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Some time before...
A lightly illuminated figure staring outside the window sighed, clicking their tongue about the heavy and unexpected weather. The figure silently cursed himself; being informed about the weather was a habit, but due to distressing work circumstances. They weren't able to know.
*Knock!* *Knock!* Two heavy knocks disrupted the figure's chain of thought. "Come in!"
"Still stewing about that warehouse massacre, Micah?"
"Yes, Soon. Thirty dead while the rest are either comatose or missing. This case has more questions than a game show host." The exhausted detective, Micah, remarked while lighting a cigarette.
"Hey, that's not allowed."
"There are no civvies around, shut up."
The smoke lingered inside as Detective Micah relentlessly scratched his head. "There were no signs of another party, no witnesses, no footage, and no significant evidence for the biggest case this year," the brooding detective frustratingly added.
"Everyone wants answers, but we hardly know where to look."
"NBI and NICA are stumped. They had a lead, that old executive that was recently released, but that turned out to be a stump. That old bog is dead," Detective Soon commented, waving the smoke away.
Detective Micah massaged his temples, unable to comprehend the level of complacency and corruption. "Why did they even release him? How was he even released? I refuse to believe we are that corrupt and incompetent. What the fuck were the judges and higher-ups thinking?"
A frustrated chortle escaped Detective Soon. "To be fair, he wasn't exactly released. He just paid bail and was awaiting trial," he added, crossing his arms.
"You know, I actually don't mind him dead. One more drug dealer in the ground isn't such a bad thing."
Detective Micah kept quiet, unflinching about the remark.
"Did you see the sketch? The supposed one-man raid in that compound?" Detective Soon added, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah, I saw it," Detective Micah replied, recalling the sketched figure.
Detective Soon smiled since they had a lead, albeit weak. "It's the same M.O. Some random masked guy comes in and beats everyone up."
"Then, the victims claim that there were.... superpowers involved," Detective Micah added, flicking away the cigarette in a half-opened window.
"It's the same thing with that Baron guy, that sex trafficking ring, that loaning office, and the compound. Possibly the warehouse too." Upon Detective Soon's remarks, a single name popped up in Micah's thoughts.
(Frizz Jay Sadies... If only Baron didn't go into a coma, this would've been way easier.)
"Remember that tall guy? The one who had a hit on his head and ruined his date? I think he knows something. He's our only lead for now, and we don't have a lot of time."
Detective Micah nodded, agreeing. "If I have to guess, he has something to do with all this, but the cartel is unexpectedly protecting him."
"As expected. If they want someone dead, they'll do it themselves, not leave it to the police or government. Don't expect any cooperation from them" Detective Soon added, his years dealing with organized crime syndicates turning him cynical.
The detective lit up another cigarette, stress levels rising. "I don't think that Frizz is the target. He's way too clean."
"Maybe," Detective Soon somewhat agreed, pulling out a phone. ""No past criminal record or offenses, most probably just mixed up with someone who pissed off the cartels."
The two detectives agreed as a single loud thunderstrike caught them off guard, snapping at the window. They glared at each other before eventually laughing. "It's not even five PM yet..."
One hour later...
The two detectives arrived at the convenience store via a police cruiser. However, disappointment then soon enveloped the two upon seeing the locked metal shutters and a half-submerged road.
"Do you know his address?"
"In the police form, his number and address were blank, only writing down a name and email address."
Detective Soon scratched his head as he remembered something. "Didn't he tell you the location of that motorcycle he nabbed? The one near his house?"
Detective Micah shook his head. "No, it was in an empty lot, parked with other motorcycles, and I wasn't there. I just told some beat cops to take it as evidence."
*Shhnk!* The metal shutters opened from the inside, revealing an elderly man, the owner, Mr. Sim. The two detectives then promptly exited the vehicle and marched forward despite the hard rain, soaking both of them and ruining their dapper uniforms.
They'd forgotten their umbrellas.
"Mr. Sim?" Mr. Sim turned, spotted the two soaked detectives, but didn't speak.
"We're here for Frizz. Frizz Jay Sadies. Is he here?"
Mr. Sim scanned the two. "Is he in trouble?"
