#which instruments used in autopsy

[forensicfield]

What is Autopsy?

Autopsy, when broken into two different terms, Auto means Self and Opis means examination, giving to the meaning self-examination. It is defined broadly as the examination of both external and internal contents of the dead body including the histology...

Continue reading What is Autopsy?

[jacksabbotts]

✧ cold and predictable — ❪ part one ❫

pairings .’ jack abbot ( the pitt ) x fem!morguetech!reader summary .’ in which you ( the reader ) are a overworked and under appreciated morgue tech for the pittsburg trauma medical center. you are solely responsible for clearing out the deceased patients from the emergency department. but when there is a delay and all your cold storage lockers are full, jack pays a visit to this morgue tech he's never heard of ( aka you ) and basically tells you to do your job better ;'( trigger warnings .’ lowercase intended!!! | age gap ( reader is late 20s, jack is late 40s ) | jack is kinda mean in this part srry | readers insecurty | a lot of overthinking | NO USE OF Y/N notes .’ jack and shy!reader sign me tf up!!!! this part is very tame in the terms of smut but dont you worry, its gonna get nasty. you gonna need a bible after i am done lmao ( mdi 18+ )

masterlist | series masterlist | dividers by @cafekitsune | join the taglist

you liked the morgue.

that wasn’t something you could say out loud—not even to the handful of people who actually knew your name. but it was true. you liked the quiet hum of the refrigerated walls. the soft thunk of a drawer sliding into place. the hum of the vents. the artificial stillness that wrapped around you like a weighted blanket. it was the only place in the entire hospital that didn’t ask you to be anything other than quiet.

upstairs, the world buzzed. phones rang. radios barked. nurses called to each other across fluorescent hallways and doctors stomped past with clipboards in one hand and coffee in the other. everything moved too fast. everything was too loud.

but down here?

the dead didn’t rush you.

they didn’t care that you wore your scrubs one size too big to hide your hips. they didn’t care that your voice was soft and slow and hard to hear over the hum of machinery. they didn’t ask why you never wore makeup or styled your hair or joined in on break room gossip. they didn’t notice your anxiety. or if they did, they were too far gone to care.

the morgue was a constant. cold and predictable.

you liked that.

your shift started at 6:00 pm, but you always arrived by 5:40. early was better than noticed. being early gave you time to breathe, time to fall into your routine. you changed in the staff locker room, tied your hair back into a low bun, and slipped your badge onto your lanyard—backward. You always wore it backward. the sight of your name and staff photo made you flinch.

there was something about seeing it—your full name, government bold in black and white—that made you feel visible in the worst way. better to leave it unreadable. it feels safer that way.

the other morgue tech on rotation left at 6:15 with a nod and a yawn. you didn’t mind being alone. you preferred it. you’d already checked the autopsy schedule—two expected tonight, maybe three. the overflow drawer was full, but you had room. you always kept it clean, always organized. the medical examiner said you were the best at inventory, and he was old-school—stingy with praise.

it was 6:42 now.

your dinner sat beside you on the break room table: a thermos of reheated lentil soup, a single slice of soft bread, and the green stanley thermos you brought every night with coffee made just the way you liked it. the same thing. every shift. routine was comforting to you.

you weren’t much of a talker. small talk made your palms sweat. eye contact made your pulse spike. you’d been called shy, cold, quiet, even weird—usually by people who didn’t realize you were listening. you always listened. you heard everything. that was your job.

you noticed the smallest fractures in bone. the subtlest bruises beneath the skin. you labeled instruments with care and sketched anatomical details in your private notebook—not because anyone asked, but because it helped you focus. because it gave your hands something to do. because it made you feel useful.

useful was the closest thing to confident you’d ever been.

you stirred your soup, carefully. the fluorescent lights above flickered once, twice, then steadied.

you didn’t eat in the upstairs break room anymore. not since that nurse in green scrubs—jessica, maybe—had looked you up and down and laughed, 'don’t you work with the dead people? what, they let ghosts have lunch breaks now?'

you hadn’t replied. just packed your food and left. she hadn’t meant it cruelly, probably. but the words stuck. most words did.

your thoughts were interrupted by the distant sound of heavy boots on tile. you glanced at the clock.

3:14 am. too early for the medical examiner’s rounds. too late for the janitorial staff. too heavy to be anyone but—

the door slammed open.

you jumped.

a man stormed in—tall, broad, shoulders tensed under navy scrub top and dark wash cargo pants ( different from the normal doctor attire you were used to, but man he could pull it off ).

his chest rose and fell with labored breath, his short sleeves stopped mid bicep, exposing thick meaty forearms. his id badge bounced off his chest with every step, and his eyes—sharp, dark, furious—scanned the room like he was ready to fight someone.

you froze halfway to your mouth with your spoon, soup forgotten. 'can . . . i help you?' the voice was so soft, he almost missed it. like the words had to squeeze through a locked throat.

jack stopped dead. not the sight he expected. not even close.

tiny thing. curled up on a rolling stool, eating a thermos of soup like she was afraid it might fall spill out of your hands. drowned in baggy scrubs. barely looked old enough to drive, let alone be the only morgue tech on duty.

he shook off the flicker of surprise.

'you can explain,' he barked, taking a step in. 'why there are three bodies still in my er taking up beds i don’t have.'

her hands immediately retreated to her lap, soup abandoned. she didn’t even flinch—just… deflated. like someone used to being spoken to like that.

you blinked but otherwise still didn't answer. he advanced two more steps, hands on his hips, jaw clenched. 'can someone explain that to me?;

'i—I know,' she said, not quite looking at him.

'you the tech on tonight?' he asked as if he didn't already know the answer. you nodded. he exhaled through his nose. loud. 'perfect.'

you swallowed hard. 'i’m sorry. 'didn’t mean—'

'don’t apologize,' he snapped. 'just do your job. i’ve got live patients bleeding out in hallway beds while corpses are parked in mine like they’re waiting for the fucking valet.'

you flinched.

'why the hell are they still upstairs?'

his voice was like gravel—low and hoarse and too loud in the cold quiet of the morgue. you looked down, pulse in your throat.

'i can’t bring anyone else down,' you said softly. 'the storage is full. every drawer. every overflow table. i’ve been waiting on the funeral home pickup since midnight. they said morning. i—i sent three emails. no one responded.'

'who’d you email?'

she hesitated, eyes flicking to the badge on clipped to his scrub top pocket, then back down.

'uh, you.'

a beat of silence. just turned on his heel and walked straight out.

didn’t say thank you.

didn’t say sorry.

didn’t even close the morgue door gently behind him.

the door swung shut behind him with a dull clack.

you stared at it. then stared at your soup. then back at the door.

your fingers were still curled around your spoon, but your hand had gone numb. a familiar prickle crawled across your scalp and down your spine—the start of the cold-sweat panic you knew too well. it always came after. after the confrontation. after the humiliation. after the worst-case-scenario played out in real time.

you hadn’t cried. not yet. but your eyes stung.

you pushed your soup away, the smell suddenly sour.

why did you apologize? he told you not to. and you still did.

you always did that.

and of course it had to be him.

of course the first person to raise their voice at you in six months had to be that doctor—the one everyone talked about like he was a war god with a scalpel. jack abbot. trauma attending. king of the fucking er.

you’d seen his name on postmortem charts before, but you’d never met him face-to-face. he was a phantom. a rumor. a string of growled curses through stairwell doors.

but now?

Now he was the man who yelled at you while you held a spoon and shook like a leaf.

your heart wouldn’t settle. it beat in your throat, heavy and wet and fast. you stood slowly, hands trembling as you carried your tray to the small break room sink. dumped the soup. rinsed the mug. mechanical movements. muscle memory.

you didn’t do confrontations. you just weren’t built for them. every sharp word echoed inside you like it was etched into bone. every second of that encounter—his voice, the way he looked at you, the rage on his face—played on repeat, looping again and again with increasing sharpness.

why are there four bodies still taking up beds in my er?

like you’d chosen it. like you wanted the drawers full. like you weren’t down here alone, managing twenty-two corpses in twelve hours with no help and no backup and no one reading your emails for you.

and when you’d finally explained?

he hadn’t even looked at you. just turned around and left.

did that mean he believed you?

or that he just didn’t care?

you stood in the middle of the break room with water dripping off your hands and your badge still flipped backward on your chest. you didn’t move. you couldn’t.

you tried to shake it off. to tell yourself that it didin't matter. that him and his words were nothing to you.

you’d had worse days. you’d heard worse things.

but somehow, this felt different.

because this wasn’t just any doctor. this was jack abbot.

and you hated—hated—that even now, with your pride in pieces and your chest still tight from holding back tears, part of you still cared what he thought of you.

🔖 . @princesssunderworld @mayabbot @imherefordeanandbones @arigoldsblog @oldmanbunnylover @i-mushi @autumnleaves1991-blog @lovelexi717 @peggyofoz @qtmoonies @nfwmb-gvf @britt217 @babybatreads @cheekym8s @bitteroceanlove @spooky-librarian-ghost @dr-yapper @yutasgem @keseqna @gardeniarose13

[bullet-prooflove]

Check In: Leroy Jethro Gibbs x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @riley-kore @ilovemark1951 @love-affair-with-fandoms @mishkatelwarriorgoddess

Companion piece to:

The Ice Queen - Gibbs meets The Ice Queen for the first time.

Break The Ice - A act of decency helps Gibbs to break the ice.

Umbrella - Gibbs gets more than he bargained for when he offers you his umbrella.

Grave - You and Gibbs bump into each other in an unexpected place.

Safe - You and Gibbs work through your grief in different wa

After the pager message the night before Gibbs makes the point of seeking you out the next day. He tries to be covert about it, pretending he’s picking up some files for Franks but you see through it the instant he steps into your workspace.

“I’m fine Gibbs.” You state as you continue to write down your notes on the clipboard clasped between your hands. The autopsy you’ve recently completed has been tidied away but the instruments are there, glistening in the light, waiting to be cleaned.

His cursory overview of you indicates that you are fine after last night’s activities. There’s no bruises that he can see, no change to your affect. The tension in your shoulders is now absent, your mood improved. He might be concerned about the method in which you defuse your frustration but he can’t refute it.

“I just wanted to make sure.” He tells you, his palm rubbing over the nape of his neck. “You’re one of the few people I’d count as a friend-”

“And it wouldn’t do if I’d ended up murdered by one of the men I’d taken home.” You remark, your gaze flickering up to meet his. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

What he’s come to understand during the time the two of you have spent together is that no one has worried about you for a long time, not since your sister died. Your parents are long gone, killed an accident during medical school and your friends had drifted away after Violet’s death because they didn’t understand your grief, the emotions that come with it.

