UNKNOWN BENEFACTOR.

Chapter: 3

 *****

 Asher stepped into the police station, the familiar hum of activity enveloping him like a warm hug. He had cleaned up and changed in the locker room, feeling ready to start his new life. He made his way to the front desk, exchanging nods with the officer on duty. Just as he was about to head to his assigned desk, a bright smile caught his attention. Rachel, a fellow academy graduate and close friend, waved him over.

 Rachel enveloped Asher in a warm hug, her eyes shining with genuine delight. "Asher, congratulations again on surviving the academy!" Asher chuckled, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. Rachel had been a constant source of encouragement during his darkest days at the academy.

 "Thanks, Rachel. I'm still walking on air," Asher replied, his grin stretching from ear to ear. Rachel's expression shifted, her eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and worry.

 "I've got some news to share with you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've been assigned to a special operation." Asher's curiosity was piqued, and he leaned in, his eyes locked on Rachel's.

 "What's the case?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. Rachel hesitated, scanning the bustling station before lowering her voice further.

 "We're working on the serial killer case," she whispered, her eyes clouding over.

 "The one they call 'The Shadow'?" Asher asked, his eyes widened, and his mind reeling with the implications.

 Rachel nodded grimly. "That's the one. We've finally found a dumping ground, but...it's horrific, Asher. Over a dozen limbs, scattered and buried all over the place." Asher's stomach churned at the gruesome image, his mind struggling to comprehend the sheer scale of the atrocity.

 "Any leads on the killer?" he asked, already knowing the answer. The Shadow had been a ghostly figure, always one step ahead of the law. Prominent men had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only gossip and speculation. Their families were convinced that they wouldn't have simply left without a word, but the truth remained elusive, clouded in darkness.

 Rachel shook her head. "Nothing concrete. The killer is smart, Asher. They've left nothing behind, no DNA, no fingerprints, no witnesses. We can't even confirm if it's a male or female, but...we're leaning toward male. I swear they're messing with us, Asher."

 Asher's brow furrowed as he leaned in, his voice low and urgent. "What do you mean, messing with us?"

 Rachel's expression twisted in frustration. "The bodies, Asher, they're not just dumping them, they're displaying them. It's like the killer wants us to find them, to see the twisted game they're playing... the sick bastard!"

 Asher's mind whirled with more questions, but before he could pepper Rachel with them, she glanced at her watch, her eyes widening in alarm. "I'm running late, Asher. Briefing in ten. I'll fill you in later, okay?" With that, she turned and hurried off.

 Asher nodded as Rachel hurried off toward the conference room, her words lingering in his mind like a specter. A killer was stalking their city, leaving a trail of death in its wake. The thought sent a shiver coursing through Asher's veins. Back in the academy, they had dissected the case, analyzing every detail, every clue. Asher had always been drawn to the darker corners of human nature, and this case was the ultimate puzzle.

 But as he watched Rachel disappear into the conference room, Asher couldn't shake the feeling that his heart wasn't in it. He didn't want to be part of the Special Op, chasing shadows and dancing with death. The thought sent a chill down his spine. Little did he know, his life was about to become inextricably linked with the very darkness he sought to avoid.

 ***

 Asher settled into his desk, cradling his coffee cup in his hands as he scanned the morning's reports. His mind began to wander, drawn back to the serial killer case. He opened his computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he delved into the reports. The bodies found the lack of evidence, the eerie feeling that the killer was always one step ahead.

 Just as he was becoming engrossed in the reports, his phone jolted him back to reality. He groaned, picking up the receiver as he muttered softly. "Asher speaking." A pause, and then a voice replied, 'Detective Asher, the Chief wants to see you.'

 Asher's heart skipped a beat. What could the Chief want with him? "On my way," he replied, dropping the call. He rose to his feet, smoothing his uniform as he made his way to the Chief's office. His mind was a jumble of possibilities, each one more ominous than the last. Maybe someone had seen him leave the bar with Kaidën last night, and who knows what shameless entanglement they had left in. Maybe someone had followed them.

 'Fucking stop with the maybes!' he mentally scolded himself with a groan, before rapping his knuckles against the door. He waited, his heart pounding in his chest with conflicted emotions.

 "Come in!" The Chief's voice called back rather calmly. As Asher entered the Chief's office, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and worn leather enveloped him. The Chief, a man in his late fifties with a rugged, weathered face, looked up from the papers scattered across his desk. His eyes, a piercing blue, crinkled at the corners as he smiled.

 "Ah, Asher. Good morning. Have a seat." He gestured to the chair opposite his desk, his gaze flicking back to the papers for a brief moment.

 Asher took a seat, trying to decipher the Chief's expression. "Good morning, sir," he muttered, attempting to appear at ease despite the turmoil brewing in his mind.

