CHAPTER 3
FIRST PIECE FOUND
AMBER
03
7:00 pm
The date was a complete success. It's the best day of my life because, officially, we're dating. He offered to drive me home afterward, but I refused to let him accompany me.
7:25 pm
I'm starting to feel like someone's following me. I text my mom, asking her to come get me. I'm scared. I can't see the face of the person following me.
I start running. I yell at him to leave. I threaten him that the police are coming, even though that's not true. I check my phone... I have no signal.
My legs are giving out. I'm exhausted from running so much. I stop. I don't see him. I think I've lost him, but suddenly, he appears right in front of me.
He speaks to me.
I know who it is.
I can't believe it.
ARI
Sometimes I wonder if it really happened or if it was just a dream, like the ones I'm used to. As if my mind were playing tricks on me, confusing me. But this time it was different. It's not a matter of forcing myself to wake up or pinching myself to check if I'm in reality.
This is real.
This is dangerous.
In a matter of seconds, my life flashed before my eyes, and yet now I'm sitting in the living room of my parents' apartment, not saying a word.
I listen to Jeff's explanation while noticing their gazes directed at me, as if trying to decipher what I'm thinking. I don't know what to say. My gaze is fixed on the floor. I feel a knot in my stomach, holding back the urge to vomit. I'm still scared.
Suddenly, I feel my father's hand on my back. He pats me lightly. I stand up and cover my face with my hands.
"We should take her to a doctor, she's too pale," my father says, turning to my mother, who is talking to Jeff.
I'm doing my best to pretend I'm okay, but life seems to keep putting obstacles in my way. The worst thing is wanting to cry and not being able to. My tears just won't come.
"He'll be fine soon. It was just a scare. Besides, the police are coming soon, and you need to be there," my mother replies.
I continue with my eyes closed, my arms crossed.
—Did you hear, Ari?
"Yes," I reply curtly. What does it matter? This isn't the first time I've felt this way. I'm sure she thinks it's my fault, just like last time.
It's nothing like that stage, but even so, back then, I received help from other people... even though I wish it had been from her. Maybe I expected too much.
But I don't blame her. I thought it was my fault too.
For thinking he was my soulmate. He just slowly became corrupted, taking my love with him... until he destroyed me too.
"Can I go to my room?" I ask without looking at her, although I'm clearly waiting for her permission.
—Yes, I'll call you when Officer Garcia arrives, he replies.
I am frozen.
Policeman Garcia?
The one who was in charge of Liam's case.
Did she call him specifically?
Do you really think Liam is involved?
I feel my breathing quicken. My chest rises and falls before I find the courage to speak.
"Why did you call him?" I ask, but I notice Jeff's surprised expression. He doesn't understand what I'm talking about or why my reaction is so strong. "He doesn't have to come."
"Yes, it does have to be here. It's about your safety," my mother replies, dismissing my words.
I clench my fists tightly, holding back my anger. If I keep pushing, Jeff will start asking questions, and I don't know if I can handle his complaints about me hiding the truth from him.
"The one who attacked us is a completely different person," I try to make him understand that Liam has nothing to do with this.
"Defending that boy again... You haven't heard from him in a while. He could keep bothering you. After all, maybe he's resentful," my mother says.
Jeff looks at me, confused.
Sigh.
My mother never approved of Liam. From the start, she wanted to keep him away from me, and now she's taking the opportunity to do it again.
"What are you talking about, Ari?" Jeff asks, watching me closely. I take a step back, unable to answer.
"You don't know?" my mother chimes in. "Her ex-boyfriend. I always told her she shouldn't go out with him because I never felt good about him... and it turned out to be true."
"You never had a good feeling about him? Seriously?" I respond with frustration. "You never cared what happened. Deep down, you were glad it didn't work out because you criticized him so much for not having the same financial stability as us."
My father stands and stands beside me. He firmly grips my shoulders and pulls me away from my mother, preventing the discussion from progressing.
"You shouldn't talk to your mother like that. Calm down, you're too upset," he whispers, trying to reassure me.
Jeff slowly approaches me.
"Are you talking about Dylan?" Jeff asked.
