Chereads / Demon Mask / Chapter 2 - Case-37

Chapter 2 - Case-37

Both Tobey and the Marshal burst inside the door of the Municipal Department of Criminal Investigation, also known as MDCI. The way the two of them entered there was similar to a wolf hunting their prey. Both of them had glazed eyes and they seemed quite tense.

The marshal explained the situation to Tobey, which got the man utterly interested in what was going on. That was possibly the first time that they had concrete proof of the real culprits of the series of kidnaps that were happening in that city.

"I am starting to get confident, boss," a short man with even shorter hair appeared all of a sudden holding some sheets containing the report of the last hours of investigation. They were working so hard on that case, that reports constantly came every hour. Their department had sheets all over the place. Wherever you stepped, you would end up catching one of them.

"Good job, agent. Be sure not to take a rest until you don't finish the freaking report that I asked you to do five hours ago! I also need you to make contact with those numbers I gave you if I am not wrong," the marshal said as he took that sheet and didn't even bother to look at it. He just gave it to Tobey, continuing to walk across the department.

Without complaints, though he had a few, Tobey began to read what was written there.

His eyes got wider every second as he read the contents of that sheet.

"Are you saying that we really got them this time!? We will really get out of this freaking department and do something useful!?"

"Just say out loud what is written on these sheets, agent!" the marshal shouted, getting impatient.

"In resume, there is a trustworthy journalist that is covering this case from close. He wasn't exactly searching for this but ended up finding out that there was a series of kidnaps happening at a certain point in the city, and the spots where the cases happened weren't aleatory at all. In a closer and more detailed inspection, he could grasp the region where the kidnaps were happening and connected it with the last cases that we had.

"This person is influential enough to have the contacts of powerful people, so he found out that there was something strange happening at an orphanage near Monza street, number 67, near a supermarket."

The marshal nodded his head in agreement.

"That's self-explanatory. However, there is more, I am sure."

"Well, there isn't any proof about the orphanage at all. In truth, our agents went there and nothing out of place was found, except by the founder of that place, which is someone already known in our investigation."

Both of them got to a huge board containing a flowchart with many photos, sheets, papers, and so on. Everything was connected by drawn lines, colored yarn, or pins. It was so huge and complex that just the agents working on that department would be able to tell the meaning of all that scheme.

Tobey approached that board and pointed to a specific man that was connected with a lot of different images, pieces of the daily paper news, and pictures of children with a red X on them.

"This guy isn't our number one suspect. He definitely isn't the person behind the kidnaps. However, he knows something and is related to it to some extent. He might have been receiving pressure not to open his mouth, or maybe he is cooperating more than we think. In any way, though he isn't the culprit, he is an accomplice. If we find them, we will start a straight line to our kidnapper for sure!"

"Exactly, Tobey. You are as sharp as always. Now, the final part of the report..."

"He is the founder of that orphanage... and visits it once per month, every first day of the month. It means that he may drop around there today!"

The marshal smiled, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Since you deduced all of it and seem prepared, let's go out there and get that guy!"

****

"We are searching for this guy for nearly half a year now. I feel like we can finally make our first celebration after six months' worth of countless hours of hard work and stress," a man with almond eyes, light brown hair, and a solemn expression said as he took a bite of a cereal bar in his hand.

Tobey looked at him for a brief second before turning his head to look at the streets. It was late at night and they were parked under the light of a lamppost. Thankfully, they could choose a spot to park where it would seem that they were people who lived in the apartments around that place or were just visiting.

The orphanage was located in a neighborhood very easy to use as a disguise. Their car wouldn't stand out as well.

"I think that you are going too far, Roger. We still need to get this guy. And he isn't exactly the person that we are searching for, you know? There is a lot more that we can discover about this case. The real culprits are way deeper in this underworld."

Roger rolled his eyes.

"You never take breaks, huh? Not even a single word of appraisal or celebration coming for you. It's always like this. You are starting to look like the marshal, honestly. You weren't like this back when Case-37 wasn't ongoing yet. Time changed you, man... Or, rather, work changed you."

Tobey put both his hands on the steering wheel, looking into space.

"I am just worried about the city that I was born in, okay? After all, that's why I chose to be a detective. I ought to fulfill my duty. People are depending on me... on us."

Roger sighed, looking at the car's roof before rolling his eyes towards Tobey again.

"That's why you are tiring out yourself so much! You are always trying to be the hero, the main character! Things don't work like this, Tobey! Not everyone depends on you."

Tobey rubbed his eyes, trying to maintain his focus on the street at the same time as he talked with his partner.

"I know it, but... I am just obsessed with solving this case. I can't go home with my heart beating so... so painfully like this. I won't rest in peace until I can't do this."

"You are taking it personally, huh? Very well, we talk about it later. Someone is approaching the orphanage right now!"

Tobey looked at the side of the street opposite where they were parked. A figure, indeed, was walking near the place where the orphanage was. They seemed to be taking a look around and confirming if anybody was seeing them.

Tobey and Roger stayed silent, holding the lock of their doors. They were prepared to get out at any moment.

"Wait for a little," Tobey warned. "We need to be sure."

"I know," his partner simply said.

They waited until the man passed by a lamppost. Although he was wearing very discreet clothes, after seeing his face and eyes several times every day through pictures, Tobey wouldn't mistake that guy.

Once both of them verified that it was him, they left the car faster than a lightning bolt and walked hastily toward that man while holding their gun firmly in their waist.

"We are agents of the MDCI. We need to ask you some questions!" he shouted, which drew the attention of the man, who raced right after, going back the way he just did.

"Son of a...!"

"That's not time to complain, Tobey! Run!" Roger said as he drew his gun and ran after the guy.

Tobey didn't waste not even a second more at the same spot. Using all his energy provided by the several cups of coffee that he had, he ran after the suspect.

'I won't get caught in this mouse and rat endless pursuit. I need to be clever!' the detective thought.

Tobey didn't follow suit on the suspect, leaving this task to Roger. Instead, for some seconds, he paid attention to what course they would take, then took a shortcut through an alley immediately.

His steps echoed across that humid and closed space as he ran with all his might. The poor illumination nearly made him fall to the ground from time to time, but he could manage to keep his balance regardless of how hard it was to run there.

'I need to get there in time or this strategy will be wasted. It's a one-time thing!'

Once he got to the other side of the alley, he grinned inside his mind, though his serious expression kept unwavering.

He poised himself in front of the suspect and pointed his gun at him.

"You are sieged right now! Stop or I will shoot right in your f-"

Before he could finish his statement, the man suddenly acquired absurd speed and dashed forward way faster than before.

Tobey wasn't even able to pull the trigger as the man approached him and launched a fist on his belly, making the investigator bend his body forward and nearly fall to the ground. The strength of the punch was such that he even let his gun drop, which made it shot due to the impact.

He wasn't willing to let it go without payback, so he turned behind and held the suspect by his collar, trying to pull him back, but the strength of that mysterious man showed to be way superior to Tobey's.

"Let go...", he said in a hoarse voice as he took Tobey by his left arm and easily dodged a punch that was coming from the right.

'T-This bastard!' Tobey thought before the man kicked his legs, sending them to the air. Tobey fell on his back and lost air in his lungs.

The suspect ran again afterward, leaving him behind before killing him. It looked like he was concerned about getting seen by anyone else.

'That freaking son of a bitch! I am not letting him run away! Not today! Even if I need to crawl towards him, I will...' Tobey kneeled on one knee, trying to get up completely, but was interrupted once he saw something that disturbed him.

'Roger...'

When he looked behind, he saw his partner lying on the ground, a pool of blood forming under his body.

"Roger!"