Chapter - 124 - Scarification

Mason shook his head and went to the interrogation room. "Kevin, I don't know what happened to you in the past month, but you can trust us and tell us what happened. As for your son, we found a lot of old and new abuse marks on his body. He was admitted to the hospital this afternoon after a passerby reported. He was heavily injured in his head and forcibly fed overdosage of drugs."

Kevin broke down listening to Mason and wailed uncontrollably. "How is my son? Is he safe? Can I see him?" "He underwent surgery and is in the ICU for observation. You can see him. But only after you tell us what happened." Kevin was deeply conflicted and didn't know what to do. After a long internal battle, he said, "I will die if I tell the truth, but I am not afraid. Please keep your promise and save my son from them." "No one is going to kill you. You and your son will be safe with us."

"No one can save me, not even the government," said Kevin in a low-spirited voice with a smirk. "I had a happy life until my wife was diagnosed with blood cancer. I did my best to give her all the treatments to cure her, but she left me and my son. I also wanted to go with her, but she made me promise to take good care of our son. From that day on, I lived for my son. I slowly paid off the debts and was almost going back to my normal life with my son."

"I was working as a part-timer in a chauffeur service at night. One month back, I got a call from a customer to drop him off at his home as he was heavily drunk. It was around 2 am. On the way back after dropping off the passenger, I saw a few people assaulting two boys by the side of the road. I stopped the car and shouted as I neared the group that I would report them to the police. A group of men scattered away, and I went to look at the boys on the ground but found them dead."

"I was so scared and immediately dialed the emergency number for help and informed the police. I also found a small packet containing a white powder that looked like a drug. I reported every detail to police and detectives, who were present on the scene. I went in a few times for a witness report to the police station and had no idea what happened to the case after that until I got a court summons as a witness. Later, someone started to stalk my every move, and I felt insecure as I was worried about my son."

"One night, a group of men with the same burn mark who killed those two men were inside my home when I returned from work. They held my son while pointing a knife at his neck. They said I was merely an insect and would crush me and my son. They demanded that I change my testimony in court, or they would kill my son. I had to give in for the sake of my son, but they would come every night and threaten me. I had no other way, so I resigned from my job and changed my house the same night."

"My son was traumatized by the events and had nightmares every night. After shifting my house, the gang didn't show up, and I was relieved. But it was only for a few days. They found my place again and beat up my son in front of me. I wanted to report to the police but was too scared. I was supposed to give testimony this morning and decided to take my son with me so that I would request the court for protection. Those men ambushed me as I came out with my son, and I lost consciousness."

"When I woke up, I was surrounded by the police. I have no idea what happened to me as I kept losing consciousness. Those men forcibly injected me with drugs, and everything was blurred. I am sure they tried to kill my son to shut me up. My poor son!!!!" Kevin continued to cry, and Mason felt pity for the father and son pair. "What do you mean by the same burn mark?"

"Everyone who came to my home had the same burn mark on the back of the neck. It was a kind of tattoo but not inked but like scarification. It was a big circle. There were three circles inside it, and each circle had a tail. I felt it when they injected me with the drugs."

Mason tried to draw the mark on a blank paper according to his description but couldn't sketch it perfectly. 'Circles are fine, but what is with the tails?' thought Mason staring at the paper. "For now, you will be detained. I will make sure you and your son can meet soon," said Mason after a few minutes when he couldn't understand the description of the scar. "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!"

"Mike, go through the surveillance near Kevin's area and let me know when you spot the group," instructed Mason. "I am going to the hospital to talk with the welfare person. I need it by the time I return." Mason quickly drove off to the hospital.