I quickly denied.
"Dylan? Not at all! He's a great guy, not like that idiot Liam," my mom replied.
I clenched my fists, ready to approach her, but my father's grip stopped me.
"Daughter, please, there are visitors," my father said in an attempt to calm me down.
I looked directly at my mother. Her expression was serious. My eyes, on the other hand, were glassy, but, as always, without shedding a single tear.
—Why are you trying to frame him? It's been almost two years since that happened. It happened when I was 16! I'm about to turn 18, and now you're coming out with "maybe it was him," out of spite? He wished me happy birthday in high school, he even tried to avoid me because he didn't want to upset me, but you're still adamant that he's the same person he was two years ago.
"Do you think he magically changed? Do you think I'm exaggerating? Let's tell Jeff, your best friend, the one you tell everything to... except this. Let's see if he thinks the same as you," my mother replied coldly. Every time we fought, we disowned each other only to hurt each other more.
"What happened? I remember you never wanted to tell me why you broke up. It seemed to bother you, but I didn't want to ask because you were so sad at the time," Jeff said, looking at me in confusion.
"It's not the time. Not now," I replied.
I saw the surprise on his face. I knew that if I refused to tell him something, it was definitely something serious.
"You should, daughter, because you could be in danger with that boy around," my mother said, feigning a subtle tone, but letting her annoyance show.
"That's not for you to decide," I retorted. "Because it happened to me, not you. So keep your unsubstantiated comments and accusations to yourself."
My father loosened his grip upon hearing me. My mother was about to answer, but I interrupted her before she could continue.
—Don't call me "daughter" again only when it suits you. You should say it when you really mean it, but I guess that's too much to ask.
Without looking back, I walked up the stairs to my room, leaving everyone behind.
As I closed the door, I felt a deep exhaustion. My thoughts kept repeating: the boy who had chased us, the fear that he would catch up with us... My heart kept pounding.
I hurriedly took off my shoes and lay down on the bed.
Who are you? Why do you know me? Why would you want to hurt me?
"Ari, can I come in?" Jeff's voice interrupted my thoughts.
I sat up in bed and nodded.
"I always wondered what happened to you and why it seemed to hurt so much," he said as he walked into my room.
I knew she was talking about Liam. I patted the mattress next to me to get her to sit down. She leaned closer, and I tried to find the right words.
—Before I tell you this, I want you to know it wasn't because of a lack of confidence. I just didn't want to be judged. I had enough with people who did that... I couldn't bear the thought of letting you down too.
"Ari, we all make mistakes," he said, trying to comfort me.
I shook my head.
"I know I was wrong, but I didn't want to be wrong about him. I really didn't want it to end," I replied, looking at him.
Something in my gaze made his expression change. He seemed unable to believe what he was seeing.
"Ari... you're crying," he whispered, surprised.
I put my hand to my cheek. I couldn't believe it.
I felt the tear sliding down my face and opened my eyes in wonder.
After all this time without being able to cry, my tears were falling uncontrollably at this moment. And as I realized this, the pain intensified.
I broke down.
My body couldn't take it anymore.
"Did he really do something that bad?" Jeff asked cautiously.
—Yes... and, despite everything, after that... I still loved him, —I admitted.
"Tell me, it couldn't have been that bad... or could it?" she said, unable to imagine Liam as someone terrible.
I took a deep breath before saying it.
—Jeff... he... he hit me. Not always, but things happened afterwards that I couldn't even understand.
My best friend's expression froze.
Suddenly, he jumped up abruptly from the bed. His face was red with anger.
—Are you telling me you've been lying to me all this time? How the hell could you hide something like that from me?!
—How do you think I felt? I couldn't leave him, no matter how hard I tried. But what terrified me most was not having the courage to walk away from him. Because, despite everything, I still loved him.
—With help! All you had to do was find me or the girls! You have feelings, damn it! Stop acting so cold.
I remained silent.
I knew I had acted wrong, but with the help of my psychologist I had learned from my mistakes, but what happened was not my fault, but his, who was the one who raised his hand against me.
