The morning sky was overcast as **Officer Mark**, a well-built man with black curly hair, drove a police patrol vehicle through the quiet streets. Beside him sat his partner, **Officer Hans**, both carrying out their routine patrol as they had done countless times before.
The silence inside the car was suddenly interrupted.
**Ring... Ring...**
Hans picked up the radio call.
"Officer Hans speaking."
A tense voice crackled through the speaker.
"We've received an emergency call. Possible homicide reported at 17 Willow Street. Nearest patrol unit, respond immediately."
Hans turned toward Mark.
"We've got a homicide."
Without saying another word, Mark switched on the siren.
**WEE-OO... WEE-OO...**
The patrol car shot through the streets, weaving between vehicles as they rushed toward the scene.
---
Mark slammed on the brakes.
**Screech!**
The patrol vehicle stopped in front of a small two-story house. Several neighbours had gathered outside, whispering nervously while others tried to comfort a crying couple.
Mark and Hans hurried inside.
The moment they entered the bedroom, they froze.
A young woman lay motionless on the floor.
Her face had been beaten so severely that it was almost impossible to recognize her. Blood stained the wooden floor beneath her, and the room showed signs of a violent struggle.
Hans immediately contacted headquarters.
"Requesting forensic assistance. We've got one confirmed victim."
Within minutes, the forensic unit was dispatched.
---
While waiting, Mark approached the middle-aged man sitting on the living room floor, trembling uncontrollably.
"My name is Officer Mark," he said gently. "Can you tell us what happened?"
The man struggled to breathe before answering.
"My... my name is Jack..."
He glanced toward his wife, Jen, who was sobbing uncontrollably.
"My wife and I went out to buy groceries like we always do. When we came home, we called for our daughter... Sammy..."
His voice broke.
"There was no answer."
Jack covered his face.
"I ran upstairs... and then..."
He swallowed hard.
"I saw blood coming from under her bedroom door."
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
"I pushed the door open..."
He couldn't continue.
Jen buried her face against him as both of them broke down in tears.
Hans quietly looked away, giving them a moment.
---
Nearly fifteen minutes later...
The forensic team finally arrived.
Photographs were taken.
Fingerprints were collected.
The medical examiner carefully examined the body while the investigators searched every corner of the room for evidence.
Mark slowly scanned the surroundings.
Something felt... off.
There were no signs of forced entry.
No valuables appeared to be missing.
Whoever had done this knew exactly what they were doing.
---
Hans moved toward the kitchen to continue searching.
As Mark walked through the hallway—
**Ting... Ting...**
A faint notification sound echoed from somewhere nearby.
Mark stopped.
He listened carefully.
Again.
**Ting...**
Following the sound, he knelt beside the refrigerator.
Something was hidden underneath.
He reached inside and carefully pulled out a smartphone covered in dust.
Its screen suddenly lit up.
An encrypted notification appeared.
**Encrypted Message Received**
No sender.
No readable text.
Only strange symbols.
Mark frowned.
"This shouldn't be here..."
Knowing the cyber division might recover something useful, he quietly slipped the phone into an evidence pouch.
Hans returned moments later.
"Find anything?"
Mark glanced at the phone before shaking his head.
"Nothing important."
For now, he decided to keep the discovery to himself.
---
The forensic team completed their examination and prepared to transport Sammy's body.
As the ambulance doors closed...
Mark noticed someone standing silently among the crowd.
A man dressed entirely in black.
His face remained hidden beneath a hood.
Yet despite trying to stay unnoticed...
Tears could clearly be seen running down his face as he stared at Jack.
Before Mark could approach him—
The man disappeared into the crowd.
---
With no immediate leads, Mark and Hans finished questioning the neighbours.
Hans stopped beside Jack and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"We'll find whoever did this."
Jack silently nodded.
The patrol car slowly pulled away from the house.
---
Back at the police station, Mark parked the vehicle.
"You head upstairs," he told Hans.
"I'll catch up."
Hans nodded before walking toward the investigation department.
Mark instead made his way to the Cyber Crime Division.
As he entered the room, a familiar voice called out.
"Well... look who finally decided to visit."
Mark smiled.
"Still spending your life talking to computers, Jamy?"
Jamy laughed.
"Someone has to. So... what brings you here?"
Without another word, Mark placed the recovered smartphone on the desk.
"I found this at today's crime scene."
Jamy picked it up, examining the cracked screen.
"Hmm..."
He turned it over in his hands.
"It's encrypted."
"Can you get into it?"
"I probably can," Jamy replied, "but it'll take some time."
Mark nodded.
"Call me as soon as you find anything."
"You've got it."
Leaving the phone behind, Mark turned and walked out of the cyber division.
Neither of them realized...
The phone contained the first clue to a mystery that would soon shake the entire city.