“But I do.” He tells you, maintaining eye contact. “And that doesn’t stop when I go home at night.”

You look away then, hugging the clipboard to your chest as if it were a barrier between the two of you. You don’t let people get close, you don’t let them care for you. It’s a lonely existence, one that he understands acutely.

“I don’t need that from you.” You tell him.

And he reads the message loud and clear. You don’t need that from anyone. It’s a defensive response because things are changing in your life, the Thursday night catch ups, the walking you home, his concern about your safety, you aren’t used to those things. So you react like this, with cynicism because you’ve been taught that everything comes with an ulterior motive.

“I know you don’t need it.” He tells you, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “But it’s kind of a prerequisite when you care about somebody, when you spend time with them, tell them your secrets.”

You don’t know how to process that, he can tell from the way your grip tightens on the clipboard. He understands that he’s being too much right now, that this is overwhelming for you so he retreats because the last thing he wants is to make you feel uncomfortable.

“Look I just wanted to check in on you.” He says quietly. “That’s all and now that I can see you’re ok, I’ll just go about my day, completing paperwork and ignoring the printer.”

He turns towards the door, pausing as he hears his name leave your lips like a sigh.

“Jethro…” You say and he tilts his head towards you with an inquiring look. “Maybe we make that a thing, me paging you after I take someone home.”

He knows that you’re thinking about what happened to your sister. The type of crime, the horror of it. She did everything right and she still ended up brutalised. With your risk taking behaviour, the odds of something similar or worse happening to you increase exponentially. He understands that right now, that’s not something you can stop and he would never ask you to but you can put measures in place, fail safes as it were.

“Call, page, carrier pigeon, whatever it is I don’t care.” He says finally. “Just know if you need me I’m there, anytime, day or night.”

Love Gibbs? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Webb's autopsy of planet swallowed by star yields surprise

Observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have provided a surprising twist in the narrative surrounding what is believed to be the first star observed in the act of swallowing a planet. The new findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, suggest that the star actually did not swell to envelop a planet as previously hypothesized. Instead, Webb's observations show the planet's orbit shrank over time, slowly bringing the planet closer to its demise until it was engulfed in full.

"Because this is such a novel event, we didn't quite know what to expect when we decided to point this telescope in its direction," said Ryan Lau, lead author of the new paper and astronomer at NSF NOIRLab (National Science Foundation National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory) in Tucson, Arizona. "With its high-resolution look in the infrared, we are learning valuable insights about the final fates of planetary systems, possibly including our own."

Two instruments aboard Webb conducted the post-mortem of the scene—Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) and NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph). The researchers were able to come to their conclusion using a two-pronged investigative approach.

Constraining the how

The star at the center of this scene is located in the Milky Way galaxy about 12,000 light-years away from Earth.

The brightening event, formally called ZTF SLRN-2020, was originally spotted as a flash of optical light using the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego, California. Data from NASA's NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) showed the star actually brightened in the infrared a year before the optical light flash, hinting at the presence of dust.

This initial 2023 investigation led researchers to believe that the star was more sun-like, and had been in the process of aging into a red giant over hundreds of thousands of years, slowly expanding as it exhausted its hydrogen fuel.

However, Webb's MIRI told a different story. With powerful sensitivity and spatial resolution, Webb was able to precisely measure the hidden emission from the star and its immediate surroundings, which lie in a very crowded region of space. The researchers found the star was not as bright as it should have been if it had evolved into a red giant, indicating there was no swelling to engulf the planet as once thought.

Reconstructing the scene

Researchers suggest that, at one point, the planet was about Jupiter-sized, but orbited quite close to the star, even closer than Mercury's orbit around our sun. Over millions of years, the planet orbited closer and closer to the star, leading to the catastrophic consequence.

"The planet eventually started to graze the star's atmosphere. Then it was a runaway process of falling in faster from that moment," said team member Morgan MacLeod of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The planet, as it's falling in, started to sort of smear around the star."

In its final splashdown, the planet would have blasted gas away from the outer layers of the star. As it expanded and cooled off, the heavy elements in this gas condensed into cold dust over the next year.

Inspecting the leftovers

While the researchers did expect an expanding cloud of cooler dust around the star, a look with the powerful NIRSpec revealed a hot circumstellar disk of molecular gas closer in. Furthermore, Webb's high spectral resolution was able to detect certain molecules in this accretion disk, including carbon monoxide.

"With such a transformative telescope like Webb, it was hard for me to have any expectations of what we'd find in the immediate surroundings of the star," said Colette Salyk of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, an exoplanet researcher and co-author on the new paper.

"I will say, I could not have expected seeing what has the characteristics of a planet-forming region, even though planets are not forming here, in the aftermath of an engulfment."

The ability to characterize this gas opens more questions for researchers about what actually happened once the planet was fully swallowed by the star.

"This is truly the precipice of studying these events. This is the only one we've observed in action, and this is the best detection of the aftermath after things have settled back down," Lau said. "We hope this is just the start of our sample."

These observations, taken under Guaranteed Time Observation program 1240, which was specifically designed to investigate a family of mysterious, sudden, infrared brightening events, were among the first Target of Opportunity programs performed by Webb.

These types of study are reserved for events, like supernova explosions, that are expected to occur, but researchers don't exactly know when or where. NASA's space telescopes are part of a growing, international network that stands ready to witness these fleeting changes, to help us understand how the universe works.

Researchers expect to add to their sample and identify future events like this using the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will survey large areas of the sky repeatedly to look for changes over time.

TOP IMAGE: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s observations of what is thought to be the first-ever recorded planetary engulfment event revealed a hot accretion disk surrounding the star, with an expanding cloud of cooler dust enveloping the scene. Webb also revealed that the star did not swell to swallow the planet, but the planet’s orbit actually slowly depreciated over time, as seen in this artist’s concept. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, R. Crawford (STScI)

LOWER IMAGE: Schematic illustration of the preengulfment and postengulfment interpretation of ZTF SLRN-2020. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI 10.3847/1538-4357/adb429

[thomasce]

Autopsy Reference Page

A little intro:

I worked in a morgue for about a year as an autopsy assistant / intern. I have a portfolio and a certificate and everything. I've seen a lot of character designs with autopsy scars in them and stories with autopsies featured as a major event and wanted to provide some information on how autopsies through the justice system work, specifically FROM MY EXPERIENCE. This will not apply to private autopsies, though I will include a little bit of what I know about those at the end of this post.

If you are sensitive to gore, go ahead and skip this page. If you like writing gore or learning more about this stuff, welcome!

First thing's first: Who approves an autopsy?

Generally, it is the District Attorney. A DA will approve an autopsy for the following reasons:

It's a suspicious death

It was caused by the victim (self-inflicted)

It was an obvious homicide

It falls under the conditions stated in the state's constitution or laws

What conditions could those be?

This is going to sound really morbid, but most states have a clause that dictates any deaths in which the decedent is under 12 months of age must be autopsied. That's the biggest reason cited in laws outside of criminal justice cases.

Who performs an autopsy?

The people performing the actual evisceration are called Medical Examiners. In order to be a medical examiner, you must have a Medical Doctorate and be board certified in Forensic Pathology.

The Medical Examiner will also have a team of Forensic Pathology Technicians that help them before, during, and after evisceration. They often consist of both Dry Techs and Wet Techs. The difference between the two is that Dry Techs do not dress out in personal protective equipment (PPE) and will log things in whichever system the lab utilizes. Wet Techs assist in the autopsy by taking x-rays, removing organs, and weighing the organs.

What is PPE?

Standard PPE consists of a plastic gown, double disposable gloves to the wrist, disposable gloves to the elbow, boot covers, a surgical mask, a face shield, and what is known as a bouffant cap (the hair net / cap things you see surgeons wear in tv shows and movies).

The order I always put my PPE on was: boot covers, gown (with thumbs through the thumb holes), gloves #1, face mask, bouffant cap, gloves #2, face shield, elbow gloves.

Let's get into what you guys are really here for:

What does a standard autopsy look like?

So I like to make a distinction between these three stages: pre-autopsy, autopsy, post-autopsy.

Pre-autopsy is everything that happens before the body is open. This includes:

Weighing the gurney with the body bag on it

Moving the body bag from the gurney to the autopsy table

Taking pictures of the body bag BEFORE the seal is opened

Cutting the seal

Taking pictures of the body in the bag

Moving the body out of the bag

Taking more photos of the front, side, back, arms, and hands

Drawing toxicology (blood, urine, vitreous)

Taking fingerprints

The autopsy is when the Y-incision is created and the following occurs:

The organs of the thoracic cavity are taken, weighed, and eviscerated

The organs of the abdominopelvic cavity are taken, weighed, and eviscerated

The head is opened and the brain is taken, weighed, and eviscerated

The pituitary gland is removed

The esophagus and tongue are taken, weighed, and eviscerated

All organs are placed into a plastic bag

Post-autopsy includes:

Moving the body back to the bag

Placing the bag inside the thoracic cavity

Stitching the Y-incision closed

Cleaning any instruments used

Cleaning all surfaces, including the autopsy table and sink

Mopping the floor

In my experience, some of the things done during pre-autopsy, such as drawing toxicology and fingerprinting, can be done during the actual autopsy.

Why is toxicology important?

Toxicology is how we gain DNA and fluids for testing. Vitreous (fluid from the eyes) and Urine (fluid from the bladder) can be tested for metabolism of ethanol (alcohol) and other substances. Blood is used in testing for things like ethanol (alcohol) and CO (carbon monoxide) as well as DNA for identification.

Why do we need blood for identification?

In homicide cases, two forms of scientific identification are necessary. The order of importance / credibility of DNA collection is:

Visual identification - if they have an ID on them and we can tell that they are the person on the ID

Blood - a blood stain card is taken to test for identity

Fingerprints

Dental - if we have NOTHING ELSE, a forensic odontologist is called in to compare dental records to the teeth of the decedent

Little facts:

We do the Y-incision specifically for the funeral homes

Anything that you die with that the police doesn't collect for the family before the autopsy is put in holding until your body is released to the funeral home - including money

When blood has CO in it, it becomes a dark cherry red

Different needle sizes are used for drawing toxicology. The smallest size used is a 25-gauge. The largest is a 16-gauge.