"Didn't they do anything to him? Because he's running around high school pretty freely after what he did to you," Jeff told me, as if it were absurd that he hadn't been arrested. But we're both still minors, so the restraining order was the only thing the police were able to do. "Maybe your mom's right; it wouldn't be surprising if it was him."
"It's not him! It's not his fault this time!" I quickly responded, in a tone I wasn't used to using with Jeff. I never got angry with him, but he could tell how much it bothered me that Liam was being singled out.
"Why do you keep defending him? In fact, now that I think about it, you shouldn't even exchange words with him," he said, criticizing the fact that I didn't completely distance myself from him. I kept running into him without avoiding him, but he didn't see the problem because he didn't know anything about what happened between us.
Actually, no one knew the real problem. What we kept to ourselves was my reason for not hating him. I don't know if I was in love enough to bear it, but anyway, it all ended for that reason. The inevitable always comes to light. That corrupted us.
"Because it's not right to blame an innocent person either. He doesn't even come close to me; he's not 16 anymore, and neither am I. Stop treating me like an idiot," I replied, to which he shook his head, as if he didn't believe my words.
"I can't believe you're behaving this way," Jeff told me. "But listen carefully. I hope you don't interfere with the conversation I'm having with Liam tomorrow."
—To tell him what? Hey, you were the one who attacked us? What? You think he's going to confess? Leave the work to the cops and don't mess with him.
—Now you really need to trust the cops! Because you don't want to upset your idiot ex-boyfriend, and I hope this attitude isn't because you still have feelings for him, because the next time he speaks to you, the guy will end up beaten up. I don't give a damn, because if he dared to touch an important woman in my life, I have every right to go and smash his face in. If he thinks he's such a man, he can come and raise his hand to me.
—It was two years ago, Jeff!
—Exactly! It was two damn years ago! And no, I didn't help you at all. If I'd been careful, I never would have hit you.
I got out of bed when I heard his voice break. He wanted to cry, and I had made him. I tried to slowly reach out to touch him, maybe hug him, but he quickly moved away.
—Was that too much to ask? Why do you have to be so selfish? I know you had a bad time. But aren't we supposed to look out for each other? Am I not a good friend?
—You know very well it's not about that. It's just that I couldn't even understand myself. Let alone what decision to make. I knew you'd be there for me, but my condition was so bad that, to my 16-year-old self, it was the worst thing that was happening to me.
"If it was too much for you, we could bear it together," he told me. I looked at him with teary eyes and rested my head on his chest.
—I'm so sorry, Ari.
—I'm sorry for not listening to you. I'm sorry for being so selfish. But I just got lost. I didn't know what to do because my heart was truly broken. But please, don't dwell on the past. You're with me right now, and you're all I need right now.
I felt his hands on my waist, pulling him closer, and then his arms around me in a hug so tight it left me breathless. I probably stained his clothes with my tears and my mascara running from crying.
"Ari," a different voice interrupted our thoughts. There was a knock on my door, separating us immediately. I saw the police officer's uniform and then his face. "Nice to meet you. I'm Police Officer Garcia."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ari's best friend. My name is Jeff," he said, shaking the police officer's hand with a friendly smile. His eyes were still red from having cried with me, but it wasn't too noticeable.
"Well, I'm off. I have to go home," he said, saying goodbye to me. He came over to kiss me on the cheek before leaving.
"Let me know when you're home," I said, to which he nodded before leaving the room, leaving me alone with Officer Garcia. I knew him well enough that the awkwardness wasn't a problem, but the topic we were about to discuss was.
"Did it hurt you ?" he asked, checking me for any scratches or injuries. I shook my head, showing my arms as if they were evidence that the attacker missed us.
—Your mother already gave me the description based on what Jeff said.
—Did he also tell you who he's accusing?
"Ari, we should talk about that too, about young Liam," he replied, which took me by surprise. What? Had my mother convinced him?
—Do you think he's involved? It's a joke, right?
"I thought the same thing when they called me. She knows very well it could be a possibility, but she didn't say he's guilty before coming to take note of the facts. With your mother, I received a notification from the hospital where Liam was admitted two years ago, when he was found guilty of domestic violence."
