Morning came slowly after the rainfall.
The rain had stopped, but the city still felt uneasy. News channels repeated the same headline again and again. Lucian Vale, escaped from high-security custody.
For most people in the city, it was just another frightening piece of news. For Aren, it meant something else entirely.
Aren stood in the small kitchen of his apartment, staring at the television while the report repeated. Three murders. A missing serial killer. And a police department that no longer trusted him.
He switched the television off. For a few seconds the apartment became completely silent. Suddenly a the doorbell rang, Aren opened his apartment door, and saw Veydrick. A faint smile took over his restraint face. Aren welcomed Veydrick inside.
"How are you doing?" Veydrick asked. "I am fine...Aren smiled and continued "...I am also thinking of visiting my mom, since I am going to be free..." "ohh great" Veydrick replied. After a still moment, Aren asked: "How is Mirelle doing?"
"She is missing you, Aren" Aren smiled faintly.
"Do you want something?" Aren asked
"OH no no I came here to check on how you are doing, and yeah it is a great idea to visit your mother"
An hour later, Aren stepped off a bus in a quieter part of the city. This district was older. Small apartment buildings lined the street. Flower pots sat on windowsills. A bakery on the corner filled the air with the smell of fresh bread.
It felt far away from police sirens and crime scenes. Aren walked down a familiar street and stopped in front of a modest building.
He rang the bell, after few seconds, the door opened. His mother stood there, surprised.
"Aren?" He smiled faintly.
'Hi, Ma"
Her expression immediately softened.
"You should have told me you were coming."
She stepped aside so he could enter.
The apartment looked exactly the same as always, Small, Neat, Comfortable.
Aren sat at the kitchen table while his mother poured tea.
"You look tired, Are you okay, My dear" she said.
"Did something happen?"
Aren shook his head slightly.
"Just work, Ma"
She gave him a knowing look.
"You've been saying that since you were twenty." He couldn't help smiling a little.
She sat down across from him.
"You're still investigating things, aren't you?"
Aren didn't answer immediately. His silence was enough.
His mother sighed softly.
"You always think the whole city is your responsibility."
Aren looked down at the table.
"Well, Someone has to care na Ma"
She reached over and gently squeezed his hand.
"Just don't forget to care about yourself too."
Later that afternoon, Aren walked through the city again. His visit had helped calm his thoughts. But the murders were still there.
Three victims. Three locations.
He pulled out his phone, and checked the map he had drawn. The locations formed an odd triangle across the central districts. That couldn't be coincidence. Someone had planned this carefully. Very carefully.
Across the street, a man sat at an outdoor café table. A newspaper rested in front of him. But he wasn't reading it.
His eyes were focused on the man studying the map.
Aren.
Lucian Vale watched him quietly. Up close, Aren looked different from the reports Lucien had read, Less arrogant, and More tired.
But, looking at Aren, Lucian already understood what type of man Aren was. He knows it just by seeing how people react around all and selective people.
Aren was a Sharp minded person, now that nobody can stop him, Persistent, Dangerous to underestimate.
Lucian smiled faintly.
"So that's the man who shot Slovar."
He leaned back in his chair.
"He looks strong but kindhearted, let's see how he reacts...."
Aren suddenly looked up from his phone, still for a moment, Something felt strange. Like someone had been watching him.
But when he looked around the street, nothing seemed unusual. People walking,Cars passing.
The café tables were nearly empty.
Lucian had already stood up and walked away.
By evening, the city lights had begun to glow again. And somewhere in the darkness…
Two different minds were already moving toward the same mystery.
A killer building patterns.
An investigator searching for them.
And a genius observer waiting for the right moment to enter the game.
From the rooftop of a nearby building, Lucian looked down at the city streets, murmuring softly to himself.
"Let's see how long it takes you to notice the real pattern, Officer Aren."