Blood is drawn in this order: femoral (thigh), pericardial (around the heart), cardiac (in the heart)

Private autopsies are costly, ranging from $3000 to $5000

i think that's everything important. If you have any questions, have any additions, or find that this helped, send me an ask and let me know!

Be free!!!

[writing-until-i-drop]

Pt. 3 @closetspngirl for the WIP game ask

NCIS TGM | Bradley and NCIS! TGM Seresin ... for obvious reasons. 😁

So, these share the same OC, I just couldn't decide on pairing or vibe, which is why both (and more) versions exist

NCIS TGM | Bradley

“Good morning, Avery. My name is Dr. Montgomery and today, I will be performing your autopsy.” Dr. Maggie Montgomery brushed hair off of the young woman’s forehead, tucking it behind her ear. “Or would you prefer to be called Petty Officer Lewis? I suspect you were so used to being addressed by your last name that you barely remembered your first.” Most sailors would respond faster to their rank or last name than their given name, Maggie had noticed in her time working with NCIS. “But today you and I will reach the ultimate level of vulnerability, so, you can think of me as Maggie and I’ll call you Avery if that’s alright.” 

Maggie prepared her sterilized instruments, lining them up neatly on the table-side tray, clicked on her recorder, and snapped on a fresh set of gloves. The first time she had held a scalpel, Maggie had been hesitant, barely applying enough pressure to cut the skin. But now she had a practiced hand, making the Y-incision with precision, quickly separating the skin from the muscles. The autopsy was routine, she noted each mark on the skin, every bruise and birthmark, the weight of her liver, and the contents of her stomach. The cause of death was simple to determine, a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and the manner of death was straightforward. This was a homicide.

NCIS! TGM Seresin

Sleep had never come easy for Maggie Montgomery, not even as a child. Her internal clock woke her up at 4:30 on the dot each morning, no matter what time she went to bed the night before and she almost never went to bed before midnight. As one of the youngest doctors in the country, working as a medical examiner for NCIS, Maggie survived on caffeine and nicotine. Maggie wasn’t one to scold patients, hers were dead anyways, but as a doctor, she would scold herself. But as the saying goes, doctors make the worst patients. 

She didn’t get to sleep until 4:30 this morning however, her phone’s shrill ringtone sending her shooting up in bed. She flicked on her bedside lamp, wincing as its soft, yellow light filled her small bedroom.

“Dr. Montgomery, who’s dead?” Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the Special Agent In Charge of NCIS’ DC Major Case Reaction Team yawned on the other end of the line.

“Female, young, no ID yet, I’m still waking up the team. Bradley’s going to text you the address,” Maggie groaned, her feet hitting the cold hardwood floor. “Nat’s stopping for coffee, Bob's getting the van and can pick you up.”

“Alright, just don't let Seresin touch my body.” Maverick chuckled,

“You're never going to let that go, are you?”

“I will when he apologizes,” Maggie yawned, stretching until her back cracked. Two hours of sleep would have to do for the day. 

“So, never then,” Maverick signed. “See you soon, Mags.” Maggie quickly brushed her teeth and hair, then dressed in jeans, a tee shirt, and her M.E. windbreaker. Her assistant, Bob, was there before long with a travel mug of coffee he happily shared. 

Bob turned on the classical music station on the radio, humming along to a violin-heavy piece as they drove.

[smallnico]

6, 9, and 15 for the oc asks!

hell yeah thanks for asking!!!

6) If your OC is in a fantasy setting, what profession would they be in the modern day?

i'm confident that esper would not be able to hold down a normal job, but i've said to a lot of people that they belong on small stages in gay bars, either performing themself (playing instruments, dancing, singing, probably doing drag) or hosting for other performers (because they are very good at hyping up an audience and getting people to spend money). they do a lot of gig work in general. if they had less self-respect they'd probably be a killer mlm salesperson.

in a lot of my non-fantasy au ideas they also end up being ex-military as a stand-in for their relationship with bhaal, but that's not really something they're tempted to revisit, even for financial gain.

9) How does your OC handle their physical health? Do they take care of themselves?

poorly, and absolutely not lmao. have you seen esper?? the only reason they aren't riddled with chronic pain and status effects from overwork and exhaustion is because they're an unkillable demigod, courtesy of bhaal. they've never heard the words "self" and "care" used next to each other. i've written fic of esper trying to bathe and spiralling about it. their idea of healing is a healing word and a bandage and we keep going until we have time for a short rest. they smell like old blood. they heal quickly from their own injuries, so they never learned about like, recovery times, and they don't know how much strain a normal body can take so they don't know how to take care of anybody else, either. menace.

esper does take care to stretch and exercise regularly though. part of their morning routine is their warm-up exercises so they can stay limber and mobile while out adventuring. they also wear whatever the fantasy equivalent of compression wear is on their hands, wrists, and waist -- their hands to keep them steady, and their waist for structural back support while their abdomen heals from the autopsy. esper takes care of their body exactly as much as they need to keep it physically functional, they just push themself so unreasonably hard that their idea of "physically functional" basically just means "upright and able to move".

15) Will your OC ever retire? Do you see them making it?

no idea! frankly it's literally due to divine intervention that they even made it This far, given all of the above. they did manage to retire from being bhaal's chosen, which is all that matters :) but i haven't even decided if esper actually ages normally, so i don't know if their body would at any point give out enough that they'd Have to stop. i don't know if they'd need to retire from working altogether, and they probably wouldn't if given the choice. esper would retire for 2 days tops and then get right back to work because they don't know how to relax.

[akasunaa]

It's been a long time since last he brought Sasori-san something useful, which is a rude oversight and must be fixed. And so here it is:

Yes, it is a vintage post mortem instrument set especially tailored for autopsy procedures. Nope, it has nothing to do with cashing in points for certain stickers. It's a completely selfless and thoughtful present, because Sasori-san deserves it!

{ 蠍 - She stares down at the briefcase, attentive eyes scanning the tools inside. They seem brand new and clean, so it's not like Itachi fished it from a shady morgue or an abandoned hospital, and her own were starting to get dull and rusty after decades of use. . . .something is definitely off, but she's not in the mood to investigate. She takes the gift reluctantly, bowing her head once and voice lightly coated in irony. }

"So thoughtful of you, Itachi Uchiha. . . ."

[protege-not-protagonist]

Criminal Minds: The Protégé Chapter 9

Ch 9: The Mountain King- Pt. 2

Blurb: The Appalachian case proves to be a challenge. The Victims remain unidentified. The geography is screwy. There's a new behaviour the Team hasn't seen before. The Profile is unclear and immediately, Grace is unsettled by something about this case, but she struggles to figure out exactly what her instincts are telling her.

Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Audience: mature audience for depictions of violence and sexual references

Author's Note: if you see a trigger warning that concerns you, you can scroll to end and I'll have a brief description what happens. And how to read around it. TW: violence, crime scene depiction, This case mentions sexual assault, autopsy, kidnapping, decapitation, Necrophilia, slight body horror involving needles (mentioned in autopsy)

BAU Jet, US Airspace, Monday, July 17th 12:20PM

Over the weekend Grace had a think over what Dr Reid had said, and how the geoprofile in the last case had revealed an important aspect. So she had spent a whole day designing a template for a quick reference fact file and saved it to her tablet. Now, if she completed this for every case on the plane trip over, by the time they landed, she would have a profile of every town and enough facts to reference quickly if her team asked for specifics. If they revisited any places, she’d eventually be able to do it from memory.

The Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical area encompassed the counties of Perry Cumberland and Dauphin, and right through the centre of it was the Appalachian trail and Susquehanna valley. And in the middle of that was State Game Land 170 reserve which the unsub seemed to inhabit.

The total area had a population of 603,493 according to the last census. The majority of that were under 40 and white. Violent crimes and homicides were low, property crimes and theft were common, but that was to be expected with over 20% of the population below the poverty line. Though none of that probably was probably relevant as the bodies were dumped close to isolated boroughs and townships with less than 3000 people.

The region had a lot of interesting features in its history with timber and agriculture being the main historical industries with coal mining and industrial towns in the surrounds. Grace continued to trawl through census data and crime stats and compile similar data. Grace knew there was no way she could know enough to pass as a local, but she wanted to be as prepared as she could in the 30 minutes before the plane landed. She had heard that the many Appalachian communities distrusted people from outside their region. It was her hope that knowing enough to not be ignorant would combat some of the hostility that they could receive coming into an investigation as federal agents.

‘So if you named your violin Vincenzo, is Foley an animal or an instrument?’ Luke asked halfway through the flight.

‘He’s a pet.’ She didn't look up from her tablet, viewing the walking trail routes around the towns.

'You have a pet?' Tara asked in a quizzical tone from the seat next to her.

'Yeah, why does it surprise you guys?' She glanced up to see Dr Lewis grinning back at her.

‘Grace has a pet, and she won’t tell me what it is. It’s not a dog, and she doesn’t like cats,' Luke explained to Tara.

‘Not a dog or a cat, hamster?’ Tara asked.

‘Nope.’ She smiled, continuing to work on pinpointing key features on the maps.

‘Fish?’ Luke guessed with a smile and pointed at her. ‘Tropical saltwater fish, because you miss Hawaii!’

‘I See the logic there but, no,’ she grinned. This was more fun than having them try to guess her birthday. ‘I’ll give you a hint. My dear sweet companion Foley is the reason I have to live on the Maryland side of the river.’ She looked up at them with an evil grin.

‘Wait, you live in Maryland?’ Tara frowned.

‘Yeah, Oxen Hill.’ She said with a smirk.

‘How?’ both of them said at once.

‘You said you have a car today in Penelope’s office, so you do drive, so that is like what an hour’s car ride normal and hour and half hour?’ Luke said.

‘Yeah it, but it’s been better since Covid, most people work remote, commute is not too bad these days.’ She said with a shrug. ‘What can I say? I love my little guy. He lights up my world. If that means I have to drive a little further to work, it’s worth it.’

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. One new text message. She saw the contact name and opened it immediately.

‘Oxen Hill is not too far from Indian Head and the surrounds has a bit of forest, undeveloped land. A lot of a space… Foley, or should I say Foal-ly is a horse.’ Simmons joined in and theorised.

‘Nah, she said he’s in her apartment.’ Luke shook his head.

Basement Buddy: Hey G, are you in town tonight?

Grace stared at the message, blinking three times. He’d had texted her during the day. Texted Her while he was still at work. While he knew she would be at work. She checked her watch; not his usual break time. She leant back in her chair and subtly tried to shield the screen from Tara’s view.

G.M: No sorry. On case. What’s up?

