The Pattern of Death – Pieces Begin to Align

Location: HQ – 7:43 PM, Intelligence Meeting Room

The faint hum of the projector filled the dimly lit meeting room. The ceiling lights were half-dimmed, casting long shadows across the table, where five agents had taken their seats. Papers rustled. Pens clicked. The tension was coiling into something thicker, denser, more dangerous.

Kiaan stood at the front, one hand on the table, the other holding the remote. The screen behind him blinked to life—three faces appeared in grayscale, one by one. Innocent. Vulnerable. Dead.

Kiaan's voice rang clear—sharp and loaded with urgency.

"Everyone. Eyes here. What I'm about to say isn't just another case briefing. This is war."

The first image—Maya Bishop, 18.

> "This was the first victim. University freshman. Found in an alley behind her dorm. Face down. Limbs twisted… like she was dancing mid-air. No signs of alcohol. No signs of drugs. Not a single defensive wound. She didn't fight—she followed. Willingly."

Rehaan's jaw clenched. Tara scribbled furiously on her notepad.

Click—second image. Victor Gable, 20.

> "Second victim. Abandoned subway tunnel. Kneeling. Eyes wide open. Throat slit cleanly. No struggle. No trace. He was trained—military-trained. And he still couldn't defend himself."

Dev muttered, "Jesus…"

Click—Isaac Drewe, 21. The screen flickered, showing the body hanging in a greenhouse, arms outstretched like a puppet.

> "Rooftop greenhouse. Suspended by wires. The message left behind—'The puppets dance until their strings are cut.' This isn't just murder. It's psychological execution. Someone is curating death."

The room went cold.

Kiaan turned to the team, his eyes scanning each one.

> "They all had one thing in common. A seminar. Military-led youth initiative for international cooperation. Last summer. Private. Anonymous firms. Not on public record. Someone scrubbed this detail off official files. Intentionally."

Tara lifted her head, eyebrows narrowed. "Means someone with real clearance is behind this."

Rehaan leaned forward. "Or someone trained inside the system. Who knows what to hide and how to hide it."

Kiaan nodded. "Exactly."

He paused, then turned to Zid—who sat quietly, arms folded, watching. Observing.

> "Zid. I need your insights on military training programs—for both girls and boys. The killer isn't targeting based on gender. He killed two males and one female. Which means boys are the main targets. Probably between 19 and 23."

Zid raised a brow but stayed silent. Listening.