting off or not?" the bus driver pressed and she quickly turned to spot the precinct off the road.

Seconds later, a confused Carmen Vega was running towards the fairly tall dark man who had his arms crossed.

"Look who finally decided to show up," the man spoke, his voice firm.

The police badge had sent memories rushing back into Carmen's mind but it was still a little foggy except for one thing.

"We're all in danger!" she blurted out.

"Yes, from a serial killer," added Brian, shaking his head. "How good of you to state the obvious."

Another stroke of a memory flashed across her mind.

Serial killer. . .

Then it all returned at once.

Serial killer. . .Headshot Killer. . .the-

"Bomb! There's a bomb!"

Brian looked at her incredulously.

"What?"

"In the precinct-"

Carmen was cut short when someone yelled out.

"Hey Cap, I think we got something!" an officer called from the entrance to the precinct.

"No!"

Brian didn't hear her as he turned and left.

Carmen ran after him, completely sure she herself had lost her damn mind.

But she had seen it. The explosion, the fire!

Brian was busy briefing everyone just as Carmen passed the portrait of the mayor with the inscription below reading:

Died a Hero

She rushed towards Brian, interrupting his briefing.

"We're not safe!" she whispered to him.

"Detective, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Please, just listen to me!"

She never got to the explaining part when somebody began to yell. 

"Bomb! There's a bomb!"

Carmen froze and Brian read her face, realizing she had been on to something just as an alert of visuals of the Headshot Killer followed.

There was a deafening blast from within the precinct and Carmen watched in horror the enormous fire roast her after she was thrown back by an intense shockwave. . .

"Ow!" she exclaimed after hitting her right temple against the bus window.

Her eyes had flung open in shock and she watched a black Ferrari speed past the bus.

No! Not again!

Carmen turned to the old woman snoring next to her then to the other passengers until she heard someone call out.

"Umm. . .ma'am?"

For the love of God! I'm only eighteen!

Feeling her torso, Carmen found the police badge dangling there, confirming her recurring nightmare.

"Are you get-"

She did not wait for the bus driver to finish as she shot off from her seat and alighted the bus, quickly rushing over to the precinct.

Brian was busy talking to someone when he felt somebody nudge him from behind before turning to find the dark haired detective standing there.

"Look who-"

"Decided to show up!" Carmen cut in and finished the statement she was hearing for the third time, "I know, I know. Listen, there's something I need to tell you."

"Could you give us a moment?" Brian said to the man, an officer he had been talking to.

Carmen watched the officer leave towards the precinct building.

"What is it, detective?" asked Brian, crossing his arms.

"Look, I know this is going to sound nuts but there's a bomb inside the precinct."

Brian sighed.

"And do you mind my asking how you know that?"

"I. . ." Carmen's voice trailed off.

She realized that she hadn't worked this out.

"I. . .I had a dream. . .about it," was what came out of Carmen's mouth, instantly regretting it.

You idiot! There's no way he's gonna believe that!

He did not.

"Cap, I think we got something!" the officer Carmen had seen speaking with Brian called out.

"Are you alright, detective?" asked a stone faced Brian whose response to the officer's call seemed to be in connection with something they had been talking about.

"You have to believe me!" Carmen desperately pressed on, "first I get off from this bus and then you talk about the Headshot Killer and I see Mayor Andrews' portrait. . ."

"I don't have time for this, " came Brian, stopping Carmen, "we have to get back to work."

"But. . .wait!" Carmen grabbed onto Brian's arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Please, listen! I. . ."

Carmen then stopped, turning to the precinct.

She had been talking to Brian for a while now and the bomb would have already gone off by then.

"What is up with you, today?"

Carmen slightly shook her head.

Why didn't it. . .?

Her thoughts trailed off when she heard the sound of a blast go off.

The bomb?

Nope, it was the sound of a gunshot, followed by half of Brian's left side of the head being blown off, sending blood splattering all over Carmen's face.

She let out a gasp. Brian dropped dead to the ground and that's when she saw him.

Standing further away from the precinct, shielded by a light pole, Carmen saw him step out, one arm outstretched and holding a gun.

The Headshot Killer!

Carmen watched him pull the trigger a second time, sending a bullet cutting through the air and getting her right on the forehead, splintering her skull as it plunged through to her brain. . .

"Huh!" she gasped, hitting her head against the bus window. . .again.

Carmen quickly felt her forehead when a black Ferrari sped past.

No blood.

She sunk back into her seat, realizing what had just happened. . .or hadn't happened?