She stared enrapt as the three dots showed he was typing.

Basement Buddy: Nothing. Just wanted to hang out.

Typing the word ‘nothing’ at the start of the sentence indicated that there was, in fact, something he was hoping to deflect from. Which meant he wanted to talk to her, but knowing she was on a case he didn’t want to bother her or make her worry. Which meant something was wrong.

What happened? R U ok? -She typed, but then backspaced, opting instead for:

G.M: Whens ur shift end?

Basement Buddy: 9

G.M: Do you want me to call you?

Basement Buddy: I’m ok

No emoji in that response. That was a lie. She typed her reply:

G.M: Want me to write an essay to tell u how I know that’s not true?

G.M:Chat tonight?

He took a full two minutes to reply. The three dots disappearing and reappearing. She nervously bit her lip. Had she been too assertive?

Basement Buddy: I’ll wait by the phone. 😉

She breathed again.

Basement Buddy: Btw. Got it in 4.

She snorted and shook her head. A deflection, but a welcome one. At least he agreed to chat later. The cryptic message was about the Wordle. They must have been some of the only people that still did it every day.

G.M: Got it in 3.

G.M: I win. Sorry.

He sent the GIF of the old man holding his chest in pain.

Basement Buddy: No your not you Sadist 😝

G.M:*You’re

‘Who’s got you smiling like that Five-O?’ Luke peaked over the table.

She pulled her phone to her chest. ‘Your mom.’

‘Oooooh ho ho,’ Tara laughed.

‘Grace has a special friend?’ Luke said in a singsong tone.

‘No, I couldn’t resist a well placed your mom joke and, I have land lady who uses a lot of emojis and they are hilariously in the wrong context. I mean, look-‘ she leant over and showed him a text from her she got this morning covering the time stamp with her thumb.

Mrs Hudson: Will get 💦💦 ⬅️ 👀 by tonight

'She is saying the water leak I’ve had is being checked today, but it just looks so suggestive.’

‘Heh. That is funny. But we-' He gestured to Tara and him ‘-are on to you.’

‘I bet it’s you it’s Ashley from fraud detection, Ashley was making eyes at her the whole seminar.’ Tara smirked.

‘She was?’ Grace said. That whole seminar she thought Ashley had forgotten her glasses or needed eye drops or something.

‘Nah, it’s got to be Cody in ballistics at the Seattle office. They spoke for 45 minutes about ice bullets. Nothing to do with the case. Tangents and fun facts, that’s Five-O’s love language.’

‘It was actually meat bullets, and it was case related.’ She hid her head in her hands. ‘Rossi, when are we going to focus on our approach to the case?’ Grace called out for rescue.

Rossi chuckled, ‘Okay, behave, kids. That’s enough teasing each other. Don’t make me tell your mother.’ He got up and stood between the seats. ‘When we land, I’ll go to the local PD and set up. Simmons, Alvez, you go to the crime scene and see what you can learn. JJ and Matthews go to the M.E. See what you can find. Tara, can you try to bring in the family and friends of victim one? We need to talk to people from the new year’s party. I’ll help with interviews once we’ve set up. Hope was the first victim. She is significant. We will reconvene tonight at 7 to share what we found. We start with victimology and M.O. hopefully this case will start to take shape.’

-------

Appalachian Trail, Wertzvile, PA 1:40 PM

‘Good afternoon, I’m SSA Alvez and this is SSA Simmons. You are Detective Garner and Head Ranger DeBraun, I presume?’

The detective stuck his hand out and shook both of theirs. ‘Welcome to Wertzville agents. Sorry you aren’t visiting under better circumstances.’

‘We get that a lot, detective. Can you talk us through how the body was found? Was it similar to the previous two?’

The detective looked at them with a tilted head. ‘Well, the missing head is pretty unique. Can’t say I’ve seen this kinda thing before the first one, has to be the same guy. This isn’t the big city, homicides are rare. This though? This I’m hoping is rarer.’

‘What I meant to ask was is the presentation of the body similar or different from the others?’ Simmons asked.

Head Ranger DeBraun answered this time, ‘I was the first responder. I’ve also seen all three scenes, it’s the same reserve. I would say this scene is pretty identical. Similar story with discovery as well. The hikers found me and another ranger doing track condition survey.

'They were pretty shaken up. There’s spotty reception here, if you’re not with the right provider, you can find yourself in dead spots that are miles wide. The couple had been trying to get help for half an hour. They’re photographer’s, they started out at 5, wanted to get an early morning shot of the creek with the low cloud that sort of thing. They found me and showed me where it was. On the way to the body I radioed it in to Garner here, cause he was on the first one.’

‘Can you point out where the body was?’ Alvez said. The ranger lead them over to the creek bed.

‘Like the other sites, bodies were right on the edge, wrapped up and left there. The second one had her feet in the water, but others were just close to the edge. All sites were on slight bends of the creeks, hidden from the trail’s view, but they’re kind of scenic points. People often venture off the track to take photos here.’

The detective walked up and pointed to the area where the evidence flags showed the bodies had been laid out. ‘The only other difference is this time there were two, but everything otherwise is the same.

See, at the water’s edge, there are no footprints that trail back toward the track, no shoe prints we can identify. Judging by that and the fact that is takes about an hour to get here on foot using the trail. I don’t think this guy was carrying them all the way. One theory we’re working with is he’s got a boat. Jumps out stands in the river, throws the bodies out and goes back the way he came. We had the dogs out here. Nothing came of that except that he came from upstream, east aways.’

‘That’s toward Summerdale, Marysville, right?’ Simmons asked.

‘Sure is, and the site there had the same thing happen when we brought the dogs out. They lost the scent down steam heading further west.’ Detective Garner shook his head. ‘Our combined police forces and rangers swept that forest cleaner than a germophobe’s soap box, found nothing.’

‘So the bodies were never in the water fully submerged, just on the edge?’ Alvez asked.

‘Nope. Just toes touching for one, but otherwise laid out on the bank.’ Garner confirmed.

‘If you want my opinion agents, it's a forensic countermeasure. This is bear country. Animals come to the water’s edge regularly to feed and drink. I guess this guy was hoping they'd clean it up. And honestly, that has me worried since we've got a big gap of time between victims.’ DeBraun surmised.

Simmons nodded, ‘I agree with you both that it’s unlikely, but if this guy was to come on foot, how long would it take him to get to a site like this from town? Is the trail connected at to where the other bodies were found on?’

‘Of for sure, the trail connects eventually. It’s all the same river, same valley, same mountain range. But there are obstacles. As the crow flies, we’re pretty close, but in actuality, going around the mountains would take a day and a half at least to get to Marysville. Each site was a over a hour’s walk away from the populated area’s entry on the trails. That’s a long time and way to be carrying a body.’

‘Any secluded places nearby here or the other sites?’ Simmons asked.

Garner laughed darkly, ‘It’s the forest. If a tree falls on you in the forest, and there’s no one around, there’s no scream. And most people 5 minutes from the town centres have acreage. It would be harder to find a busy area round here. You can see why we’re worried.’

‘I more thinking abandoned places, places nomadic types would live. Whoever did this knows the area very well. They probably spend a lot of time in the wilderness. Can you think of any caves or bunkers or ranger huts?’ Alvez clarified, looking at Simmons to see if he was also getting the same idea he was.

‘Not really. I'm aware of a cave nearby that’s inhabited, but Booboo’s not your guy. He’s got a microchip and an alibi.’ DeBraun said.

‘Booboo?’ Luke asked.

‘A bear?’ Simmons guessed.

‘Yeah. Caves are rare here. I doubt there would be one uninhabited. I doubt a human would be brave enough to live in one.’ DeBraun explained.

‘You know of any hermits living in the area?’ Alvez asked.

‘I can think of a few transients that walk the trail between towns,’ Garner said. ‘I’ll get you people a list.’

-----

Central Police Station, Harrisburg, PA, 2:23 PM

‘So the police report seems to suggest that Hope walked into the forest in the middle of the night in winter? But your testimony means that Hope was taken from her car as she drove home, and the car was dumped back at your place. So you can see why we are a bit confused, Jenny, because these are two very different stories. You want to tell us which one is right?’ Rossi asked the young woman who sat in silence across from them. She didn’t look up at them. ‘See, people don’t usually just walk into the forest at night, especially young girls like yourself and Hope. And when you say to the police that you walked Hope to her car at midnight and saw her drive off, then in the morning you call the cops because her car is still out the front of your place, it doesn’t add up. It’s a bad look for you Jenny. It implies that you know why she went into that forest and you are hiding something from us?’

Jenny fidgeted in her seat, but remained silent.

‘I don’t think you did this, because you called the cops as early as you did, but I think you’re scared that you’re going to implicate yourself or someone else by telling the truth. We know you were probably drinking underage, maybe on drugs. It was New Year’s party after all, but we don’t care about that, we need to find who did this to Hope. You need to help us by telling us the truth of what happened that night because Jenny, cause this guy is still out there, he killing other girls.’ Dr Lewis said.

Jenny looked up at that news and swallowed. Tara observed the sheen of unshed tears as she shakily opened her mouth.

‘It was a stupid dare.’ She began and her hand shook, placing down the photo of Hope she had been clinging on to face down on the table. ‘We were drunk-No, I was drunk. Hope wasn’t. She was good like that. At about 11, people started to dare people to do this thing we called 7 minutes in hell, where you give someone something scary to do for seven minutes.

‘There was a stretch of track that went past the back of the houses on my street, backed onto my yard. But you could come off the trail down the end of the street and walk back in front of the houses. It was only a 10-minute walk. After the first person got dared to do it… We all did it. In the dark, with only our phone light, we had to film it to prove we did it. We all did it, but… Hope, she was scared. She chickened out.

‘We laughed at her… We locked her outside on the porch for the rest of the party as a joke. I was drunk, and I was stupid. I told her she away plays everything safe, and she never does anything fun that she was a boring person. I told her that. It wasn’t true. Our last night together, I was such a shitty friend. I was awful to her. After that she said she was leaving… I watched her from the window walk back to the car…’

‘But you didn’t see her drive away, did you?’ Dr Lewis asked.

Jenny shook her head and sobbed. ‘It was stupid. It was my fault.’

‘So she was taken from her car off the street?’ Rossi asked.

‘No…’ Jenny cried harder. ‘I-I opened the window and told her she couldn’t come back unless she had proof she walked it.’ Tears spilled down her cheek and her voice cracked. ‘When I saw her car still there when I woke up, I knew something bad had happened. I think she, got out of the car and tried to walk the trail. She’s dead because of that stupid dare! She’s dead because I told her she was boring!’