Were you notified? After two years? The case wasn't supposed to be closed.
"I need you to be discreet with this information. You can't even tell Liam anything, because he'll be in the loop through my partner, who's probably coming to his house to inform him of what was discovered," he continued. I was paying full attention to the conversation. He opened his jacket and took out a file with some papers containing the hospital test results.
Medical Report
Patient : Liam Martínez de la Cruz
Admission Date : 05/10/2023
Reason for Admission :
The patient was admitted for recurrent episodes of seizures and mood disorders, characterized by episodes of intense anger and abrupt changes in behavior, despite being under pharmacological treatment to control these symptoms.
Clinical Findings :
During the initial evaluation, signs of autonomic hyperactivity were observed, including mydriasis (significantly dilated pupils), psychomotor agitation, and episodes of disorientation. Given the severity of the patient's clinical condition, toxicological studies were performed to rule out the presence of exogenous substances that could be exacerbating the patient's condition.
Laboratory Results :
Blood tests revealed the presence of a highly toxic, illicitly used substance, which has been documented in international studies for its severe neurotoxic effects. A common pattern has been found in patients exposed to this substance, characterized by:
Paranoid hallucinations, in which the patient perceives a non-existent threat.
Intense emotional reactions, predominantly aggressive, due to altered perception of reality.
Severe chest pain, associated with the toxicity of the chemical components present in the substance.
post-intoxication amnesia , preventing the patient from remembering events that occurred under the influence of the drug.
Complete loss of control over one's actions and behavior while the effects of the substance persist, making one unable to regulate one's impulses or react consciously to one's environment.
Diagnosis :
Acute intoxication by highly toxic psychoactive substances, with severe neurological and behavioral manifestations.
Conclusion and Recommendations :
Since the ingested substance causes a complete loss of cognitive and emotional control until its effects wear off, patient management should focus on symptom control and medical stabilization. Continuous monitoring in a secure hospital setting is recommended, as well as the implementation of a detoxification protocol and psychiatric follow-up to assess possible neuropsychiatric sequelae.
Signed :
Dr. Ángel de la Barrera, Specialist in Toxicology and Psychiatry
I didn't know if what I'd just read was real. All this time, no one knew the reason why Liam had changed, not even Liam himself, and now, after two years, the truth had finally come out. Just when I thought that episode was over, it seemed like it was all over again. No, someone wanted to relive it.
"Is this real?" I asked Mr. Garcia, to which he nodded, embarrassed.
"Have you noticed until now ?" I asked, unable to believe it.
"We regret our lack of effectiveness in this case. If this report had reached me earlier, we would have taken other actions, I assure you," he said, tilting his head toward my hand and avoiding my gaze, preparing for what I was about to say.
—I know that, anyway, he hit me, I suffered, and it was difficult for me. I couldn't sleep for nights, afraid of more violence. He had attacks, but I did get help. But he, time and again, asked them for help, because he claimed he didn't know what was wrong with him. He would get frustrated with me, but I didn't know how to respond because no one had any idea what was happening to him. He wasn't a drug addict. You, more than anyone, know he was a good boy, who worked and tried to help his aunt, who was his caregiver. That's why I was so determined not to leave him, because something inside me told me there was something hidden. But I walked away, even though we were both in the hospital, he on his knees, begging me for forgiveness and seeking help. But I left him there, lying there, like everyone else did.
I threw the file in his face, which didn't faze him in the least. He didn't move. Suddenly, painful memories flooded back to me, as if they wanted to remind me of the pain, just like the first time.
—They made him look like he was a psychopath, but he had no control, the doctor said so, but no one knew anything. Instead of putting a restraining order on him and making him look bad in front of all his family and friends, he needed help to detox. You're blaming someone who was also a victim.
"The charges will be amended. The fact is that he took action against you, but not voluntarily, so his image will be cleared," Police Officer Garcia told me. "The security cameras captured a boy taking Liam's file, which was to be sent along with others. He specifically took that one to throw it away. The one I gave you isn't the original, but we contacted the doctor, who had a copy of it and assured us he was unaware it hadn't reached the police. He was very sorry about everything related to the boy, because he knew he was very young."
