Operation Blackout (1)

The fluorescent lights in the police station buzzed faintly, casting a harsh glow on the cold metal table in front of Ethan. He sat stiffly in the interrogation room, his fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on his thigh. Rose was in the room next door, her voice faintly audible through the thin walls as she spoke to a different officer.

Across the table, Detective Carter leaned forward, his sharp eyes studying Ethan's every move. "You understand, Ethan, this isn't just a random incident. Lisa's death… it's not something we can sweep under the rug." His voice was calm but carried a weight that pressed on Ethan's chest.

Ethan nodded. "I get that. But I've told you everything I know. She was alive the last time I saw her."

Carter didn't break eye contact. "You were the last person Lisa was known to interact with before she was found...like that."

Ethan's stomach churned at the memory. "I didn't kill her," he said firmly, though his voice betrayed a hint of desperation.

"Then help us understand. Was anyone acting strange? Did you hear anything out of the ordinary?"

Before Ethan could respond, the door to the interrogation room creaked open, and another officer stepped in, whispering something to Carter. The detective's expression darkened.

"Stay here," Carter instructed, standing up abruptly and exiting the room.

Ethan slumped in his chair, his head spinning. From the next room, Rose's voice rang out louder for a moment: "I've told you already, I was asleep when it happened!"

Meanwhile, in the hospital, officers questioned Aaron. His face was pale, his arm in a sling, but his usual cocky demeanor was replaced by a hollow gaze.

One officer leaned in closer. "Aaron, you need to tell us everything. Did you notice anything unusual at your house before the incident?"

Aaron swallowed hard. "I… I don't remember much. There was… chaos. Screaming. Blood everywhere." He looked away, his voice breaking.

The officer pressed further. "What about Rose? Or Ethan? Did they seem off to you?"

Aaron's jaw tightened. "Rose… she's always been a good girl. And Ethan? He's harmless.

Back at the station, Ethan's door opened again, and Detective Carter returned, this time with Rose in tow. She looked unbothered, her arms crossed as she sat beside Ethan.

"Ms. Rose," Carter said, folding his arms. "You seem remarkably calm for someone who just witnessed what can only be described as a massacre."

Rose shrugged. "Panicking won't bring Lisa back, will it?"

Ethan stared at her, his unease growing. "Rose…" he muttered under his breath, but she didn't look at him.

Carter slammed a folder onto the table, making both of them jump. "Here's what I think," he said, glaring at them both. "Something doesn't add up. You're not telling me the whole story."

Before either of them could respond, a loud crash echoed from somewhere in the station. Shouts erupted in the hallway, and officers scrambled past the room.

"What now?" Carter muttered, storming out to investigate.

Ethan turned to Rose, his voice barely a whisper. "Rose, what's going on?"

She finally looked at him, her calm demeanor cracking slightly. "You don't want to know, Ethan."

But he did. And deep down, he feared the truth would be worse than he could imagine.

Meanwhile..

The room was silent except for the soft hum of the fan overhead as the old man sat trembling, his wrinkled hands gripping the edges of the interrogation table. The officers exchanged glances, unsure whether his story was a product of trauma or something far darker.

Detective Carter leaned forward, his voice steady but firm. "Sir, take a deep breath. We need you to start from the beginning. What exactly happened that night?"

The old man nodded shakily, wiping the tears from his eyes. "It started with that boy, Ethan. I saw him wandering near the parking lot. He looked drunk, like he had lost his way. I hit him with my stick to get his attention, and he snapped out of it, muttering something about needing to leave. So, he left."

Carter jotted down notes. "And after that?"

"I went home," the old man continued, his voice breaking. "My wife, Maria, was waiting for me. We had dinner, talked about small things...about the weather, about our son. Then, just as I was about to go to bed, I heard screams from my son's room."

The old man paused, his face contorting with pain as fresh tears spilled down his cheeks. "I ran upstairs and… and I saw his wife. She was… she was eating him. Ripping him apart with her teeth like some kind of animal."

The room fell into a suffocating silence. Carter's pen hovered over his notepad. "You're saying your daughter-in-law was attacking your son? Eating him?"

The old man nodded frantically. "Yes! His blood was everywhere. I couldn't move. I was frozen. But when she looked at me, I ran. I ran back to Maria, screaming for her to help. I went to grab my gun, but—"

"But what?" Carter prompted, his tone sharpening.

"My wife," the old man whispered, his voice trembling. "Maria… she shot me. In the shoulder, in the knees. She smiled, Detective. Like she had been waiting for this moment her entire life."

The officers exchanged uneasy glances, but Carter kept his focus on the old man. "What happened next?"

