Chapter -3 (pt-1)

There were grumbles followed by the entry of a strong medic on the ground. Emily Hayes was very strong about her opinions. No matter what, she will not compromise on anything, even if it is someone older than her.

“I cannot let you around this body and contaminate it with that disgusting thing. You have already ruined a part of my crime scene.” She frowned, pointing at the dumpster.

“There is nothing that will keep me attentive right now except this.” He pointed at the smoke in his hand.

“A man needs his sanity.”

“And I don’t feel sacrificing the state of the crime scene is important for that man’s sanity.” Her eyes went back to the clipping board, and she went back to writing.

“Emily Hayes, must you fight with me with every moment you get?” Alex grumbled. He was irritated but somehow. Instead of being overbearing like he is to the others, she went silent. There was a subtle softness in his tone as he spoke with Emily. The grumbling was still there, but the softness did not move away.

“Now, can I get some information on the dead body?”Alex almost scolded her, but the tone was down.

Emily watched him from the corner of her eyes and then went back to writing. “The body has only one stab wound caused by a small sharp knife. It was the main reason for him to bleed to death.”

Her hand pointed to the gaping hole in the victim’s body, making everyone’s eyes follow. “It is interesting that he lay here silently without struggling much. Someone with a good amount of strength must have put him down and subdued him.”

Emily sighs as two more people wearing scrubs come over and transfer the body to the bag. “I will have more details when I take him to the lab.”

“Is there anything else then, then? I believe we all understand this state of the body can only be done by the knife kept there.” Alex was frustrated, as he stated. Emily got up slowly as they took the body and carefully put it in the black body bag and pulled the zip up.

“I am no psychic; I cannot find any other cause without checking first. You have to meet me in the lab.” She rolled her eyes and put the pen back in her pocket. She put the notepad in her large coat pocket before facing Alex.

“All I can say is he was stabbed and did not struggle much, for there were hardly any marks on the body except for the wrist grab.”

She sighs as she watches the ambulance leave the area. “It is highly possible that the victim accepted his fate and let the killer stab him.”

She sighs and watches Alex. “Still, that is something that is a speculation. We cannot say anything without any further tests. Do something worthwhile; catch this lunatic this time.”

Emily sighs as she walks to the ambulance. Her head ducked as she entered the car with the body. One of the bravest things Alex thinks about this is to ride with a dead body here.

Alex sighed as he watched the woman. There was a soft spot for Emily in him. Of all the others, he wants to bend for her. Even Orion noticed the change in this man.

“What are you thinking of?” Orion suddenly appeared beside him.

Alex flinched a bit with the sudden appearance of his partner. “What are you thinking right now?”

His eyes were squinted with suspicion.

“I am thinking how late we are going to be at this crime scene!” Alex’s voice was raised with the statement, and he made a sharp turn, making others jump in the process.

“There is nothing wrong with the timing; you are the one who is making everyone late,” Orion stated as he took the last sip of coffee and threw it in the trash.

Samantha came forward; she had the cigar still in her hand hidden. Alex’s eyes sparkled when he saw it. “It is what I need in lists. I believe I will be able to get the stuff here right now.”

Samantha jumped with the words of Alex. She skipped a bit and kept on skipping, or more like shaking on the legs, as she talked to Alex.

“There is a possibility it is the work of 100 faces, but there is still the reason why he has done this. The 100 faces are supposed to have a motive for his killings. All we know of now. Is our victim was killed by stabbing, and he did not struggle much.” She rolled the phone screen, taking it out and ensuring the details as she spoke.

“I am confident it is the 100 faces.” Alex interrupted her in the middle as he took the cigar and lit it up.

The cigar was back in the middle of his lips with the smoke starting to move up. Alex took some big puffs and relaxed. Cigars have been his favorite thing to cool down for a long time now. The place was zooming in his eyes as Alex watched the place. His eyes lingered on the ambulance for a bit and then changed to the place where the body lay.

“We are making it look like the 100 faces, but there can be another 100 faces. Or someone is trying to mimic his work. I mean, this is a little bit too quick for pointing hands.” Orion added, trying to be reasonable, that the rush his partner did just with the possibility of the killer being 100 faces was pretty good, but there is still the possibility someone is making this killing with the intent of getting their revenge done in the middle of the killings done by the 100 faces.

Orion expected Alex to argue him down, but there was nothing like that. Alex slowly closed his eyes and started to walk again, studying the scene. Samantha moved with him, trying to note down his words, using her fingers fast to click on the transparent glass.

“I would like all the photographs of the scene, and I want to know more about the victim. Give me his full file.” Alex kept walking as Orion’s eyes followed him and Samantha tried hard to note the words. Orion watched the place where the mask was kept.

“If this is the 100 faces, this only means the cold files will be open.” He murmured, but there were no officers around him to listen. Alex came back to him walking.

He motioned to Orion. “I have a gut feeling this is done by 100 faces, but the question is who made him do it.”

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The sound of flashes and reporters came into their ears as Alex led the one. “This has happened before, Alex; people pretended to be 100 faces only to exert their petty revenge.”

Orion cleared his throat as he rubbed his nose, trying to hide the movement of his lips from the reporters. It is said that they even zoom their cameras close to the faces of the detectives and try to record what they are saying to make reports. Alex, on the other hand, did not care about the people with the cameras.

“They can shine their gadgets on my face as much as they want; I will tell them to fuck off!!!” He made sure to mouth the words.

Orion sniggered, “You are making this appear on national television, you realize that, right?”

“That is exactly what I intend to do to these no-good flashing idiots.” Alex took a few more puffs before climbing inside the car. He took the usual driving seat on the other hand.

Orion took the next side. As he walked over to the passenger seat, his eyes moved from one reporter to the other. He watched them trying to zoom in with the lens. The new equipment is a handful for common people, like them. Nothing is hidden anymore. Their hands tried to pry and push as much as they could through the police trying to keep them at bay.

“Do not create a scene here, or we have to complain.” One of the officers moved the baton above his head and threatened the reporters only to be recorded by the reporters in the show. Another officer quickly came over and held his baton.

“You do not create a problem for the officers here. Keep it down; those reporters can’t enter without putting a fine on themselves.” The young officer quickly put it down.

“Sorry, sir.” The other one warned him with a finger close to his eyes.

“Take care; they will try to trigger an action from you for news.”