The bomb didn't go off but the killer got Brian and. . .

"Umm. . .ma'am?"

She didn't even react to the bus driver's fowl annotation as she quickly got out of her seat and jumped off the bus.

She had just gotten to the kerb when she stopped and took a long look at Brian then at the precinct then at Brian again.

A bomb, a police captain and a serial killer.

Her detective skills were beginning to take helm although she wasn't sure whether they were derived from her as an intern or her as an actual detective.

The bomb went off the first time when Brian was 'inside' the precinct and so did the second time but the third time, he wasn't inside the precinct. . .

Carmen suddenly broke into a run, advancing toward the precinct when an idea sprung up.

"Alright, everyone," she called out once she was inside, "I want eyes about a five meter radius all around the entire precinct."

"What?" came an officer. "Why?"

"There's been report of a Headshot Killer sighting in the area and we need to stay sharp!"

The entire precinct immediately sprung into action at the mention of the name.

"Nobody gets in or out of the precinct!"

Carmen ordered and Brian together with an officer were forced to stay locked outside.

Carmen then moved to the monitors, her eyes scanning for any movement, particularly the far end of the precinct where a light pole stood erect.

A few cars reeling by. . .a woman with a child. . .a taxi.

The camera feed displayed a timer showing eleven minutes had elapsed and yet no sign of a man wielding a gun.

Giving up, Carmen went on to let a not so pleased Brian inside.

"Care to explain yourself, detective?"

Well, she never got the chance to do so when someone started shouting.

"Bomb! There's a bomb!"

Oh, come on!

In that fleeting moment, Carmen quickly turned to the source of the shouting and was surprised to find nobody looking at anything that might be a bomb or even the person who was mouthing those words.

The bomb went off and just like before, Carmen was hurled back, her body getting engulfed by the flames. . .

She opened her eyes and exhaled deeply when she heard the sound of a speeding vehicle move past.

Back on the bus.

Carmen had tried yet another tactic by rushing over to Brian, starting by simply saying, "The Headshot Killer is after you!"

She had then dragged him all the way to the precinct, waited until the invisible shouts of a bomb rang out and in that moment, she had grabbed Brian and ran out of the precinct with him.

The building went up in flames just as Carmen had anticipated, clearly confirming that Brian was indeed the target.

I did it! 

"Oh my God!” exclaimed a petrified Brian Pierce, "how did you know?"

"I. . ." Carmen faltered, suddenly realizing what was happening. . .again.

Just like when she had failed to explain to Brian how she had known about-

A shot rang out and Carmen was then looking at the torn off side of Brian's face where the force of the bullet had hit him.

Shit!

Another shot rang out.

Carmen was hit by a bullet on the forehead. . .

Back on the bus!

This went on for the forth, fifth and sixth time, with all of them ending up with Carmen having a bullet hole on her forehead.

Her eyes flew open after she had been shot for the seventh time and found herself on the bus.

A black Ferrari sped past and she took some time to watch it disappear ahead of the bus.

She had had enough of this and that was when she got yet another idea.

"Umm. . .ma'am?" the bus driver called.

This time however, instead of getting off the bus, Carmen decided to stay, signaling the driver to move on.

She watched the precinct disappear behind her.

Maybe this is it? I just don't need to be at the precinct today! I'll call in sick. . .

Her thoughts were cut short when the bus began to frantically swerve on the road after apparently coming into collision with a black Ferrari that was circling back and had driven too late into the other lane of the two-way, bashing into the side of the bus.

Carmen felt herself get tossed around like groceries in a bag along with the other passengers.

The old woman was no longer asleep and was screaming into her ears.

Carmen hit the bus window hard with her cheek and the glass broke, shattering against her and ripping her face apart. . .

ARE—YOU—KIDDING—ME?!

Carmen opened her eyes and frowned when she spotted the black Ferrari speed past the bus she was in.

There was yet another scenario when she had even tried to use her badge to have the bus turned around.

This only set in motion her next downfall as the bus turning became the cause of an accident, causing it to collide with the Ferrari!

Damn that fucking Ferrari!

Carmen died of course. . .

She let her eyes remain closed this time, having already lost count of the number of times she had died!

She heard the sound of the speeding Ferrari and listened until she could not hear it anymore.

The only other sound apart from the moving bus that she could hear was that of the old woman snoring next to her.

Opening her eyes, Carmen turned to look at her. She observed her ashen features, her tiny wrinkled up face with her eyes closed tightly shut.

So innocent and fragile. She thought.

She's been here through all the hell I've been in without the slightest clue. . .

