For the first time in years, a sense of euphoria pervaded through every street corner on the island of Ireland; a black fog had finally lifted from the people’s hearts.  A parade of celebration passed through O’Connell Street to a huge cheering crowd.  Laura had become something of a female icon for her role in capturing The Irish Ripper as was later definitively confirmed, right up there beside Katie Taylor and it was only a matter of time before a major promotion.  Some questioned how it all happened but these voices had been lost in the chorus of affection. 

The Irish Ripper was now behind bars in solitary confinement.  The doctors had battled for hours to save his life to the dismay of many who would have preferred for him to die in agony.  But that was their job and they did it well.  There was enough evidence to lock him away for the rest of his days in any event. 

Sean preferred to stay in the shadows and the public rarely heard mention of his name.  Everybody, in the force, knew though that he played a pivotal role in what had occurred and his reputation had soared still higher.  It left him with a great sense of satisfaction.   

The terror of that night had also rid him of any lingering doubt that Laura was the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  He could no longer imagine a life without her and the recent events had drawn them still closer. 

He was waiting there on the floor holding the ring outstretched in the kitchen one evening after she got home from work.  She gasped in astonishment; then tears rolled down her eyes. 

“This is the closest I could get to being on the bended knee!” he said anxiously. 

“Oh yes!” she replied passionately before gripping him in a tight embrace. 

It seemed that he now had everything he could ever want.  But life was quiet now, there were no night terrors but also there was no buzz or intrigue.  The Ripper or rather the hunt for The Ripper had become such an integral part of his life that he now felt somewhat lost without it and had to readjust to ordinary life once again.  But he was still relieved the killings had come to a halt. 

Gensearch X had received the positive publicity it craved at the beginning but then there was something of a backlash, especially outside of Ireland which hadn’t experienced the fear.  The power of genetic technology was now all too evident for some.  Sure, it had been put to positive use on this occasion but there was nothing to stop private enterprise putting it to nefarious use in the future or so many people thought.  There were huge privacy issues and people questioned how much power the state should have.  A wall of new regulations was erected, dramatically reducing the method’s future effectiveness.  

Sean logged off his computer, he had an appointment with the Superintendent in five minutes that he had been told that it would be best not to miss.  As he pushed his wheelchair towards the meeting room, he wondered what lay ahead, at least he didn’t have time to ponder too much. 

As he drew closer, he could hear the sound of chatting and laughter in the distance.  A few Gardai were waiting outside the door and told him to go in, that everyone was in there waiting for him and they were, even Laura and Jim from England.  A large round of applause broke out as he entered the room as everybody turned to face him.  Then Jim, dressed in an immaculate suit approached giving a firm handshake and whispered into his ear that it was good to see that his Irish friend was as loved at home, as he was abroad. 

The Superintendent then took center stage. 

“We are here today to honor the great work done by Detective Sean O’Callaghan in the pursuit of The Ripper.  Without him, justice may never have been served.  It is my pleasure to award him the highest medal that An Garda Siochana can award – The Scott Medal for bravery.  It’s something that he richly deserves. 

I know that many people here thought Sean O’Callaghan was finished after his accident.  But that day I visited him in the hospital I could see a determination and steel to thrive, and by God he has. 

But I also have another announcement, I have nominated Sean to work with an elite international group that will have component parts from different police forces around the world, including Scotland Yard and the FBI that will offer support in the hunt of these kinds of killers around the world. 

Will you accept the position, Sean?” 

Sean smiled and nodded that he would, this was exactly the kind of thing he wanted to be involved in, even if he hadn’t realized it right till that moment; the thrill of the chase without putting himself in jeopardy.  Laura frowned, although he didn’t notice.  With that, the Superintendent walked towards Sean and put the medal on his neck as rapturous applause once more broke out.  

Sean was still to stay in his old office, something that he was thankful for as he could continue with his normal daily routine without adjustments.  A week later, he had been officially assigned his first communication.  The subject line was immediately worrisome – 

The Happyface Killings (Worldwide). 