Rossi looked to his colleague and sighed, passing a tissue box across the table to her.

‘Do you think Hope probably had her phone with her, to capture proof?

‘Yeah, she would have filmed it.’ Jenny sniffed.

‘Jenny, was anyone else missing or leave early that night?’ Dr Lewis asked, reviewing the answers she had given to police.

‘No, but I passed out about 12:30, Hope was the only one who left early.’

The same answer she had given before, but she had to be thorough, if Jenny had lied the first time, then she might have lied about something else.

‘Did you see anyone hanging around the trails before or after that night?’

Jenny shook her head ‘No. But it’s a trail. People walk it all the time. Especially the bit that goes behind our property. People go jogging there.’

‘Can you remember anything strange happening at the time? Any repair men around, surveyors, salesmen, anything like that?’

‘No.’ She shook her head again, giving no knew answers. Tara nodded and was about to signal to Rossi that they had all they could get when Jenny’s expression changed. Tara cocked her head

‘What did you just think of Jenny?’ She asked.

‘It’s stupid.’

‘Nothing is stupid, it could help.’

‘It sounds crazy, but… I heard things, from the forest.’

‘Like what? Noises? Screams?’ Tara prompted.

‘No, um… in the following days… sometimes, when I was in the yard, I thought I heard someone call my name.’

‘Why didn’t you tell the police?’ Rossi asked.

Jenny hung her head, ‘I thought it was just in my head. You don’t understand… when you live here, it’s different. There’s a saying: if you heard your name called in the woods, no you didn’t. Look people say they hear crazy things all the time, and they say there’s like skin walkers, feral people and cannibals. Strange things that happen out there in those hills. I just tried to forget it. Pretend I didn’t hear it.’

‘Do you remember exactly what the voice that called to you said, was it just your name or was there anything else?’ Tara pressed.

‘It was really weird actually, that’s why I thought it was in my head.’ She blew her nose and a look of concentration crossed her face. ‘I would hear my name. But sometimes I heard him say, “Jenny… Your friend trips inside the hill.” Over and over. She trips inside the hill. Like that’s crazy right? No one would say that? That had to be myself hearing things?’

She shared a glance with Rossi, what were they supposed to make of that? Sure it could have been Jenny’s internalised guilt manifesting in auditory hallucinations, but it could of also been the killer attempting to lure her too. And more disturbingly, the later seemed more likely.

‘Why didn’t you tell someone this Jenny?’

‘I thought I was going crazy or something. I don’t believe in the supernatural, but everyone around here is like superstitious. There are legends. You don’t have to believe them to be scared of them. I thought maybe, me hearing my name from the forest, was like my punishment. Like the forest wanted me too.’

Tara stood and opened the door, gesturing to Jenny that she could leave.

‘You’re free to go Jenny, but we’re going to need any footage you and your friends have from that night.’

‘Yeah of course, I’ll get it for you, and tell the others to do the same.’ She nodded and hurried out of the interview room.

‘If that girl would have told the truth the police investigation would have not spent a month looking at Hope’s car for evidence.’ Rossi shook his head and packed up the files.

‘It seems she’s is suffering enough,’ Tara observed. ‘She has to live with that night being the last time she saw her best friend.’

-------

Harrisburg Morgue & Coroner's office, Harrisburg, PA 1:15 PM

‘Hello all, I’m Agent Grace Matthews, I’m just here to examine you. I’ll be as quick and respectful as I can. I want to figure out what happened and who did this to you.’ She greeted the three bodies laid out on the metal slabs under white sheets. JJ shared an uncomfortable glance with the medical examiner, who Grace had unintentionally ignored on the way in.

‘I’m SSA Jareau,’ JJ shook the Medical examiner’s hand, giving her an apologetic look. ‘Dr Davis?’

‘Ah, Actually No, I’m Dr. Ganley, I’m the new coroner assigned here. Dr Davis retired last month. But I’ve gotten up to date with the case. Hope has been buried, but here is her report. We still have Jane Doe here-’ she pointed to the first one, ‘-And victims Three and Four, I’ve just finished their reports.’

‘And what have we learned, Dr Ganley?’ Grace turned to her and glanced down at the Doctor’s extended hand. ‘Oh, sorry…’ Grace extended her hand half-heartedly and avoided eye contact, focusing instead on the doctor’s hand in her own. Grace took her hand back and smiled up at the doctor, but she was met with a frown and a raised eyebrow. Dr Ganley turned back to JJ and continued talking to her.

Grace was immediately put at unease. She stared at her hand, flexing it and un-flexing it a few times. She inspected her fingers as the doctor continued to talk to JJ. It felt wrong. Grace hated physical greetings from people she didn’t know. If Covid had been good for one thing, it was reducing the number of times she had to awkwardly oblige the invasion of her personal space. But usually as a woman, and a young, timid-appearing woman, people tended to not bother. Generally, she had observed men tended to only shake hands with other men or people in charge. When women initiated handshakes, it always read as more assertive than friendly to her. Well, that was how she perceived it. But there was just something about that action Grace felt she missed. That it wasn’t just her being unreasonable.

Was it the context? It was odd that a person in the medical field would extend a physical greeting in a post pandemic world. Was it the feel of the hands? The Doctor’s hands weren’t gloved or clammy from being inside gloves recently. Fair enough, she had just been writing a report. Was it the doctor’s eagerness to shake her hand even though she gave cues she did not want to? But then again, Dr Ganley was the new coroner. Maybe she was trying to be assertive and display confidence.

‘-Cause of death was decapitation.’ Dr Ganley finished and passed a clipboard with the reports to JJ.

‘In all cases?’ Grace chimed in, looking around for a box of latex gloves.

Dr. Ganley inhaled in a shocked laugh. ‘I would say so, yes.’

‘From the photos, I noticed Hope, and Two have rough severances, indicating multiple hacks and struggle, but Three and Four have cleaner cuts.’ She spotted the gloves near the wash sink and made her way over to it and began to scrub up.

‘That is correct,’ Dr Ganley confirmed.

‘So what killed Three and Four?’ Grace prompted more directly, pulling on latex gloves.

‘I’m sorry Agent Matthews, I don’t follow?’ Dr Ganley gave her a pacifying smile with an irritated undertone as she fiddled with a gold ring worn as a pendant on a chain at her neck. Married, Grace observed. Medical professionals often worn their wedding rings as pendants so they didn’t interfere with gloves. People played with their jewellery when they were anxious. Grace felt bad. She didn’t want the doctor to feel anxious, but she couldn’t let a mistake like that go unchecked.

Grace walked with purpose over to the slab and peeled back the sheets. ‘Excuse me,’ she whispered to victims and folded down the sheets. ‘A clean cut like this indicates Three and Four were already dead or incapacitated at the time of decapitation, so what caused it?’

‘It was my assessment that the cleaner cut was due to the killer gaining experience.’ Dr Ganley huffed as she scrubbed up and put gloves on.

‘Experience doesn’t render a victim motionless while a killer hacks their head off with an axe, it just reduces the number of swings it takes. What you see between Hope and victim Two is experience, what you see here-’ Grace pointed at the distinctly different cuts between victims Two and Three. ‘-Shows an evolution in M.O.’

Dr Ganley stared at Grace incredulously.

JJ broke the tension. ‘Matthews, hey, Dr Ganley is just doing what she can. See here she has run tox screens on the new victims. If there was a sedative, we will know soon. This is still a preliminary examination, right Dr Ganley? I imagine you don’t see a lot of homicides like this in these parts?’

‘Yes, this is the first one I have encountered that is this violent,’ she sighed. ‘I am still waiting for a few reports to come back. Most importantly DNA, to check that the semen is from the same individual, we’re also waiting on toxicology, particulates from the victims’ fingernails, and fingerprints for the ID of the victims.’

JJ looked over the report, ‘So Three was killed about three days before being discovered, and Four only one day before. And then both bodies were disposed of at the same time? Are the time lines similar for Hope and Two?’

‘Hope we have the best time line for. We know she went missing on the 1st of January 2022. Her body was found January 6th 2022, at discovery she had been dead about 24 hours. Two, we don’t know how long she was held by the killer, but she had been dead for about 72 hours at the time of her body being discovered.’ Dr Ganley reported and sighed, ‘Which brings me to the sexual assau-What are you doing, Agent?’

JJ turned her head to see Grace had pulled back the sheets to the chest of victim Three and was lifting the body up, looking at their back.

‘Grace-’ JJ began in warning.

‘There’s no pooling at their back. Have you pumped them?’ She asked.

‘I would prefer for integrity of evidence that only I handle the cadaver, Agent Matthews.’

'Cadaver?’ Grace asked, somewhat incensed. She could feel herself getting worked up, but she was unsure why. She was helping. Why was the doctor irked by her questions? Grace looked to JJ’s face. JJ didn’t seem to observe any problems, so Grace had no reason to get so worked up. She took a breath. I need to be polite, trust the Dr Ganley was doing her job the best she could. ‘I apologise, doctor, if I overstepped. I just believe it’s important for our profile,’ Grace explained and gently laid Three back down. Softly apologising as she did.

‘Well, you can talk to them without touching them.’ Dr Ganley said, folding her arms across her chest.

Grace turned to stare at her. JJ eyed her with a look, as if to say, ‘Don’t.’ But it was too late.

‘I understand you might not have autopsied murder victims very often in a city like this Dr Ganely, but these women, have already been dehumanised enough, they’re not cadavers for you to practice on or poke around, they did not volunteer themselves to this. I choose to talk to the dead because that’s I how I show respect. And I know that it’s not a foreign concept to you because you’ve been taught to talk to corpses in medical school. It’s etiquette, but you obviously don’t practice it. Instead, you protect yourself by reducing these women to objects. Now, it’s okay to be nervous, it’s okay to be detached and to be clinical, but if you’re going to be disrespectful to these women or mock me for how I deal with the dead Dr Ganley, then please don’t do it around me.’

‘I didn’t mean any offense, Agent Matthews.’ Her demeanour shifted. Dr Ganley seemed to make herself smaller and her eyes watered.

‘And neither did I.’ Well, that was a lie. But looking at her face now, Grace regretted taking a tone.

JJ Stepped in between the two and smiled nervously, ‘Doctor, I’m sorry, Agent Matthews is our resident expert with mutilations and overkill. She can forget not everyone is used to the level of violence we see in our field.’ She shot Grace a chastising look. ‘Can we continue?’

