THE MOMENT
"Uh oh," Valentine shut the light off seconds after she switched them on. She did not have time to study the countless newspaper clippings pinned to the wall of the garage. But, she didn't have to. The headless corpse on the work table told her all she needed to know. She reached into her candy sack and then tossed a couple of gummy worms in her mouth. She wanted to be ready in case someone was going to investigate the garage light.
If she were at the right house, no one would have been home to check. She obviously wasn't and had no idea what to expect. She waited in the shadows for five minutes, then decided it was safe to leave. The light in the garage turned on a second before she stood up. Valentine sank back behind a large toolbox as the garage door started to open.
"Oh no!" she realized she needed to hide better. A burly stranger ducked under the garage door and walked in with a body over his shoulder. He hadn't noticed Valentine yet. However, he would when he laid the new body next to the headless one.
[Concealing Shadows] Valentine used one of her abilities to wrap the shadows around her. The stranger dumped the body on the work table and glanced at the corner. Then, he turned and walked into the house when he didn't see anything. The garage door was still open and the light was still on. Valentine was only hidden as long as she remained still. She had other abilities she could use while moving; but, she didn't think she would need them. She was already on the quest even if she was in the wrong house. Any abilities she used counted against her score. If she started moving when the garage started to close, she could make it out. The motor whirred to life as the garage door began coming down.
Valentine inched forward and broke through the shadows. She remained in a crouching posture and glanced at the door that led to the house. It was still open but there was no sign of anyone beyond it. She continued past the table then someone snuck in under the closing door. It was a short, wiry kid in a grey suit.
He stopped when he came face to face with Valentine. The garage door closed behind him, then the light shut off once it was closed.
"Are you looking for a serial killer too?" he asked. He held his hand up and produced light from a node in his palm.
"Shhhhh, put that out!" Valentine urged him to put the light away; but, he shook his head.
"It's okay," he said. "I stopped time when I saw you. I'm Rerun. Unique #14, La Muerte," he said.
"Oh," Valentine relaxed and stood up straighter. "Valentine. #27, El Corazón," she said. Then, she turned and gestured at the table with two corpses on it.
"You're in the right place. I'm not," she said. She turned towards the door that led to the house. "But uh, please let me get out before you start time again," she said.
"I'll make it easy for you," Rerun chuckled. He pointed at the garage door and reversed time so that it opened up again.
"Thanks!" Valentine changed direction.
"Do you go to Toku-high too?" Rerun asked.
"I do," Valentine nodded and she stopped next to him. "You?" she asked. Rerun nodded. "Maybe I'll see you around school," she added. Then she walked out of the garage under the door.
"Maybe so!" Rerun straightened his back but he was still shorter than Valentine. He waved at her. She pulled out a black card to open a portal once she was out of the garage. Rerun let time run normally again and the garage started down.
"Good luck with the serial killer," Valentine said. She waved under the closing door. Then, she stepped into the portal as the garage closed.