Weather takes a turn for the worse. Behind the windows pitter pattering of rain intensifies with each minute.
Some say that the sound of rain can soothe but for me it's not working at all.
'They are dead. Why? They found them dead in the river!'
"How's that possible? I mean why?" I can't help but ask.
Shadow takes photos from me and hides them in the folder far away from my sight.
"I know it can be traumatizing for you but I needed to confirm this was your kidnappers."
Now from another folder he pulled out some documents.
"Police have already done their research on who these people are. Later I confirmed their information with my own methods."
He gives me a stack of documents. On the first page a face of a man in a cartoon t-shirt greets me. This time he is not in a Goblin mask or wet after being just fished out of the river. This time he's in a high school graduation photo with a big smile. I can't blame him for exaggerated happiness. He just graduated with honors as top student. Not to be judgmental but how does a person like that end up in this way?
"This is Cornel Paff. He graduated on the top of his school and had plans to go to ivy league college. But he never managed to even send his application letters. Week after he went missing. His family reported him as such one day later hoping that he may show up by himself. One year later he was found in the river."
To show me each person found he fan out them in my hand so just a photo on each right corner is visible.
"All five men were previously listed as missing within the last year. None of them had any recorded criminal past. They had ordinary lives, families and no debts. On all fronts it doesn't make any sense for them to join The Goblins."
I look at all their smiling faces surrounded by their families. Then the scene of kidnapping flashes in my mind. Nothing makes sense anymore.
"So why did they do it?"
"Here's the problem. All forensic evidence is pointing to them but they completely don't have the reason to do any of it. Only explanation I can think of is that they've been taken from the streets and blackmailed to join the gang. Which is a huge stretch. Most gangs prefer to slowly lure people in and gain their loyalty. They don't need people who rat them out to the police given the chance. It's all a mess."
He rake his hand thru hair hidden under the hood. Now black are sticking messy like a bird's nest.
"Have you ever seen any of these men in your life? Wait. Don't answer me right away, first look them up carefully. They might not be familiar at first but some information can jog your memory."
I didn't recognize any of them at first glance but I looked again just to be safe. Photo after photo and something indeed clicked.
In the last photo I see a salaryman with his wife and infant child. At first glance I don't recognize him but looking closer I know I met him.
"Him."
I point to the photo of that man.
"I met him once. Maybe the word "met" is too strong of a word to describe our interaction…I once stopped him from jumping from the bridge."
Shadows stops his pacing around the room and runs to grab me by the arms.
"Fucking finally something connecting together in this jumbled mess of case."
If I was sitting on a chair and not on a rock disguised as a couch I would probably fall back from a wave of enthusiasm emanating from Shadow. It's like Christmas came earlier for him this year. Not gonna lie, it makes for a funny picture.
"You have to tell me what you remember from that time! Every single detail can be detrimental."
He sat back on the couch and looked at me like a child waiting on their promised bedtime story.
I guess this is important but my memory from that time is pachy. I hope he won't be disappointed too much if nothing comes up from this.
"This meeting took place in june. I remember at least this clearly because I was helping the theater club with preparation of props for the last school show. That's why I was going home rather late around 7 pm."
From there my memory is foggy at best.
"I remember seeing this sad looking dude standing on the railings of the bridge. He was saying something about losing everything in stock and not having anything to live for. Then I remember grabbing his shorts and pulling him on the floor. If I remember this right…We talked for a while and then he called his mom to tell her everything and ask for help in standing once again on his own feet. At this point it was getting dark out so he told me to go home. He didn't want me going home in the dark. That's all."
"Which bridge was it? Was this the one on the east?"
"Yep." I nod my head in the affirmative.
"This is a great bit of information, Pipsqueak! Nothing is a coincidental in life, so you saving this man's life and leter kidnapping gotta have something in connection."
He pulls out something that looks like a phone but a much more advanced version. It's made from black foldable frame. When he taps in the middle hologram of a phone screen shows up.
"I have to pull up all recordings from city monitoring and shops from this time. Some cameras could already delete this recordings due to passage of time but Conor is an expert in recovering this type of data."
This detailed explanation makes me feel like I could participate in an investigation with them. But logicali I know I would be of no help to them.
"So how do you feel about the field trip and meeting with this guy's family?"
My eyes bulge out and I dramatically point on myself.
"I'm going to?"
"Yeah? You are our link in this mess. Maybe the family will remember you and tell us something more." He said in his duh tone of voice.
O! My! God! I will be helping in the real hero investigation. Dreams really come true!
'Alex! Chill out. Don't make a fool of yourself. If you act to stupid he may regret his decision and we don't want that.'
"O! My! God! I will be helping in the real hero investigation. Dreams really come true!" Smooth Alex, just smooth you moron.
"Hell yeah kid! This is the enthusiasm I want to see."
He patted me on the head like a silly kid but I earned that one.
"Anyways, I derailed this conversation completely in your kidnappers direction but you still have to tell me every last thing from this incident. Do you remember anything from transportation or you meet other people in Asylum?"
I completely forgot what we were talking about before. I have to give it to Shadow. He is hella thorough.
"Well, I don't remember transport at all. I woke up handcuffed to the bed but I found the key and got myself free. Then I met you and Oh! I remember. In the cabinet of the room I was looking I found a used syringe with the logo of Medico Mart? Do they have ties to Goblins?"
This throws him off. Scratching his chin he measured me with an incisive look.
"Technically they are so widespread with their assortment that it could be only a coincidence that a gang bought this brand of syringe. But maybe just maybe it's some bigger scheme…Did you take this syringe with you?"
"No, I took only a photo of it... Sorry"
He took out his weird futuristic phone and typed something on it.
"I have to write it down so I don't forget down the line of investigation. When more leads emerge some details tend to slip out."
Ding dong
"Oh! Pizza is here!" And cool and collected Shadow once again transformed into toddler on sugar rush.
" GO! GO! GO! Here's money for payment. Go on! I soo want this cheese goodness!"
His arms are flailing and voice rose an octave in excitement. Toddler indeed.
"Why me? This is your house…hideout..?Your place."
I cross my arms defiantly.
"Oh don't be stickler to formalities. If I want to get it I have to go again and apply my disguise and this is to much work if you just can pick it up."
My bottom lip is sticking out in a pout but I'm resigned to my fate.
When I open the door this is not a pizza man but someone with a laptop in their hands and eye bags weighing a ton. At this point it is more of a racoon than a man.
"Shadow! Do you really think I will one day pull out hundreds of monitoring recordings from a year ago!? Do you even know what you are asking about?" Raccoon man dreams at the top of his lungs.
Oh this is infamous Conor the hacker.