The doctor smiled curtly at them both and walked between the tables, ‘To answer Agent Matthews’s earlier question. Only victim Two, has been pumped. She was embalmed after her autopsy to preserve the body. Three and Four have not been pumped yet, but Agent, the absence of discolouration from pooling is because there was no blood left to pool, which again I believe is consistent with decapitation.’

Grace bit her tongue. That was not correct. Decapitations left blood pooling in the feet and limbs, at least. For no blood pooling to occur after three days, meant complete and utter exsanguination. Perhaps the bodies had been hung upside down after decapitation.

‘Your killer also washes his victims. All of them have small scrapes and abrasions, like they were dragged over rock at some point, but getting particulates was difficult. Where there were traces of dirt and blood on the body, they have been cleaned. But that brings me to the sexual assault…’ Dr Ganley lifted the lower half of the sheet of victim Three.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JJ Stepped to the side, averting her eyes.

‘Excuse me Mam,’ Grace said.

‘What?’ Dr Ganley turned around.

‘I was talking to her.’ Grace inspected the legs of victim Three. There were no indicators of a ligature marks or anything else that would indicate the body was hung upside down. But as Dr Ganley parted her legs. Grace grimaced. She knew what the medical examiner was going to say, and it made her feel queasy.

Dr Ganley pointed with a probe as she explained, ‘They all have traces of semen. He didn’t clean them here, so I think the cleaning wasn’t a forensic counter measure. But here’s a thing we haven’t been able to tell until now with the newer bodies, because they’ve been found relatively quickly. As you maybe able to tell from the state of victims’ genitals Agent Matthews…’

‘We’ve got a necrophile.’ Grace finished in disgust.

‘Eugh,’ JJ remarked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grace moved over to victim Four’s table.

‘Pardon me Mam, I’m sorry I have to look.’ She lifted the sheet. She had to check the same indicators were on this victim. Dr Ganley hovered over her shoulder. As she carefully examined the young woman. It was very similar to the previous victim. Except for one thing. A tiny blemish caught her attention.

‘What is this here, just above the Mons Pubis and below the stomach?’ she asked the doctor.

‘What?’ Dr Ganely appeared beside her and lifted the sheet further up. ‘This here? It’s just a minor bruise. Perhaps something sustained in an attack or from bumping into a corner of furniture? It’s only superficial, but I did note it in the report. None of the other bodies had it.’

‘Can we turn the examination light on?’ Grace asked.

‘Sure.’ Dr Ganley said quietly and flicked the switch. ‘Do you want a hand lens?’ She asked, but Grace detected a sarcastic tone.

She ignored it. ‘Yes please, doctor, that would be helpful.’

A magnifier appeared in front of her and she examined the bruise to see what she expected in the centre of it.

‘This is a needle mark,’ Grace told her.

‘Really?’ Dr Ganley asked, seeming shocked. She snatched the lens from her hand and double checked the bruise. ‘Yeah, um… you’re right, yeah, it is. I’m sorry I can’t believe I missed that.’

‘Needle mark?’ JJ asked and came around the side of the table to look at it too. ‘That’s a weird spot for one. Could they have been drugged? Or would it be from like a local anesthetic?’

Grace fixed her glasses and squinted. ‘No, not likely. It’s an 18 gauge. It’s not usually used for administering drugs. If the average person were to buy a needle, they wouldn’t buy this type.’

‘You can’t tell the gauge just by looking at it-‘ Dr Ganely pulled out measure and peered under the hand lens ‘-Its… Three millimetres, which is… that’s impossible.’ She looked at the measure and double checked it.

Grace didn't do well to hide the satisfied smirk that twitched on her face.

‘Why?’ JJ asked.

‘A diameter of three millimetres is 18 gauge,’ Grace smiled.

‘No, why wouldn't a regular person not buy this needle?' JJ asked.

‘Oh, the smaller the number, the bigger the needle. This is the second biggest needle they make. This is for inter-muscular injection, administering blood, or large amounts of emergency medication quickly, this is like an ICU needle, JJ,’ she explained. And then it occurred to her what the needle would have been used for in that particular spot. She looked up at the doctor. ‘Can I probe this?’

Dr Ganley scoffed, ‘No. You’re not qualified to come in here probing stuff like you own the-‘

‘-Then respectfully, doctor, can you probe it? How deep does it go?’ she tried her best to remain polite.

Dr Ganley sighed and walked over to a tray of instruments, and picked up the thinnest probe available. She inserted it into the puncture. Her brow furrowed in concentration and after a while, the doctor pulled it back out.

‘3 Inches, then it’s through into the bladder,’ the doctor reported.

‘Well, can’t say we’ve dealt with something like this before.’ Grace frowned. ‘JJ, you may want to step out of the room.’

‘Why? What’s that mean?’ JJ looked at the probe and then Grace.

‘Dr Ganley, can you perform a dissection of the bladder right now? We need to check its contents.’ Grace gave JJ an apologetic look, knowing the next words were going to conjure unpleasant images in her mind. ‘I think this unsub externally filled this victim’s bladder with something.’

‘Oh, gross,’ JJ baulked.

‘I’ll stay here till this is done. You could go fill the others in at the station? I’ll see what Dr Ganley can find here and see if I can pull some stings at the lab to get the reports fast tracked, then met you guys tonight for the debrief?’ She suggested.

‘Sounds good,’ JJ nodded and before she left the room, nodded her head in the direction of Dr Ganley and mouthed the words, ‘Be nice.’

‘Me?’ Grace scoffed back at her silently.

‘Yes, you.’ JJ pointed and left.

---------

Next Chapter

Taglist: @bridgeoverstrawberryfields

Spencer will be in the next chapter, I promise this one was just getting to long to not split it I'm sorry. Hopefully you liked it.

If you love this story or even just like it, leave a comment, like, reblog, ask a question with Character Mail, whatever, it is much appreciated and it really motivates me.

if you want to be added to taglist please comment on this post.

TWs:

Sexual assault, Necrophilia : I will try not to be graphic at all in this story, this chapter just has it mentioned as part of what the unsub does, but at the morgue Grace does inspect the bodies, medical examiners office and the unsub is revealed to be a necrophiliac. this scene is not graphically described but if you don't want to read it, stop when you see the -------- and continue after the next set of dotted lines.

Autopsy: the whole section under time stap where is says Harrisberg Morgue... is a post mortem exam.

Slight body horror : I will try not to be graphic here, but in autopsy it is found that unsub fills Bladders externally with a injection. Again not going to describe that more than I have too.

violence, crime scene depiction: cannon typical throughout this story

kidnapping: Unsub is implied to kidnap victims and hold them for a few days.

decapitation: this is part of the unsubs M.O.

[latenightgasstationwalk]

I’m so Fucking proud of myself for getting to this point with guitar. It’s hard to explain but before I started pursuing music I had no creative hobbies what-so-ever and my father had no trouble reminding me of that every fucking day. Me and my dad pretty much hated each other my entire childhood. It was actually music that turned our relationship around. the second I took an interest in music his approach to me as a person completely changed. So that’s benefit to music #1 for me as it provided an olive branch to my father and made us mend some bridges that I genuinely thought would be charred for life. But lately I’ve been making a lot of strides that I think I’ve been waiting for since I started. I’ve pretty much stopped using tablature all together and started learning everything by ear, which I never thought I’d do, I hear music totally differently now. I hear a new song and if I like it I play it on repeat over and over again so I can preform this kind of mental autopsy of the song one instrument at a time and try to deduce who’s doing what and what chords and scales and progressions and time signatures are being used, paying attention to the “theory” aspect of every song that plays within earshot, which is something I never intended to learn or care about.

Like that Fucking lighthouse song I was talking about yesterday, I looked up some tabs and they were ass, watched a little YouTube tutorial and it sounded right but the guy was playing it in a weirdly complicated and annoying way (dudes in drop D to play a song in the key of E minor with a D Em G progression. Like why) so I said fuck it and played it on my phone and just picked out the chords how I thought they’d sound, I don’t wana brag or speak to soon, but Im very happy with how my versions coming along compared to the others I’ve seen floating around. Im excited to show y’all when it’s done >:)

Anyway. Just a self serving vanity post, glad I got into music, glad I worked hard at it for over a decade, proud of myself for not only sticking with it but trying as hard as I do every day to get better. I have no intention of ever “making music” in any capacity other than what I’m doing now. Just fun little videos that I can look back on years from now and say “damn I killed it, look at how young I was, I was handsome” it’s my version of a family photo album I guess. Looking forward to what comes next for me. I’m currently obsessed with blue grass music which is really Fucking weird considering my musical roots are comprised of bands like nirvana, rage against the machine, tool, queens of the Stone Age ect. Ect. But I’m excited to see where I’ll be in a couple years.

If you find yourself thinking that you have too much free time and want a hobby I seriously can’t recommend guitar enough. I feel like it’s an obvious hobby so most people don’t bother, or convince themselves that they “can’t do it”, but I assure you, you can. You don’t have to practice every day. You don’t even have to practice! I don’t think I’ve ever once in my life sat down with a guitar with the intent of practicing. I just pick it up when I want too and play whatever comes out. It’s never gotten old, it’s never steered me wrong, I come out of a one hour guitar session feeling like a brand new man. Like I got all the poison out. I genuinely feel it’s the thing I was born to do. But I have no intention of ever making a dollar from it, nor do I think I would if I tried, as one of my most influential guitarists once said: “when you expect anything from music, you expect too much, do it for you. Do it because you love it. If it’s meant to be the rest will come”

So that’s what I’m doing. Playing fun stuff every day, paying attention to my improvements, encouraging myself to do a little better every time I pick it up. And forever remaining hopelessly dependent on the 6 strings.

Thank you for reading♥️

[reverend-dog]

Snakebite

Dark. Close. Stifling.

It had finally happened. She was buried alive.

Like any sensible person in such a situation, she screamed and pounded her fists against her prison. Instead of the hard confines of a casket, she pummeled fabric, heavy but pliable. A body bag.

She sighed in relief, then probed with her fingers until she found the zipper. No handle on the inside, of course, but bags were never constructed with the idea of keeping the contents from escaping.

Once she had opened a tiny gap, she strained to listen. No footsteps, conversation, or clink of surgical instruments. She hoped it was after hours. Even so, she pulled the zipper open tooth by tooth, and paused again before she pushed the flap back.

Cinderblock walls painted institutional white, accented with official signs admonishing the proper care and use of equipment and “clientele.”

“Right,” she murmured, “because the customer is always right.”

