"Normally, you never invite me out. What's the special occasion?"
Alicia asked as she sat at the bar. She tried to hide it, but she was clearly happy to be alone with Bazt.
Maybe this would be the last time—because based on Alicia's behavior, Bazt was considering killing her.
He had brought with him a vial of top-grade poison, ready to use it on her at any moment.
"Nothing really. Work's been slow lately, and I thought a few drinks between colleagues might help us unwind. Plus, you never take a break—you should breathe a little."
Alicia's eyes lit up. She never imagined Bazt cared about her.
Of course, he didn't.
But that's what she felt.
"Hey, Alicia. Can you handle strong drinks?"
It was a dumb question, technically. Bazt knew very well that Alicia couldn't hold her liquor. But it was a way to expose the truth.
"Of course I can. I'm an expert," she answered with a smug tone.
She raised her hand and confidently ordered two Old Fashioneds from the bartender.
[This girl will do anything to impress me.]
Maybe it was all part of a plan—to earn his trust and betray him later.
That was the thought running through Bazt's mind just before the bartender handed them their drinks.
Alicia took the first sip without hesitation. It was long enough to seem bold, but short enough to fake experience.
"So, lately you haven't left your office. Why's that?" — First question.
"Well… I've been working on something outside the force. It's the main reason I became an officer."
Bazt listened carefully as he took a sip of his drink. Now it was time for the second question.
"Oh, I see. Can I ask what it's about?" he asked without taking his eyes off her.
Alicia didn't answer immediately. She swirled the ice in her glass and took another drink.
Her pupils dilated, and her cheeks began to flush. A full minute passed in silence before she finally replied.
"Maybe... I can tell you. Since it's you."
She stared Bazt in the eyes, her gaze heavy.
That was the kind of answer Bazt had been waiting for. One small mistake from this girl, and she'd be a corpse by tomorrow.
"My parents were murdered. I don't know who did it, but there's one thing they all had in common. The killer marked their bodies with a Z and a 0."
Bazt took a long sip from his glass. He was prepared to hear anything—but he never expected Alicia to be connected to Zero.
Alicia, already under the alcohol's influence, glanced at Bazt and gave a faint smile before continuing.
"I haven't been able to find much. There aren't many similar cases… but I swear I'll catch that bastard."
She downed the rest of her drink and slammed the glass hard on the bar, her voice trembling with anger.
Bazt was just as pissed.
He hadn't expected to hear Zero's name. Just hearing it was repulsive.
Zero was part of an assassin group. A twisted brotherhood that killed in unison.
The organization was called The Black Clowns, and it consisted of eight members.
It used to be ten—until Bazt killed two of them.
Back when Bazt was still an active killer, Zero had approached him, inviting him to join the Clowns.
Bazt laughed in his face. A real assassin shouldn't work in teams. Shouldn't leave evidence behind.
The Black Clowns marked him as an enemy from that moment on. They started sabotaging his hits, trying to kill him, haunting his every move.
They were the second reason why Bazt became a detective.
He was going to hunt down the remaining members.
And kill them one by one.
Zero was no exception.
The moment Bazt figured out how to catch him, he'd leave the man's dismembered corpse for the forensics team to pick up.
"I see… I promise I'll help you find that killer. We should get going," Bazt said, rising from his seat.
Alicia followed, though she couldn't help but stumble slightly from the alcohol.
Bazt offered his shoulder, letting her lean on him as they walked together toward the exit.
Her eyes were half-closed, her body completely relaxed in his guidance.
This was the final test Bazt needed—confirmation that Alicia wasn't the one he was looking for. The trust she placed in him was simply overwhelming.
He had to admit it: he felt very little for the girl. He could kill her at any moment without a second thought.
But even so… feeling the warmth of someone who cared for him—it was oddly comforting.
Manipulating the emotions of such a veteran officer might be useful in the near future.
Afterward, Bazt brought Alicia to her home and made sure she was tucked in and asleep in her bed.
If Margaret had witnessed the scene, she would've had several strong opinions about her boyfriend.
But what could she say? In the end, it was just a loving murderer making sure his fellow officer got home safe.
***
"Shit… So it's not Alicia either… That son of a bitch is playing with me."
Bazt muttered to himself as he stepped out of Alicia's house. He had spent an entire day hunting for the hidden rat—but still had no success.
He headed back toward his car, planning to return to the office. Maybe the culprit had left another note behind.
"What's that?"
Bazt's voice dropped as he spotted a note stuck to the windshield of his car. He didn't remember it being there before.
He pulled it off and read the message—this one made his blood boil even more:
"Be careful… or I'll catch you."
Bazt couldn't help but grin, a twisted smile creeping across his face.
So the mouse wanted to play.
But they had made one mistake—and Bazt had caught it.
[The note was placed recently.]
Which meant the culprit was still nearby.
Following that clue, Bazt headed toward the nearest alley.
"Oh? So he really showed up, just like they said."
Bazt was greeted by three masked men—and a fourth standing at the alley entrance.
He was surrounded.
And yet, Bazt felt nothing but joy.
These weren't the ones who left the note—but they worked for the person who did.
"Perfect. Looks like I'll finally get to that bastard."
Bazt didn't flinch. Calmly, he slipped on his black gloves—the same gloves he used for killing.
"I only need to kill three of you… and keep one alive."
He grinned, malicious and unshaken.
Time to kill again.
Right beside Alicia's house.