"They dragged me to the living room," he continued, his voice hollow. "I was sure I was going to die. But then… the TV turned on."

Carter frowned. "The TV?"

"Yes," the old man whispered, his eyes wide with terror. "A girl appeared on the screen. Her face was… twisted. Her smile… sinister. She didn't say a word, but it was like she was controlling them. My wife and my son's wife...both of them...suddenly turned on each other. They started stabbing each other, laughing while they did it. I… I passed out after that. When I woke up, they were both dead, and the girl on the screen was gone."

Carter leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "And you're certain this girl was on the TV?"

The old man nodded. "Yes, Detective. I swear on my life. She wasn't human."

Carter closed his notebook slowly. "We'll look into it, sir. For now, we'll make sure you're safe."

But as the old man was led out of the room, Carter couldn't shake the unease creeping up his spine. A girl on the TV controlling people? It sounded absurd.

And yet, as he thought back to Lisa's mutilated body and the strange calmness of Rose, he couldn't deny that something about this case was far from ordinary.

Detective Carter walked into the sleek, dimly lit office where Mrs. Lila, the FBI officer in charge, sat behind a polished mahogany desk. The air in the room was heavy, laden with the tension of a case that made no sense.

Mrs. Lila stood, her sharp, tailored suit accentuating her commanding presence. Her short, neatly tied hair and piercing eyes revealed a woman who left no room for nonsense. She gestured for Carter to sit, her voice calm but firm.

"Detective Carter," she began, folding her hands on the desk, "what do we have so far? Let's piece this madness together."

Carter cleared his throat, placing his notes on the desk. "Here's what we've gathered, ma'am:

Ethan:

He was seen late at night in the parking lot by Mr. George. He appeared drunk and disoriented, raising questions about his state of mind. While Ethan claims innocence, his presence at the scene makes him a person of interest. Suspicious, but not enough to arrest him outright."

Mrs. Lila nodded, tapping a pen against her notebook. "Continue."

Rose:

Carter hesitated for a moment. "She claims she didn't witness anything because she was asleep. However, she was with Aaron, who suffered severe injuries. Despite the horrifying events, Rose appeared unusually calm and composed during the interrogation. Almost… detached. Her behavior doesn't align with someone who went through such trauma. Highly suspicious."

Lila raised an eyebrow. "Either she's hiding something or she's much tougher than she looks. Keep going."

Mr. George:

"An honest man," Carter said firmly. "A Park gaurd with a clean record. He's the true victim here. He lost his wife, son, and daughter-in-law in the most grotesque way imaginable. He claims to have seen his son's wife exhibit signs of cannibalism and mentions a mysterious girl appearing on the TV. Given his background, I don't think he's lying. But…"

"But?" Lila prompted.

"But his story is… difficult to corroborate. The girl on the TV sounds like something out of a horror film. If he's telling the truth, we're dealing with something beyond our understanding."

Aaron:

Carter sighed. "He's in critical condition. We couldn't interrogate him properly. All he said was that Ethan and Rose are good people. But his injuries tell a different story. Something brutal happened that night, and we can't rule out foul play from anyone."

Mrs. Lila leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she absorbed the information.

So, to summarize:

"Ethan and Rose are suspicious. Mr. George is credible but might be losing his grip on reality. Aaron is incapacitated, and we're left with more questions than answers. Did I miss anything?"

"No, ma'am," Carter replied.

Lila stood, pacing slowly behind her desk. "This case isn't just about a few murders. Something bigger is at play.

A pattern, perhaps. I've seen cases like this before...isolated, strange deaths that defy logic. We'll need to dig deeper, Detective. Start with Ethan and Rose. If they're hiding something, I want to know what."

"Yes, ma'am," Carter said, standing to leave.

Before he reached the door, Lila called after him. "Oh, and Carter?"

"Yes?"

"Don't dismiss Mr. George's story just yet. The truth has a way of hiding in the most unbelievable details."

Mrs. Lila was a tall, athletic woman with a flawless olive complexion and striking, piercing hazel eyes.

Her figure was both strong and alluring, with sharp features that radiated elegance. Her movements were purposeful and confident, exuding authority, while her low, smooth voice commanded attention.

There was a subtle, undeniable allure to her presence, but it was her firm, no-nonsense demeanor that truly left an impression.

Mrs. Lila stood with a steely gaze, her eyes scanning the files before her. She folded her arms, her expression unwavering. The room seemed to grow heavier with her presence, as if every detail was being meticulously calculated.

"Let the mission begin,"

she said, her voice cold and determined, signaling that the investigation was no longer just a case to be solved..it was now a pursuit with no room for error.

Blackout..