She wriggled free of the bag, and frowned down at her nakedness. The only adornment she could claim was the tag tied around her left big toe. She bent and examined her right calf. The punctures were healed over, just two pink dots in the muscle. Like other scars before them, they would fade away in time. None of her mistakes or indiscretions left truly lasting marks. On the outside, at least.

Next to the table on which she had lain sat a rolling tray bearing an ice chest. She knew better, but the growling in her stomach demanded she make absolutely certain. No food, unless she wanted to chow down on the carcass of a four-foot-long taipan serpent.

“Serves you right,” she chided. “It was a public path, you could have shared. But no, you had to get all bitey.” She stuck out her tongue at the dead snake, then slammed the chest lid shut.

The autopsy room held nothing in terms of clothing, not even a smock. She peered through the small windows of the swinging doors that led to a hallway, then felt something slick and squishy underfoot. With a curse, she bent down and discovered the remains of a grape, no doubt part of somebody’s snack. She wiped the smashed fruit from her foot, then stood and pulled the door open.

A guard stood in the opening. He staggered back a step, eyes wide and mouth agape. Naturally, his eyes dipped to her chest. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

She planted her hands on her hips and threw her shoulders back. “Well?” she demanded imperiously. “You going to stand there and stare, or be a gentleman and get me some clothes?” Then she shifted her weight, pivoted on one foot, and spun. Her other foot lifted and sailed, until it intercepted the side of the guard’s head. He performed his own pirouette, then fell sprawling and still.

She dragged him into the autopsy room, where she set to work removing his uniform. “Sure hope you’re my size,” she murmured as she unbuckled his belt. His shirt strained across her chest, but everything else fit close enough. As a final touch, she hefted him onto the gurney where she had lain, and wrestled him into the body bag. She closed the flap, but left it zipped halfway.

As she made her way through the corridors, she spotted cameras at strategic locations. With a frown, she reflected it was probably time to craft a new identity. The thought annoyed her. She had called herself Lacy Hellstrom for twenty-seven years, built up a circle of friends. It wasn’t the first time she walked away from a life, but that didn’t make it any more pleasant.

“Fuck that snake,” she grumbled as she walked out the front doors of the building.

[x-neurotoxin-x]

Ight, so... I might be totally grasping at straws here but I was rereading chapter 350 and uhhh... Look at the table beside Touya's bed

We can't see everything that's on there, but those look like surgical tools, specifically tools used for autopsies, embalming, and dissections. There's a needle, several pairs of forceps or surgical scissors, what looks like a kidney tray, and several other things we can't really make out but

It's a tiny bit of a stretch but those REALLY look like surgical instruments, and with Dr. Ujiko saying stuff like this

It sounds like they literally dissected this kid and put him back together, possibly more than once if the tools are kept near by even after 3 years of being in a coma. He's also hooked up to an IV, which could imply he was being drugged.

[dr-originalsin]

Biting the Apple | Chapter One

CW: Blood, Grievous Injury, Neck wounds, blood from mouth (potential emetophobia), arm wounds (Not self-harm but could be misconstrued as)

There was no doubt about it, Akira Takanohashi, the Ultimate Debater, had been murdered.

As the shocking scene revealed itself, Yvon was stunned into silence. However, almost as soon as the Ambassador had laid eyes on the corpse, the deathly silence in the facility was shattered by the whirring of machines, the crackle of static and the voice of that unbearable computer program.

"A body has been discovered. After a brief period of investigation, you will all gather at the trial grounds to participate in the Class Trial. Please make your way to the Medical Bay to begin the proceedings."

It was then, that this terrible, awful situation became known throughout the entire Student Council. There was no confirmation on who the victim was, but in a quick and chaotic hustle, the remaining students ran toward the Medical Bay, meeting up with Yvon, and finally seeing the lifeless corpse of the Student Council President splayed out on the cot, soaked in blood.

Akira Takanohashi. For many in the Student Council, he was a beacon of hope and unifying force that would get them out of this wretched death game. To others, he was an arrogant and useless blowhard, who was flying completely from the seat of his pants. Regardless of how anyone felt about him, there was one thought bouncing around everybody's heads.

Did he deserve to die like this?

The stunned silence was soon interrupted by Yagi-chan, who was eager to say his peace before any of the students acted irrationally or emotionally.

"As predicted, one of you have proven without a fraction of a doubt that you are all representative of the original sin. It would seem that the threat of having such secrets revealed to the world was enough to cause one of the esteemed Toshiaki Student Council to take a bite from that tantalizing apple."

The screen glitched. It was eerie how it played throughout the facility, despite everyone standing in the same room.

"The metaphorical Eve stands among us, and as per the rules of this death game, you must all investigate the murder of Akira Takanohashi in order to uncover whom that may be."

In a moment, the screen glitched out, before Yagi-chan appeared with a wide grin and blush on its cheeks.

"Simply put, the Class Trial awaits us. Soon you will all argue your findings and point the finger at the student who took Akira Takanohashi's life. What a shame that he was the first to go, for the skill of an Ultimate Debater would have come in handy. Irony aside, the hammer of justice now rests in your hands."

They had to find the killer?

"And before you ask, yes, one of you is indeed the criminal that took his life. We are in possession of the footage - after all, we would not be able to make fair judgement if we were unaware. Your selfish actions have consequences. To the culprit, fight for your survival, dupe your classmates and work your way to escape. To the spotless, hunt down the villain and send them to their retributive execution."

...

"You have two hours. Proceed."

And with that, the screens blackened. Everyone in the room gazed at each other with unease and distrust. For many of them, this was the first time ever seeing a dead body - a murdered one at that. Their pockets buzzed, as their e-handbooks alerted them with some changes.

First, the group chat had been disconnected for the time being.

Second, there was a countdown on the HUD that ticked down to the Class Trial.

Third, a file opened up displaying what appeared to be an autopsy report:

The victim is Akira Takanohashi, the Ultimate Debater. His body was discovered in the Medical Bay, splayed out on the cot. His cause of death was a severed spinal cord perforated with a sharp instrument, which resulted in an instantaneous death. Akira was killed at 01:28 AM. The body has multiple other wounds beyond the killing blow. There are also traces of arsenic in Akira’s bloodstream.

This was all real, wasn't it? Akira had been murdered and the culprit was one of the Student Council. As a silence fell across the medical bay, the students had no choice but to play their kidnapper's game. But first, they had to get their initial feelings regarding this discovery out of the way. Either way, one thing was for certain:

The killing game had begun.

Task 4: Akira Takanohashi has been murdered. You must now investigate the crime and prepare to face off in the class trial.

[astrxthesiai]

💃 - dancing 🌷- taking care of plants/pets 🍛 - cooking //Any muse. (but if can't choose, then Mira or/and Miyuki

Note: I think I'll choose three girls for this one. Amaha, Mira, and Miyuki. Amaha is my Lads mc. The other two have Lads verses where they work for Onychinus.

  Amaha Hoshimiya (Lads mc)

Dancing

Amaha looked up while sitting on the couch.  “Hm?  Dancing?” she repeated the question, before thinking.  “I do dance, but I prefer not to let many people know.  Sometimes you just want to sit in a nightclub drinking and watching other people dance.  Your thoughts are overridden by the music and the people talking.”  She looked down at the surface of the table.  

“I enjoy dancing, mostly in my room by myself when I need time alone.  I would not say I’m a professional dancer, but I believe I can follow the beat and study the choreography of the original song.  I’m more into singing and playing an instrument.  When it comes to dancing with another person, I get nervous that I will step on their foot.”

She blushed.  “Grinding while dancing with a partner…”  Her blush deepened.  “I have before, but I need a few drinks beforehand.” She admitted.

Taking Care of Plants/Pets

Amaha thought.  “I’m much better at taking care of pets than plants.  I volunteered at a veterinary hospital before I applied for the Hunter Association.  At one time I wanted to be a veterinarian or a zoologist, but I don’t think I’m smart enough for that.  I heard the curriculum is very tough for both majors though.”

Amaha blushes.  “I’m not much of a green thumb, but the succulents Josephine bought me before I left to become a Hunter have thrived.  I bought some aloe vera to make my own salves for burns.  Josephine knew some recipes.”

“As for getting flowers?” Amaha thought for a moment.  “When I was very into this demon hunter game, I wanted blue roses.  So Josephine dyed some white roses and I kept them in my room.  I was disappointed they weren’t sapphire, but she explained the process for dying the roses.”

She thinks for a moment.  “I like the symbolism for flowers, and I’m not sure which flower is my favorite.  Though I do find myself getting lavender when I have trouble sleeping.  I do like to collect various flowers from flower viewing.  Perhaps make potpourri or press it into my journal.  Currently, I like gladiolus flowers.  I think it fits what I’m going through right now.  It’s a symbol of victory and strength.  Lately, I’ve been getting white gladioli for myself.”

The battles she will face will only get more grueling.

Cooking

“I used to cook a lot, but I don’t have much time anymore for baking.  I really like those games that let you cook or craft items for certain attributes in combat.  I wish that was the case in real life.  However, it is not.”

Amaha cooks Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Italian cuisine.  She is not fond of German cuisine.

Miranda “Mira” Ravenheart

Dancing

Mira looked up from studying a few photographs at her desk.  “Dancing is not really my thing, but I am well-versed in various styles including vintage.  I autopsied some dancers before to study the effects their styles of dances had on their bodies.  Absolutely fascinating, but I won’t get into the gory details.  I will say it relieves stress, but I prefer other methods.  I will say singing is one of them.”

In Japanese dub, she would have a voice like FictionJunction’s Keiko’s.

Taking Care of Plants/Pets

Mira thought for a moment, as she placed photos in a scanner.  “I don’t think I have the time for a pet with how busy my schedule is.  I think I prefer feeding the crows and ravens in the cemetery nearby periodically.  As for flowers, I prefer black flowers and herbs for possible healing salves and antiseptics.  You’ll be surprised with how much we need it here in the n-109 zone.”

Cooking

“I cook, but I’m not a chef.  It’s to survive, but I do like putting garnishes.  I’m from the West, so I prefer Western cuisines like Mediterranean, French, and Italian.  Nerissa comes over sometimes to cook gourmet food, but she is busy getting intel for us.  For the East, I prefer Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.” 

Miyuki Mochizuki

Dancing

Miyuki glanced towards the interviewer.  “I dance, but mostly it’s to mourn and celebrate the lives of those who lived under the ocean’s surface.  I’m no siren or apsaras, however, but a water dragon is supposed to be a guardian for them.”  She looked down, sadly.  “I miss their various cultures terribly.”  She looked at the sky and up at the full moon over the shoreline.  Her cybernetic cat nuzzled against her legs to comfort her.  “Otherwise, I’m busy here in the n-109 zone.”