And that's when it finally hit her like a slap in the face.

She's been here through all of this. . .noticing completely nothing out of the ordinary just like-

Carmen turned away from the woman just as the bus driver was turning to her direction.

"Hey, watch it!" she snapped at him, cutting him off when he was about to refer to her as 'ma'am' for the millionth time.

With that, Carmen got up from her seat and got off the bus.

She didn't even mind stopping over where Brian was but instead marched right into the precinct.

Brian will end up in the death chamber as always—the precinct, which was where she was certain she would find the answer to ending this hellish nightmare.

Once inside, Carmen rushed over to the camera monitors. There was an officer seated there.

"How many cameras are monitored here?" she asked the officer.

"All of 'em?"

"No, I mean, what areas are covered by these cameras?"

"Oh, well there's the four main points; the East, West, North and South Wing and as you can see, they monitor the exterior angles of the precinct and then there's double cameras for the ground floor all the way to the third and top most floor of the building."

"That's all?"

"Umm. . .yeah," said the officer incredulously, wondering exactly what the detective was playing at, "the only area uncovered is the storage unit down in the basement, fifteen meters below the ground floor. . ."

The moment he had said that, Carmen broke into a run, moving quickly to the back end of the ground floor where she found the door that led to the basement.

Her heart was beating fast as she descended the stairs until she was standing in a dimly lit room, with large boxes stacked in columns.

She was moving through one column when she heard a certain disturbance, emanating further in the darkness.

"APD, stay right where you are!" Carmen ordered, a bit surprised by the authority in her voice.

The disturbance stopped.

Carmen had fished out her Glock which she had realized only later in her 'past lives' that she had had with her.

She aimed into the dark, slowly advancing forward through the boxes.

Another disturbance filled the room just before something hit the ground a foot ahead of her.

Carmen squinted in the dim light and was able to make out what it was. A disc driver with LED lights flickering as if there was a disc inside.

Crouching, Carmen tapped on a button labelled 'PLAY' next to another label 'BLUETOOTH'.

She listened.

Bomb! There's a bomb!

No way! Carmen gasped, realizing what this was.

No wonder she was never able to tell who was shouting those words because there was nobody shouting them.

It had been a playback transmitted to the precinct wirelessly via Bluetooth.

As if congratulating her of her discovery, Carmen had a repetitive rapping sound of hands clapping. . .from behind.

Her body froze.

"Well, well," came a strong and fluid feminine voice, drowned in the darkness of the poorly lit basement. "You finally found me. Took you long enough."

The voice sounded vaguely familiar and Carmen felt the urge to turn around.

"How did you know I was down here?" the voice pondered.

"You were hiding in the one place no one would have thought to look. In plain sight. The basement with no camera right under the nose of the APD and none of them would ever suspect or see you coming," Carmen responded with confidence, recalling how the old woman on the bus had given her that idea.

So innocent and fragile, with no idea of what hell I was going through. . .

Look at that! Who would have thought she would be the key to all of this?

"Bravo, Carmen," the voice in the dark added, all the while increasing an air of familiarity. " There's still one last piece of the puzzle left."

Unmasking the Headshot Killer.

Carmen finally turned around and there she was, her face glowing under the dim light and allowing Carmen to see her face.

The Headshot Killer had been a woman and not the opposite as the APD had thought.

Carmen stared into her face, watching it form a slight yet wicked grin.

The short dark hair and perfect authoritative face with a hint of badass exuded by those dark eyes.

"S-Susan?" Carmen gasped.

Seriously, what kind of fucked up life is this?

The Headshot Killer nodded in response.

"Y-you killed Mayor Andrews!"

"He got in the way," Susan Claire hissed.

"And now you were going after B. . ." Carmen's words trailed off, realizing why she was even here to begin with.

Brian had never been the intended target —she was.

"Any last words?" Susan whispered.

"Huh. . ." Carmen gasped and without thinking, she added aloud, “You were the one driving the Ferrari, weren't you?”

She had lowered her Glock as the Headshot Killer raised her own gun at her, merely grinning in response and pointed directly at her forehead, ready to emblazon her with her signature mark.

Shutting her eyes, Carmen felt the blast after the trigger had been pulled and was waiting for the bullet to hit her, resetting everything so that she was back on the bus.

That was not what happened, however, as the moment the bullet had left the nozzle, Carmen had felt something grab onto her torso like hands, pulling her back.

Startled, she had opened her eyes but the only thing she had seen from that point forward was a bright red light that flashed before her then everything went dark. . .