Dutton's nerves on edge, his awareness painfully heightened. He asked himself why the ruthless Karl Adler would strike in broad daylight somewhere as heavily utilized as the hospital's vaunted parking garage? Why Nurse Fairchild? What was the connection? Could Dorothina's slaughter have been prevented? Most importantly, how to stop the madman's insane rampage?

The newshounds had one fact straight. Dutton was well known as the virtuoso profiler of the department. Dutton knew his reputation was at stake and the citizenry that grew more weary daily yearned for this case to be closed. Pronto not soon enough.

A seasoned veteran, Dutton should have been used to the violent crime graphics of the Adler murders, but they did not settle well in the pit of his gut. For Dutton, they brought back way too many memories of another time, another life he once lived.

Not a paranormal happening, Dutton possessed a type of sixth sense. Upon entering a room, Dutton felt sensations he lacked previously. That, and his uncanny ability to sense presences even when alone, made him clairsentient.

Dutton could process raw information much better than anyone he ever encountered. His methods differed immensely from the law enforcement he spent his career with. Being a rogue, Dutton never ruffled. His methodology was diversified and different in his investigative processes.

The school of formalistic investigation is not where Dutton subscribed. Instead, Dutton was the polar opposite. He prided himself on the widest assortment of hunches and a vast variety of instincts. Exacting scientific police work followed those notions. Dutton also knew Adler's killing spree blazed while his pursuit up to this point was tepid.

The storm raged over the city. Something bothered Dutton. He wasn't quite sure what it was. He approached a battered Jeep. His arms and face covered in blood, a badly beaten young male laid on the pavement next to the Renegade.

Dutton wondered, "Had Adler turned his turmoil on children?"

The first thought that entered Dutton's mind was Adler's heart wasn't into striking out at young targets. That's why the boy still breathed air. Was the attack nothing more than a symbolic gesture, or was Adler in a hurry? Perhaps frightened? As those thoughts raced through Dutton's mind, he realized something was out of place about this attack.

Ballister joined him beside the vehicle. Dutton looked at his partner and stated, "This attack wasn't carried out by Adler."

"How can you be sure?" Ballister asked.

"Adler would have killed that teen like he did Fairchaild," Dutton responded.

"An accomplice?" Ballister wanted to know.

"That would explain a lot of unanswered questions about this case, Mark. Better call it in. This boy needs help," Dutton replied.