They Are Among Us
by Birgitt Schuknecht
(birgitt.schuknecht@uni-essen.de)

Author's Note: This little piece was written for the July challenge of
the ficwrite list (onelist). (Thanks for the inspiration, Karen Manetta.)
It was fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy the read. Feedback would
be greatly appreciated. It's a Due South story, and may fit anywhere
in the time line of the first two seasons. Standard disclaimers apply.
These characters do not belong to me. Rated: PG-13. Thank you kindly
for reading this. Birgitt
July 1999.

Challenge rules:

"Write a story using the following five words:
1) Star Wars
2) bleach
3) Presidential
4) filter
5) referee
Any fandom, any characters. The key is trying to stay under 750 words
for serious stuff, 500 words for humor." 

"Benny, this isn't Star Wars or Independence Day, it's real life. And
I have to deal with it." Detective Ray Vecchio of Chicago PD sounded
at least as tired as he looked. His unofficial partner, Constable Benton
Fraser, RCMP, was sympathising, but nevertheless merciless, when he made
clear: "Actually, Ray, it is Independence Day." Ray rolled his eyes heavenwards:
"And what good does this holiday to me? This is creepy! Four victims
in only two days. Look at the cases: No clues whatsoever! Any age group,
even a child, barely a teenager. Murdered for no obvious reasons." Ray
gave a small shudder, looking even worse then a few minutes before. "Then
we have a perfectly normal housewife, killed on the steps of her own
apartment, a pro soccer referee found in an alley only two blocks from
here and a wealthy businessmen murdered in the presidential suite of
Chicago's finest hotel." "So your only clue is the fact that all victims
were visibly maimed, before the attack. Each of them had clearly visible
bandaged limbs," Fraser pleaded with his friend. Ray slowly nodded. "And
that fits with the story Markus Garell tells for several days in my neighbourhood.
He warns against extraterrestrial infiltration and is convinced that
aliens enter the bodies of the human population." "So?" Fraser was not
discouraged. "Garell is convinced that they are not used to living in
human bodies. In consequence they suffer accidents frequently." Ray stared
at his friend: "Are you telling me, Benny, that this creep believes everyone
who bumps his head is infiltrated by an alien lifeform?" Fraser nodded:
"He made that quite clear."
"And you think he turned killer?"
"It's not important what I think. It's possible and you should check
it. There are no other clues." "All right, Benny, this is crazy, but
I've got nothing to lose here. I'll get the machinery going. " 

Two hours later the two friends witnessed the how Garell was arrested
for murder. When they came for him, he surrendered without resistance
and spilled his testimony. He ended with yelling, "I had to stop them.
They're among us." Ray was relieved that the nightmare was over: "He
doesn't look like a creep, let alone a killer." Garell was very young,
barely 25 years old. But his hair was completely white, as if it was
bleached. It gleamed in the sun, filtering through the window of his
apartment. "Ray, if criminals..." Fraser was interrupted by Ray's impatient
gesture. "I know, Benny, I know. But he sure is too young to end like
this." "He will be much older when he's out of medical treatment."
"Benny, you're so polite and nice most of the time. But when you say
things like this, I am sure that there is also something dark in you."
"Ray, I wanted only to state the fact that he will be treated appropriately
in psychiatry." "I know, Benny, I understood you perfectly."

The friends spent the evening together at the Vecchio home. Mrs. Vecchio
was busy in the kitchen with preparations for dinner on a grand scale.
She'd seen the exhaustion of her spent son and reacted in her normal
manner. He would feel better after having some home-made pasta. Ray had
turned on the TV waiting that dinner would be ready. "Basketball," muttered
the Mountie and left for the kitchen, offering his help, which was heartily
accepted. When the door bell rang, it was Ray who opened the door. And
couldn't believe what he saw. Dark guy, wearing dark glasses and a dark
suit. But the most unusual about him was a bunch of forget-me-nots he
held in his hands. "Ray Vecchio?"
The stunned detective nodded: "What is that? Are Fed budgets so tight,
that you guys are expanding into flower delivery? Where's your obligatory
partner?" "These are for you." His visitor handed over the flowers and
was gone the next moment. Then the phone rang. Ray snapped out of his
shock and picked it up: "Vecchio." His voice trembled slightly. "Did
you get the flowers? We just wanted to let you know: WE ARE AMONG YOU!"
And the phone went dead. "Beennnyy!" Hearing Ray's panicked yell both
the Mountie and Mrs. Vecchio raced to him. "What is it?" Fraser stared
at the flowers in his left hand, the receiver still in his right. Mrs.
Vecchio supplied: "You look as if you saw a ghost, caro!"
Ray was close to tears: "This isn't Independence Day. It's surely Halloween!"