"We want to ask him some follow-up questions."
Mr. Sim massaged his stuffed belly, feeling content. "You're not going to find him here. I sent my employees home due to the weather. There were no customers coming in anyway."
The two detectives stared at each other—another difficulty. "Do you know his current address?"
"I don't know where he lives specifically, but I know it's a bit away from here. He lives on Rose Street, apparently near a mechanic shop." Mr. Sim answered, losing interest since he wanted to relax while watching the stormy sky, not answer questions.
"Also, I don't think he went home. Frizz was with another employee of mine, Yani Espe."
"Do you know where they went?" Detective Soon asked, but Mr. Sim just shook his head.
"Thank you for your help." The two detectives thanked Mr. Sim for the help as they defeatedly stared at their distant patrol car, another race to get in before fully soaking themselves.
Some time later...
After some tedious legwork, questioning, snacking, and futilely waiting for the weather to let up. The two detectives finally arrived at the location, Frizz's house. They were about to ring the doorbell, but the radio crackled on.
"Attention all units. A reported shooting incident near Cavata Elementary School, Cavata. Repeat, shooting incident near the school. No suspect description available. Civilians reported hearing gunshots but no visual confirmation. All available units, respond immediately. Over."
The two detectives were surprised yet prioritized the emergency. "Copy that, Dispatch. This is Detective Micah and Detective Soon. We're nearby and en route to the location. Requesting backup and EMS on standby. Over."
With that, the two detectives promptly left and sped away.
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The residents of the house the detectives had arrived at and quickly left were aware of the interruption. Notably, Weng and Ryan.
"The hell were those two doing here?" Weng mumbled, confused, sipping coffee.
"What's wrong?" Ryan, the little brother, asked, curious.
"Nothing! Why aren't you asleep!? Go!"
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The two detectives arrived at the scene with already several people crowding the abandoned school. Fortunately, the abandoned school had plenty of trees and ruined covers from the harsh rain.
"I got your back," Detective Soon added as Detective Micah carefully marched forward, toward the suspicious classroom. The one that several onlookers pointed at, claiming that they saw several flashes.
The two detectives spotted several unconscious people on the ground as they entered the classroom and hurried to check on their vitals. Carefully checking each one. "They all have a pulse!"
"Call for the ambulance now," Detective Micah ordered as Detective Soon hurriedly ran outside.
*Cough!* *Cough!* A disheveled, injured man coughed, coming to his senses and spotting a uniformed person. "Fuck..." The man bellowed. His day went from bad to worse.
"Who did this?" Detective Micah asked, not wasting time.
The disheveled man knew it was all over and thus indulged the question. "A man and a young girl did this to us, ambushed us."
Detective Micah perked up upon hearing the word 'ambush.' "Did this man do anything strange?" The detective asked, brows furrowed.
The disheveled man chuckled and coughed. "Stopped my bullets... they all just fell to the ground," he replied, almost in disbelief.
The distant wails of backup and an ambulance were heard. The detective asked another question. "Describe this man! What did he do!?"
"Tall, masked, bullet proof, and poisoned me. As for the girl, she knocked most of us out." The disheveled man replied, still feeling the wave of nausea, and slurred his words.
Ten minutes later...
The unconscious men were laid on the stretchers and hurriedly carted towards the ambulance despite the harsh weather. Several police personnel had already blocked the area and urged the bystanders to go home because of the stormy weather.
Detective Soon spotted his partner, already deep in thought. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, concerned and curious.
"Frizz is missing along with a female coworker," Detective Micah muttered, pausing briefly. "Yani... is a girl's name, right?" he asked, unsure.
"Yeah, it should be."
"Now, Frizz goes missing along with a girl, and coincidentally another masked beating occurred, and this time there's a woman too."
"We're wrong. We have to be! Frizz has to be the center of it all."
Detective Soon unconvinced but open to the idea. "Maybe it's a coincidence?"
"My gut is telling me that it's connected. The guy who woke up first said that the man who beat him was tall, masked, and apparently stopped the bullets mid-air."
Detective Micah added, expression souring. "That, and he poisoned him, somehow."
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