Even Sean was shocked by what he read next.  A group on the dark web was organizing murders.  Members were to put a happy face close to the scene so that they could be tallied.  It is thought that they were responsible for over thirty murders to date and we were to review homicides in our jurisdiction to see if any of them could be linked to the phenomenon… 

/ 

It’s been the worst of days but I hope it will become the best of days.  Imagine my shock at turning on my television to see my own reflection staring back at me.  There was a time when I felt that this day was inevitable but I had been so careful and it had become so damn easy. 

There is nobody to blame but myself.  Somewhere I must have slipped up but I cannot fathom where.  One of the reports mentioned something about a new DNA technique but I don’t understand how they could link anything to my name and photo.  There was no time to ponder in any event, only to flee.  I have no doubt that the horrid old woman across the road will report my location to the authorities at once; she never liked me anyway.  Pity I didn’t have time to slit her throat before I left, that would have been fun. 

At least I am finally getting some of the recognition I deserve.  Everybody now knows my name, not just my monikers.  They will realize how truly great I am compared to them and their ordinary, pathetic and meaningless lives.  I will be remembered forever and they will be forgotten.  It is true what they say, there is a silver lining to every cloud. 

Now I am in the unnatural position of being the hunted or at least that’s what everybody thinks.  As if I would be that weak and cower going quietly into the night.  No, there is still time for one last night of fun, a final crescendo.  Just as well all the preparation had already been done and I was already ready to go. 

The target is perfect, my nemesis Garda and his whore.  Oh, how I cannot wait to see the terror on their faces as I rip her to shreds.  They have it coming, which makes it sweeter if that is even possible.  He should never have interfered in my business, the damn fool.  Now he has destroyed my happiness and I will destroy his.  I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on her as I followed from a distance.  Part of me hopes she will resist so I can destroy her physically and emotionally as she gasps for her final breath. 

The house alarm has already been dealt with.  There will be little difficulty getting through a sliding door at the rear of their property.  They really should be more security conscious; you never really know who might come along at the dead of night. 

Now it is only a matter of timing.  It should be a surprise attack and they should have no opportunity to offer a reasonable resistance.  That copper has already caused me too much trouble.  From my surveillance I know that his girlfriend sometimes gets up for a snack around midnight, the pig.  So, it will be, let us say around half one in the morning.  It will be so good; people will finally realize how great I truly am. 

It took patience but finally the allotted time has arrived.  The house is dark and there has been no movement for hours.  She never appeared at midnight, a small break from the usual routine, but not enough to call off the attack given the circumstances.  Those idiots would never be a match for me in any event. 

It is finally time to leave my hiding spot in the hedge but first I look at my surgical knife and wonder how much greater his terror will be, as he knows what the scene will look like at the end.  I can already feel the stirrings of an erection building.  As expected, I can simply walk up the long back garden.  With every step, the excitement builds but then there is albeit momentarily, tension as the sliding door is reached.  But in truth, it’s something that I have done hundreds of times before and it is an easy obstacle to pass. 

Now is the time for stealth.  I must make as little noise as possible.  Having been in the house a few weeks prior, I know what room they are sleeping in and make my way slowly towards it.  Now is the time that makes the rest of my life worthwhile.  I am not a harbinger of death but of unconstrained life.  I gentle push the door open and through the moonlight can see them at rest.  Slowly I go towards their bed, my knife at the ready.  I will follow the usual routine, put it to the throat of the woman to subdue them both. 

But then the stillness of the night is broken, in a flash so fast there is nothing I can do to react.  I hear the sound of something, perhaps the cabinet opening behind me and then the sound of a gunshot.  A second passes before I feel the pain pulverizing through my body as I stumble and then fall to the ground; something has gone seriously wrong, what exactly I cannot fathom. 

A few moments later and the lights have been turned on, dazzling me.  Then I am turned on my back and my ski mask violently torn from my head; I feel naked.  Much to my surprise, it is the cripple’s girlfriend that is standing over me, cursing and jeering me.  It’s like I’m that little boy again being laughed at by my half-sisters.  She had never been in that bed but had rather been waiting for me ready to pounce. 

She discusses with the cripple if they should call an ambulance as I start to choke on my own blood.  Hopefully they will let me die, there is nothing left for me in this world now.  The argument goes back and forth a for a few minutes before they eventually ring nine, nine, nine. 

A few hours earlier 

“I knew.” 