A boy. He meant someone young.
—When you refer to a boy, are you referring to someone our age?
—Yes, his build was that of a boy around 16 to 18 years old, but we're talking about almost two years ago. However, when comparing some things with the video of the attack, we noticed something strange: on his wrist he had a tattoo with the number 181222. In both videos, the person had the tattoo in the same place, on his right hand.
The same guy? Two years have passed, and the same person was trying to... hurt me? Was plotting something... against me? Against Liam? What was his goal?
—The same person wanted Liam to be blamed, and our theory is that the medication he was on was switched with the drug. So, every time he took it, instead of getting the expected results and feeling calm, he ended up with serious consequences, taking you along with him. But we don't understand why he attacked you. Too much time passed, and he got what he wanted. But now, what's his problem?
I felt everything starting to fall into place. It made sense, as if each piece of the puzzle had been hidden, but now they were slowly being found. I wanted to hurt Liam. Did he have an enemy? Why? I tried to remember if he'd had any fights back in the day, but he was always a quiet kid, easygoing with others.
"I hope I'm wrong in my assumption, because if I am, you, Miss Ari, would be at great risk. Have you seen the news lately?"
"Honestly, I don't watch much television," I answered honestly, not knowing what surprise would await me when I continued listening to him.
—During summer vacation, two girls were found dead in Mexico City. At first, they thought one had run away and then committed suicide. The other was declared missing but was later found buried in a forest with signs of violence. To the authorities' surprise, they had two drugs in their systems: one that was detected in Liam's body and another that immobilized them, making them see a distorted reality. I'm telling you all this for one reason: the boy who did all this is no older than 18. He acts similarly with his victims before killing them: he ingests a drug that makes them believe they're in danger, as if it were a game for him, but they never manage to escape because they don't see reality 100%. Then, he forces them to ingest the other drug to finish them off.
"None of them survived?" I asked, completely shocked. They were just a game to him, and he just killed them, like they were nothing?
—Unfortunately, no. The person hasn't been captured, but he's still in the country. If he's in Nuevo León, you could be the next victim. I don't know if I'm jumping the gun, but coincidences in these cases aren't a coincidence. And if I'm warning you, it's because I don't want the same thing to happen to you.
—But after two years? If I was his target, why didn't he do it when I was 16?
—I couldn't say. He pushed Liam away, and now if he tried to push anyone else away, he knew you were with him. There's no doubt about it. These kinds of people try to isolate their victim.
Isolate your victim.
I knew I was with him. Jeff. I knew I was with Jeff. If that guy found out about the rumors about a relationship, then the one he wanted to attack wasn't me, but him.
I walked away from Liam and fell, ending up walking away myself.
"Jeff," I said, as he nodded.
—But why? At what point did I become their target?
"Sometimes people idealize others for their physical qualities or simply for being around them. But if, when they come into contact with them, it's not what they expected, they end up doing what is most common in these cases: killing them," he said, looking toward the door, as if noticing that no one else was there.
"What worries me most is that he's already close to you. If so, you'd be in even greater danger."
"Is someone close to me stalking me?" I asked, a feeling of unease washing over me.
"I'm talking about how, for the past two years, he's pretended to be a nice person to get close to you, but we haven't even noticed. Although the cameras show a man, we can't rule out the possibility that it's a woman. But I'm almost certain it's a man."
Someone around me was wearing a mask, but there were so many names I couldn't tell if I was thinking clearly. Who was lying to me?
"If he tries to do the same thing to me as he did to the deceased girls, do I have any chance of survival?" I asked, now terrified of the next day, when I'd have to go to high school and face everyone close to me, wondering if any of them were trying to hurt me.
"Most girls don't survive, but that won't be the case with you. We're acting in time," he told me, trying to calm me down as he saw how I was shaking from all the information.
Me, being watched. Liam, Jeff, and that person.
"I want you to tell me the truth. How likely is it that I'd survive if I disappeared like those girls?" I said directly, causing him to flinch at my tone.
—Actually, miss, it would be a miracle.
A miracle... If I managed to survive, would my attempt to fight be in vain?