Chapter 393 — Framed
Officer Hobbes had once been the police department's golden boy.
The department had deliberately promoted him as a heroic figure—someone meant to boost public confidence in law enforcement and inspire morale within the force itself.
And now this happened.
The media didn't care whether Hobbes had been defending himself.
They didn't care whether the shooting had been justified.
All they cared about was that the police department's "hero" had shot someone in broad daylight.
The contrast was explosive.
To the media, it was like starving sharks smelling blood in the water.
If this had involved an ordinary officer, the situation would've been simple. With so many witnesses confirming self-defense, the officer probably wouldn't even face suspension and could return to work the next day.
But Hobbes was different.
Every station in the city was reporting on the incident nonstop.
The matter had already escalated into a public relations nightmare.
If it wasn't handled properly, even the higher-ups above the commissioner would come crashing down in anger.
"The victim was a teacher," Hobbes's superior complained while rubbing his temples and pouring himself another cup of coffee. "From what I've heard, he was well respected too. How exactly am I supposed to deal with this mess?"
"He shot first," Hobbes replied coldly.
"I know that," his superior said immediately. "Plenty of witnesses saw it happen."
"But there's a problem."
He sighed heavily.
"The gun he used had no bullets in it."
"Or rather… it only had the first round he fired. And that round was a blank."
"The weapon itself was also unregistered. Completely untraceable black-market gun."
The superior's expression darkened.
If that detail leaked to the public, the situation would become even worse.
A handgun without live ammunition wasn't really considered a lethal threat anymore—at least not in the eyes of the media and public opinion.
Compared to knives or other weapons, people would argue the danger level was lower.
He could already imagine the headlines:
Police Hero Executes Innocent Civilian!
Trigger-Happy Cop Murders Teacher!
The internet would explode overnight.
People always preferred believing the version of events they wanted to believe.
And most people loved judging incidents from the comfort of hindsight—standing safely in an all-knowing "god's perspective" after everything was already over.
None of them would consider Hobbes's actual situation at the time.
A man had aimed a gun directly at him and fired.
Was Hobbes supposed to gamble his life on the assumption that the gun wasn't loaded?
His superior understood that none of this was truly Hobbes's fault.
But understanding didn't solve the political disaster.
And to make matters more troublesome, the victim had been a longtime teacher.
An educator.
Someone with social standing, reputation, and influence.
That background alone guaranteed public outrage.
The superior had already made inquiries.
The dead teacher had an excellent reputation, got along well with everyone, and was widely respected.
He absolutely did not fit the image of some crazed gunman who would suddenly attack a police officer in broad daylight.
The school where he worked definitely wouldn't let this go quietly.
They would demand answers.
The superior genuinely couldn't understand it.
Why would a respected teacher point a gun loaded with nothing but a blank round at a police officer?
Was he trying to commit suicide?
Or was someone… setting Hobbes up?
Because honestly, suicide was the only explanation that barely made sense.
In America, being a police officer was considered a high-risk profession. If an officer felt their life was in danger, the law gave them the right to use lethal force immediately.
"Tonight, we continue covering the shocking incident involving Officer Hobbes, who shot and killed a local mathematics teacher. Police have yet to officially confirm the victim's identity. Witnesses also claim that after the shooting, Officer Hobbes pointed his weapon at an innocent young girl…"
The television continued broadcasting the news.
"Why did you do that?" Hobbes's superior asked while staring at the TV screen.
The footage being shown was shaky cellphone video recorded by a bystander at the scene.
The clip captured the exact moment Hobbes aimed his gun at the girl possessed by the monster.
In reality, Hobbes had only pointed the gun at her for a little over ten seconds before regaining his senses and lowering it immediately.
But after media editing, the footage became something entirely different.
The broadcasters intentionally stretched out the scene, even freezing the frame on the moment Hobbes aimed the gun—completely cutting out the part where he lowered it moments later.
It was malicious editing designed to stir outrage and generate attention, pushing Hobbes directly into the center of public condemnation.
The police department's situation became even more difficult.
It almost felt as though an invisible hand was manipulating everything behind the scenes—deliberately targeting both the department and Hobbes himself.
"I… I was framed," Hobbes said hoarsely.
At this point, he had more or less figured out the monster's goal.
The teacher he shot…
The blank-filled gun…
All of it had been carefully arranged in advance by that thing.
"Framed?" his superior sighed. "Forget it. I already spoke with the victim's wife."
"They were only married four months ago. She's pregnant. He also just got a raise recently."
"There's no possible motive for suicide."
The department couldn't use "suicide by cop" as an excuse to appease the media.
"Hand over your weapon," the superior finally said. "I'll arrange a hearing as soon as possible."
Hobbes was officially placed on paid suspension in an attempt to quiet public outrage.
"People need an explanation," his superior continued seriously. "And if arresting you becomes necessary to satisfy public opinion…"
He paused.
"Even if I don't want to do it, orders from above will come down eventually. Prepare yourself mentally."
"I understand," Hobbes replied quietly.
"I hope this blows over soon. Don't cause any more trouble. For now, leave the station."
With that, the superior took his coffee and returned to his office.
At that moment, another officer suddenly rushed into the room.
"Another murder scene's been discovered! Just like Hobbes said!"
"Where!?" Hobbes's pupils shrank instinctively as he stood up.
"Hobbes," his superior stopped him immediately, placing a hand on his shoulder. "This case is no longer your responsibility."
"I…"
Only then did Hobbes regain his senses.
The superior personally led the team out to investigate the scene.
Hobbes stood there silently, watching his coworkers hurry around the station.
After a long pause, he slowly removed his service pistol and badge, placing both on the desk.
"You had no choice," his partner said quietly while watching him. "You did what you had to do. You weren't wrong."
"I know," Hobbes replied bitterly. "But that doesn't matter anymore."
After a pause, he added:
"If possible… send me the case details afterward."
"I will," his partner promised before grabbing his coat and rushing off to the crime scene as well.
Hobbes left the station and climbed into Dean's car.
"What happened?" Dean asked.
"I'll explain back at the hotel," Hobbes said tiredly.
But when they returned, Frank and Sam were already there, sitting at the table and studying the books they'd found in the mountain cabin.
"You guys got back early," Frank said in surprise.
"Something happened. Didn't you watch the news?" Dean asked.
"No…" Sam replied as he casually picked up the remote and turned on the television.
(End of Chapter)
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