Taking Care of Plants/Pets

“You’re still here aren’t you?” Miyuki raised a brow at the interviewer.  “You sure are persistent.”  She sighs as she sits on a nearby boulder.  Her cyborg cat jumped into her lap.  “Alright, I like flowers and pets.  I like collecting strays and buying the occasional bouquet for myself.  I quite like hibiscus and other tropical plants.  However, I’m very busy, so they wilt early before I get the chance to enjoy them.  For pets, they are very good about reminding me to water the catnip.”  She smiles as she pets her cat.

Cooking

“Cooking is more ‘Rissa's than mine.  I’ll just set everything on fire even though it’s not my Evol,” Miyuki says with a smile.  “But I prefer Eastern cuisine to Western cuisine.  I could go for some hotpot right about now, but it’s in Linkon.  However, I don’t feel like risking my neck tonight.”

She stood up as she drew out her swords, her eyes glowing.  “Can you please leave now?  You’re really cutting in on my alone time.”

Watching the interviewer run away from her.  Miyuki huffed and stared back at the horizon.  The wind picked up.

“The Boss can wait,” she said to her cat as she sheathed her swords.  Miyuki sat back down.

[global-research-report]

Unlocking Genetic Insights: The Expanding In Situ Hybridization Industry

The global in situ hybridization market size is expected to reach USD 2.55 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Situ Hybridization (ISH) is extensively utilized for research and clinical applications of diagnostics. ISH is a popular approach among researchers as it aids in determining the relationship between the distribution of specific nucleic acids and the target gene protein products. Hence, expanding the scope of ISH in applications is accelerating and leading to further research.

The increasing awareness about ISH techniques and their usage encourages researchers to employ the techniques for various applications. For instance, the CEO of MultiplexDX stated in an interview with Elsevier that FISH technology can contribute breakthrough information for early drug development and personalized treatment. A growing number of people in developed countries are opting for personalized treatment owing to an increase in awareness, thus boosting market demand.

Furthermore, reimbursement schemes being made available in developed economies have led to an increase in demand for this diagnosis. The demand continues to increase as the majority of the public can now afford it due to the recent expansion through insurance coverage. For instance, Medicare is the largest market player in the U.S., which provides care for those aged 65 years and above, irrespective of their income and medical history.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand side showcased a positive impact on the ISH market as various researchers employed the technique on COVID-19-infected cells. Research published in July 2020, considered 8 autopsy lungs, 10 kidney biopsies, and 1 placenta from COVID-19-infected patients with ISH assay and RNA probes.

COVID-19 positive results showed in all 8 lungs and the placenta by ISH, but not in the kidney samples. The assay showcases a sensitive and specific technique for detecting the virus from tissue samples. Similarly, Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Inc., introduced RNAscope technology to support COVID-19 research.

The growing strategic initiatives by the companies are anticipated to boost the ISH market growth. Key players are introducing novel products in the market to strengthen their portfolios. For instance, in March 2021, F. Hoffmann-La Roche launched DISCOVERY Green HRP chromogen detection kit to expand the multiplexing capability of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.

On the other hand, molecular diagnostics renders accurate & effective results and has indispensable applications in the field of diagnosis. However, the high manufacturing cost of FISH assays and the high amount of capital required for specialized assembly plants & maintenance of instruments used in FISH imaging are likely to limit revenue generation.

In Situ Hybridization Market Report Highlights

By technology, the CISH segment is projected to expand at the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Since the reagents used in CISH are more stable, the sample can be stored for a longer duration and can be examined multiple times

By probe, the DNA segment is anticipated to have the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Owing to the increasing incidence of diseases associated with chromosomal aberrations, such as genetic abnormalities and cancer

By product, the services segment is anticipated to have the fastest-growing CAGR between 2024 to 2030. Increasing outsourcing to ensure high adherence to quality standards and improve operational functionalities contributes to the lucrative growth.

Get a preview of the latest developments in the In Situ Hybridization Market? Download your FREE sample PDF copy today and explore key data and trends

In Situ Hybridization Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global in situ hybridization market based on technology, probe type, product, application, end-use, and region:

In Situ Hybridization Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

FISH

CISH

In Situ Hybridization Probe Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

DNA

RNA

In Situ Hybridization Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

Instruments

Consumables & Accessories

Software

Services

In Situ Hybridization Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

Cancer

Cytogenetics

Developmental Biology

Infectious Diseases

Others

In Situ Hybridization End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

Hospitals & Diagnostic Laboratories

CROs

Academic & Research Institutes

Others

In Situ Hybridization Regional Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) 

North America

US

Canada

Europe

UK

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Denmark

Sweden

Norway

Asia Pacific

Japan

China

India

South Korea

Australia

Thailand

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Middle East & Africa

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

Kuwait

Key Players in the In-Situ Hybridization Market

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

Abbott

PerkinElmer, Inc.

BioView

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Merck KGaA

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Order a free sample PDF of the In Situ Hybridization Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[skyquest-market-research]

The Growth of Forensic Technologies | Industry Forecast 2025-2032

In today’s world, forensic technologies play a pivotal role in solving crimes, collecting evidence, and upholding justice. From advanced DNA profiling to digital forensics and biometric systems, forensic technologies are revolutionizing the way criminal investigations are conducted. This evolution is fueling significant growth in the global forensic technologies market.

Let’s explore the factors driving this market, regional dynamics, top companies leading the industry, and the promising future of forensic technologies.

Understanding the Forensic Technologies Market

Forensic technology refers to the use of science and advanced technology to solve crimes and aid criminal investigations. These technologies enable forensic scientists, investigators, and law enforcement agencies to analyze evidence more efficiently, from physical evidence like blood samples to digital evidence like encrypted data on devices.

Forensic Technologies Market size is poised to reach USD 47.07 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 12.28% during the forecast period (2025-2032).

The forensic technologies market includes tools and services used in criminal investigations, ranging from crime scene investigation tools and DNA analysis systems to digital forensics software and automated fingerprint identification systems. This sector is booming due to technological advancements, the rising complexity of crimes, and the growing emphasis on scientific evidence in courtrooms.

Key Drivers of the Forensic Technologies Market

Several factors contribute to the market's growth:

Advancements in DNA Analysis Improved DNA sequencing and extraction technologies allow investigators to solve cold cases and conduct more accurate identifications. DNA profiling remains a cornerstone of modern criminal justice systems.

The Rise of Digital Forensics With cybercrimes on the rise, digital forensics is an essential tool for uncovering encrypted data and investigating online criminal activities.

Growing Use of Biometric Systems Fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, and iris scanning technologies are widely adopted for suspect identification and crime prevention.

Government Investments Many governments are increasing their budgets for law enforcement agencies, enabling them to adopt cutting-edge forensic tools and techniques.

Rising Crime Rates The global increase in crime has heightened the demand for advanced investigative solutions to handle complex cases.

For more insights, check out the sample report here: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/forensic-technologies-market

Top Companies in the Forensic Technologies Market

Several key players dominate the forensic technologies market by innovating and offering advanced solutions tailored to meet law enforcement needs. Here are some of the leading companies shaping the industry:

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. A global leader in scientific instrumentation, Thermo Fisher offers advanced DNA analysis and genetic sequencing tools that are critical for forensic investigations.

Agilent Technologies Inc. Known for its expertise in chemical and biological analysis, Agilent provides tools for drug testing, toxicology, and trace evidence analysis.

3M Company 3M offers innovative solutions for crime scene analysis, including fingerprint analysis systems and evidence collection tools.

NEC Corporation NEC is a major player in biometric systems, offering facial recognition and fingerprint identification technologies widely used by law enforcement agencies.

Promega Corporation Promega specializes in DNA and RNA analysis kits, which are critical for forensic laboratories handling genetic evidence.

GE Healthcare GE Healthcare provides imaging and diagnostic tools used in forensic pathology and autopsy investigations.

Foster + Freeman This company focuses on developing advanced crime scene investigation tools, including document examination and fingerprint recovery technologies.

Eurofins Scientific Eurofins offers comprehensive forensic services, including DNA testing, toxicology, and environmental forensics.

Forensic Fluids Laboratories A leading company in oral fluid drug testing, Forensic Fluids Laboratories provides solutions for quick and reliable drug detection.

MSAB Specializing in mobile forensics, MSAB develops tools to extract and analyze data from mobile devices for criminal investigations.

Get Customized Reports with your Requirements - https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/forensic-technologies-market

Regional Insights: A Global Perspective

The forensic technologies market is thriving across various regions, each contributing uniquely to its growth.

North America: Leading the Market North America, particularly the United States, dominates the global market due to substantial government investments, the presence of leading forensic technology providers, and advanced criminal justice systems.

Europe: Pioneering Digital Forensics Europe is a hub for digital forensics, with countries like Germany, France, and the UK adopting state-of-the-art tools to combat cybercrimes and ensure data security.

Asia-Pacific: Fastest-Growing Market The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rapid adoption of forensic technologies in countries like China, India, and Japan. Increasing crime rates and government initiatives to modernize law enforcement are driving this growth.

Latin America and the Middle East: Emerging Opportunities While still in developmental stages, these regions are witnessing growing demand for forensic tools as governments invest in public safety and law enforcement infrastructure.

Africa: Gaining Momentum Africa is gradually adopting forensic technologies, with a focus on DNA analysis and biometric systems to improve criminal investigations.

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Future Trends in Forensic Technologies

The future of forensic technologies is bright, with rapid advancements on the horizon. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain for secure data handling, and robotics for evidence collection will transform the field.

For example:

AI in Digital Forensics: AI-powered tools can analyze massive datasets quickly, identifying critical patterns and evidence.

Blockchain Integration: Blockchain ensures secure and tamper-proof evidence handling, critical for maintaining chain-of-custody in criminal cases.

Robotics: Robots can assist in gathering evidence from hazardous crime scenes, ensuring investigator safety.

Stay Ahead: Explore Comprehensive Market Insights

As forensic technologies continue to evolve, it’s essential for industry professionals, law enforcement agencies, and stakeholders to stay updated. Access the latest insights into market trends, key players, and regional dynamics in our comprehensive report.

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Take Action Now: Stay Ahead with Expert Insights

Stay informed about market trends, industry innovations, and the future of crime investigation. With the right tools and knowledge, businesses and law enforcement agencies can make more informed decisions and stay ahead in this rapidly evolving market.