 The Chief leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together as he regarded Asher with a thoughtful gaze. "I've got some news for you, Asher. You've been selected to join a task force." Asher's eyes widened in surprise. This wasn't part of his mental preparations of maybes.

 "A task force, sir?" he repeated as if to clarify the unexpected revelation.

 The Chief nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Missing persons, specifically children. You'll be working with a team of experienced detectives to track down these cases."

 Asher felt a surge of excitement mixed with fear. Missing person cases were always tough, but kids? That was a whole different level of emotional challenge. Yet, it was a challenge he had secretly hoped to undertake. He cleared his throat, meeting the Chief's smiling face. "Who selected me for this task force, sir?" Asher asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

 The Chief's smile deepened a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Let's just say you have a fan in high places, Asher. Someone who thinks you've got the potential to make a real difference in this area." The Chief's words hung in the air, leaving Asher wondering who this mysterious benefactor might be. "And I agree with them too." The Chief added.

 As the Chief's words resonated deep within him, Asher felt an overwhelming sense of purpose wash over him. This was his calling, to reunite families torn apart by the agonizing uncertainty of missing loved ones. For Asher, it was a deeply personal crusade, driven by the haunting memories of his own sister's disappearance. Emily, just ten years old at the time, had vanished into thin air, leaving behind a chasm of pain and unanswered questions. He, fourteen and helpless, had been forever scarred by the trauma of that day. The echoes of Emily's terrified screams still lingered in his mind, a constant reminder of his failure to protect her.

 The circumstances surrounding Emily's disappearance had always seemed shrouded in mystery. Their parents had claimed the men who took Emily were social workers, but Asher's instincts had always screamed otherwise. The silence that followed, the unspoken pact to never mention Emily's name again, had only served to deepen the wound. While his parents went about their lives as if Emily was never part of their picture, Asher cried day and night, trying as he may to find his sister, or at least to learn where they had taken her.

 But now, as Asher sat in the Chief's office, he felt the weight of his past begins to lift. This task force was his chance to redeem himself, to make a difference in the lives of missing children like Emily. And maybe, just maybe, he'd find his sister, no matter how impossible it seemed. Even if Emily should she be alive would no longer be the little girl he remembered, still the ache in Asher's heart remained, a constant reminder of what he had lost.

 The Chief's voice interrupted Asher's reverie, his words a balm to Asher's soul. "I know this is a tough assignment, Asher. But I believe you've got what it takes. You've got a good instinct for this kind of work." Asher's eyes locked onto the Chief's, a sense of determination burning within him.

 Asher's nod was almost imperceptible, his mind already racing with the possibilities. He was ready to dive headfirst into the task force, driven by a fierce determination to find the missing kids. The city was in the grip of traffickers, and lots of missing children were turning up each day, it was time to do something about it. Good as this may appear, he still couldn't shake the nagging question echoing in his mind: who was the mysterious benefactor behind his selection? It was as if they had peered into his very soul, knowing exactly what drove him. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

 Before he could articulate his questions, the Chief stood up, signaling the end of their meeting. "Report to Captain Lewis at 2 PM. She'll brief you on the details of the task force." The Chief's nod was curt, his expression stern. "You're dismissed."

 ***

 As Asher exited the Chief's office, a young officer approached him, a hint of curiosity dancing in his voice. "Detective Asher, you have a visitor waiting for you in the parking area." Asher's brow furrowed in surprise. Who could be visiting him? His social circle was limited to his colleagues from the academy, and he couldn't think of anyone who would drop by unannounced.

 He nodded his gratitude to the officer before making his way to the front of the station. His eyes scanned the crowded parking space, searching for a familiar face. And then, his gaze landed on a figure that made his heart skip a beat.

 Kaidën leaned against a sleek black car, its luxurious design, and expensive gleam a stark contrast to the humble police station. Asher's frown deepened as he approached, his eyes drawn to Kaidën's intimidating blue gaze, which seemed to bore into his very soul. The man's tall, athletic frame and messy black hair only added to his imposing presence, and Asher couldn't help but feel a twinge of insecurity about his own appearance.

 On impulse, Asher detoured to one of the police cars and used the side mirror to adjust his uniform, smoothing out any wrinkles and ensuring his badge was straight. He ran a hand through his blond-brown hair, brushing it into place before turning to face Kaidën, who was still engrossed in a phone call.

 Kaidën's eyes flickered up, locking onto Asher's as he approached. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the tension between them evident. Then, with a curt nod, Kaidën ended his call and pushed off from the car, his movements fluid and confident. "Asher," Kaidën said, his deep voice low and smooth. "Thanks for meeting me."

 Asher's instincts screamed at him to be cautious of this man, but he couldn't deny the spark of curiosity that had ignited within him. What did Kaidën want with him? And how does he even know where to find him? Asher knew for certain that he had only met this man last night, and already it was starting to look as if Kaidën knew everything about him, Asher didn't know how to feel about any of this.