They were the words that shocked Sean the most.  He had no choice but to tell her everything, come what may.  But she had revelations all of her own that came out in tears.  That for a time she had been an undercover agent but that now she truly loved him.  Perhaps such revelations would doom many relationships but not this one.  Instead, they reaffirmed their love for one another. 

Then matters turned to the business at hand. 

“So, we could next?  That’s what you’re saying, right,” Laura said in a concerned tone. 

“Yes, I’m afraid so.  Given, the circumstances I fear it will be tonight.  If you want to get in one of those cars and just keep driving, I totally understand.  I’ll face him alone.  I can’t tell anyone else or I’ll be implicating myself in serious crimes.  Please, just go!” 

“Never, you hear me,” she replied steely, “we will face this threat together.  Both for you and for what he did to all those women.  For this last while I have had this feeling that someone was matching me.  That’s why I left the house while you were away.  I have even taken to checking the security round the house.  The alarm and the security lights are not working so I think it will definitely be tonight.  I’ll stay awake with my gun in the closet all night if I have to and catch him by surprise.” 

“I’ll put one under the pillow too.  If it comes down to it, I’d rather shoot you than let that monster have his way,” Sean said, his voice shaking.   

“It won’t come to that,” she replied clutching his hand across the table. 

Jim didn’t bring Sean back to the hotel this time but straight to the police station where he worked.  The first thing they did after Jim had scheduled a meeting for an hour’s time with his team, was to head straight to the cafeteria as both men were famished.  Unlike Sean’s Garda Station back in Ireland, this station was large, modern and set in suburban surroundings with a fleet of police cars parked outside.  Jim became so occupied introducing “his Irish friend” and talking rather than eating, that they ended up in a rush to make it. 

Sean was surprised by the number of officers that were waiting for them and how the room immediately fell silent when they entered.  Jim immediately took control of the situation and went to the front to face his colleagues while Sean took up a position off to the side.   

“You all know why we’re here.  To catch the Reading Rapist and quite possibly The Irish Ripper.  We have a major new lead thanks to our work with Gen Search X and our Irish friend.  Her name is Jacqueline Huntington and we believe that a very close male relative is the Reading Rapist, most probably her son. 

I know I don’t have to say this, this is to get your total and absolute attention, there is no room for any fuck ups.  The victims deserve their best.  I most certainly want to be able to look them in the eye when this is over.  I have made promises that this bastard will be caught.  Don’t make me a liar!” 

Once he stopped speaking, they all began working like a well-oiled machine. Sean even found Jim’s speech inspiring and found it difficult to just sit there and wait.  However, Jim told him to wait around a while, that his team worked fast.  They had access to a multitude of records, perhaps more than they strictly should have. 

Scarcely two hours later, they had the name of her son, Charles Huntington, his poor school record and the fact that he joined the military for a number of years before leaving for an unknown reason.  Critically, it showed that he was assigned to a barracks near Reading. 

“It’s him Jim, but we could do with further confirmation all the same.  Let’s go the barracks right now and get in front of this,” Sean implored. 

Nothing needed to be said, Jim nodded in agreement with Sean and they were off.  It only took twenty-five minutes to get there; it took longer to meet the Sergeant who was in charge but at least when they did, he was all too happy to be of assistance. 

“Oh yeah, I remember him, he made quite the impression,” said the balding, middle-aged but fit-looking man, “He was some physical specimen, top of his class in that respect.  Normally, when you have a soldier like that, the others would look up to or maybe even aspire to be like him.  But not this time, everybody despised him.  I mean like he had no friends whatsoever.  Not only that, he never had any visitors either.  Even during the holidays, he used to stay in the barracks as if he had nowhere to go.  A bit sad I suppose really.  He did wonder off quite a lot though, nobody had a clue what he was getting up to.” 

Then he continued with a grin, “They had a funny nickname for him, what was it?  Oh yeah, little man Huntington.  Apparently, his wiener was on the small side.  Mind you, none of them dared say it to his face.  Even his superiors were afraid of him and he only ever loosely understood the idea of following orders.  I’d say he would have been brilliant to have on your side in the thick of battle when you just wanted someone to slaughter the enemy, you know what I mean?  A real fucking psycho, but the last person you want to have around, the rest of the time.  Eventually, he just had to go.  Why is it that you’re asking about him anyway?” 

Sean thought it best that Jim should be the one to explain.  It would be better coming from a fellow Englishman.  Jim didn’t sugarcoat it. 

“We have very strong reasons to believe that he is The Reading Rapist and most probably The Irish Ripper,” he replied sternly. 

“Oh good God!” he replied flummoxed before Jim continued. 

“It’s likely that this news will break shortly.  There will be lots of television cameras and journalists around asking questions.  Best to prepare oneself and if I was you, I’d inform my superiors straight away.” 

The Sergeant indicated that he would and they parted.  Sean was now getting anxious to get back to the hotel and his laptop to write an urgent report updating Dublin on developments before the news broke on the television or on the internet; they would not be best pleased. 

The following morning, he felt more refreshed than he had in quite some time as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest.  The Ripper had finally become the hunted rather than the hunter.  He decided to turn on the television and watch a current affairs program prior to getting his breakfast when it cut to the BBC newsroom with a photo of Charles Huntington in the top right corner of the screen.   

“We are interrupting this broadcast to bring you this breaking news.  Our sources from inside the police are informing us that the Reading Rapist and quite possibly The Irish Ripper has been identified.  The Reading Rapist is one of the most prolific rapists in British criminal history who terrorized women in the greater Reading area.  A revolutionary new DNA analysis was used in his identification.  His name is Charles Huntington and he is a former member of the British Army.   

His exact whereabouts are currently unknown but he is thought to be currently residing in Ireland.  Please be advised that he is extremely dangerous and should not be approached under any circumstances.” 

Sean turned the television off somewhat disappointedly.  The same news would now break in Ireland on almost all channels almost simultaneously.  It would have been better to try and catch The Ripper unawares but he knew the temptation for someone to leak would prove too much.  Sean was sure that Charles Huntington wouldn’t be the type to just give himself up and worried that further bloodletting now lay ahead. 

At that moment, he no longer felt hungry.  Better to get straight back to Dublin.  That’s where all the action was going to be, for better or worse.  With that, he began to make arrangements for his trip. 

Laura, as ever was there anxiously waiting for him when he arrived and did not waste any time in updating him about the turbulence of the day.  Once the news broke, all hell broke loose.  The phone lines just went off the hook.  She had even been drafted in to deal with some of the calls.  Some people just wanted confirmation that it was true, that we had finally identified him, others thought they had seen him them here, there and everywhere.  Of course, then there was a multitude of prank calls, even Laura had received one.  In the darker corners of the Web, The Irish Ripper and his heinous acts were something to be joyous about, especially to many in the Incel community who saw him as the ultimate anti-feminist and took joy in what he had done to the women.  Sean had been told by Jim that were hundreds of websites dedicated to him.  This, of course, meant that the whole force had just been taken up recording telephone calls and callers to the different desks across the country.   

“Damn, that’s what I was worried would happen.  It was inevitable.  But there was nothing that could be done.  Jim had tried to stop the information from leaking but he had privately told me that it was only a matter of time.  The news agencies over there offer big money for important news stories.  Apparently, it was the Daily Orbit that broke the story,” he said somewhat tiredly after what had been another exhausting journey before holding out his hand tenderly for her to hold briefly as pushed his wheelchair along. 

On the drive home, Laura told him that she had something important to tell him. 

“Yeah,” he replied anxiously thinking it was something about The Ripper. 

“No, nothing like that!  It’s not bad, well hopefully you won’t think so.  A few days ago, em well I was chatting with some other female Gardai at the station and they started talking about you.  Your kinda famous at this stage, almost as much as The Ripper himself.  Well, I let slip that we are a couple and now everybody in the station knows.” 

There was a brief pause for a number of moments. 

“What were they saying that you blurted it out?” Sean replied light-heartedly. 

“It’s a bit embarrassing really.  One of them said that she quite fancied you and she started saying sexual stuff.  I just got really annoyed and said that you are my boyfriend.” 

“Well that’s that sorted,” Sean replied with a grin, “and nice to know I have some admirers.” 

At this point, Laura sheepishly slapped his shoulder in mock aggression before they both burst out in laughter.  The happenings though were quite a boost to his ego and Laura could tell that his lovemaking had been quite reinvigorated that night. 

The next morning Sean was restless to get up as quickly as possible and get to work.  He wasn’t quite sure if this had ever happened previously but there is a first time for everything.  His breakfast tasted nicer and the morning seemed brighter.  It was a day of promise.  Even the traffic seemed lighter and Sean was quickly in at his desk.  But this was where things turned.  There were over six hundred emails in his inbox and he could see that an important meeting had been scheduled for first thing in the morning.  He wasn’t even sure how they knew he would be back in time for it.  He only had time to read the first few emails, all about alleged sightings of The Ripper in different locations in the four parts of Ireland.  From the subject lines, Sean could guess that most of the rest was something similar.  Exasperated, he locked his computer and was just about to leave when the phone rang.  He immediately recognized the number as being Jim. 

“Well hello Jim, missing me already?” 

“You did leave all of the sudden,” he replied with a chuckle, “we found the mole.  The man got some shock when he saw Huntington on the television.  He worked here in the station in administration and knows Huntington from his school days, said he was a real loner and would rarely talk to anybody apart from himself.  Said he felt sorry for him.  They had always sent emails back and forth about crime, so it would only seem natural when the conversations turned to discussions of the Reading Rapist or The Irish Ripper.  The poor mite is inconsolable. 

There was another thing, probably nothing.  But he mentioned something about Huntington having this idea that The Irish Ripper had helped some Irish copper once, but that would have to equalize if his back was ever to the wall.  He may have been hinting at something truthful.  I wouldn’t like to be that copper, whatever the hell “equalization” means, it can’t be good.” 

Sean thanked Jim for the call and hastily went to the Chief Superintendent’s office for the scheduled meeting, not quite sure what to expect.  All the time his heart was beating ferociously. 

The Chief and a few other senior Gardai were there waiting for him in a large semi-circle.  He was met with smiles and the Chief shook his hand hard and began to speak. 

“Ireland owes you a debt.  The English officer Jim told us that you made a great contribution while you were over there.  We’re all very proud of you.  The Nation owes you a huge debt.  We’re going to nail this monster.  In fact, we now know that he was residing in a flat in Drogheda.  Alas, it seems he quickly vacated the premises almost certainly after he saw the news reports.  Now, maybe you can bring the rest of the team up to speed on what you know about this Huntington fella.” 

Sean quickly told them everything he knew about the suspect, even that his friend said he was a loner.  What Sean didn’t mention, though was anything about a Garda being indebted to The Ripper.  Then the central question arose – so where is he now?  It was the simplest of questions but with the trickiest of answers.  This was, after all, a man who had managed to evade capture for years.  Sean was the first person to try and take a stab at an answer. 

“He’s a solitary individual who does not tend to get on with those around him.  He has also been expertly trained thanks to the British Army to survive in harsh conditions.  There is a strong chance that he has retreated to the wilderness, perhaps somewhere like the Dublin mountains.  But that is not what I think.  I reckon he’ll try and get in one more kill before he is caught.   After all that is the compulsion that has dominated his life.” 

The room suddenly quietened at the chilling implication.  None of them wanted a repeat of those horrifying murder scenes.  Each Garda station already had a plaque to his murder victims as a symbol of their unending determination to catch The Ripper and the last thing they wanted, was to be adding to it. 

Sean patiently waited in his office for the rest of the day, which passed with more alleged sightings all over the country.  Psychologists on the television were stating that mass paranoia had engulfed the country.  That people were starting to believe that The Ripper was something of a ghost who could hide behind every wall and branch.  They had reason to be terrified but that didn’t help the Gardai. 

All-day, Jim’s message resonated through Sean’s mind, that The Ripper would equalize with the Garda whom he had helped if his back to the wall, which it certainly was now.  As Sean drove into his driveway that evening, he could see from the curtains that Laura was already there. 

He shuddered at the thought that he might already be too late.  Perhaps the attack had already commenced and he had done nothing to prevent it.  For a few panicked moments, he struggled to leave his car.  He was relieved to see that she was perfectly okay when he opened the front door but he knew that now was the time he would finally have to act. 

“How was your day darling,” she cheerily greeted him.  But once she saw the look on his face, her tone quickly changed. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“It might be best for you to sit.  There’s some stuff you need to hear.” 

Instinctively she knew that this something very serious.  So, she stopped working on the dinner and pulled up a chair to see what he had to say.