The next day.
In the parking lot of the East End Detective Bureau.
Early in the morning, there were already seven or eight police transport vehicles with Washington state plates parked.
Clearly, after confirming that the three suspects were wanted criminals from Washington state, the East End Detective Bureau had immediately notified the local authorities to come over.
Since the case occurred in Washington state, the trial and prosecution would naturally be handled there, necessitating their transfer.
The case had caused a significant stir.
Moreover, these three fugitives, responsible for taking lives, had been elusive, undoubtedly putting immense pressure on the Washington state police recently.
After a formal thank you.
The Washington state police loaded the three fugitives into the transport vehicle, waiting for further court proceedings.
Or rather.
Waiting for the day the death sentence would be handed down.
...
At that moment.
In the office of the Chief of Detectives at the Detective Bureau.
Derek looked at Ethan and Miles in front of him, sipping his coffee and said appreciatively.
"Lucas briefed me about yesterday's arrest operation, and I've got a pretty good handle on what went down."
"So, Ethan, I really have to commend you."
"To pinpoint the suspects under those circumstances, halt the operation in time to prevent the fugitives from getting spooked."
"And to maintain your cool, drawing out the other two fugitives' hiding spots, that takes some serious mental fortitude!"
"Really, well done!!!"
"Scoring the first-ever perfect score on the entry test, you've definitely got something special."
"And Miles, you did great too, pulling your weight in yesterday's operation."
"Capturing three federal fugitives is definitely a major achievement, so I've been giving it some serious thought."
At this point.
Derek paused for two seconds, then continued, tapping on his desk.
"In a bit, you two are going to sign your full-time contracts, moving from interns to probationary officers."
"Normally, every new full-timer goes through a year of probation, but given your contributions to this arrest."
"Ethan, you'll only need a three-month probation before you're fully vested and armed, and Miles, you'll be cut down to six months."
"Also, the Washington state police have a reward, so each of you will get a $500 bonus."
"Don't think it's too little now."
"After all, catching criminals is part of our job, so the bonus won't be huge."
From any perspective.
The rewards given by the East End Detective Bureau were indeed substantial.
Early full-time status, shortened probation period.
These are real benefits, not just pie in the sky or mere encouragement.
The $500 bonus is also a very tangible reward.
Ethan and Miles exchanged glances and simultaneously saluted.
"Thank you, Chief Colt."
Derek waved his hand, indicating they didn't need to be so formal.
"It's just reward for merit, you've earned it, no need for thanks."
"And I remember..."
"You two are still sharing an apartment, right? If commuting is a hassle, you could move into the Detective Bureau's dormitory."
"The dorms are empty anyway, and living there would make commuting and handling various duties more convenient."
"During this probation period, you two should also think about whether you want to focus on frontline detective work or forensic science."
"In any case."
"The importance of forensic science is just as crucial as frontline detective work."
"Alright, that's all for now, you guys can get back to it."
After finishing his speech, Derek didn't look back at Ethan and Miles again, instead focusing his attention on the thick stack of case files on his desk.
Just as Ethan was about to step out of the office, Derek suddenly seemed to remember something important and quickly looked up to continue.
"Right, Ethan."
"I heard from Lucas that you have a knack for catching the details in a case, so I'm going to give you an extra task."
"When you have some time in the next few days."
"Take a look at the case files from the Gotham University dismemberment case that happened 20 years ago on May 13th, see if you can dig up any new clues or intelligence."
"Of course, it's an old case, so just do your best."
"It would be great if you could find some clues, but no worries if you can't."
"Because this crime was executed too perfectly, leaving virtually no critical clues to follow."
Clearly, this brutal and notorious cold case, unsolved for twenty years, had become a nagging issue for Derek.
Otherwise, with so many unsolved cases, he wouldn't have specifically mentioned this one, hoping that Ethan, with his exceptional talent for solving cases, might find something in the files.
At the door, Ethan paused.
Hearing that he was to analyze this infamous case, not just in Gotham but across the entire United States, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and anticipation stirring within him as he nodded in understanding.
"Understood, Chief Colt."
"I'll review the detailed files of this dismemberment case right away and see if I can uncover any new leads."
...
After leaving Derek's office.
Miles, who had been too nervous to say much earlier, immediately became excited as they walked down the corridor, punching the air with his fist.
"Damn, Ethan, we really owe you big time this time."
"I can't believe I get to skip the internship period, go straight to probation after graduation, and only have to do it for six months!"
"This is freaking awesome!"
"If the other guys in class knew, they'd be green with envy, because this seriously cuts down a lot of time!"
"While everyone else is still interning, we'll already be armed!!!"
"Hey."
"Ethan, do you think I should focus on frontline criminal investigation or lean towards forensic science?"
Since college.
Miles had always looked up to Ethan, and their years of friendship meant he didn't need to be too formal about sharing the credit.
Moreover, Miles asking Ethan to help choose a focus showed just how close they were.
Ethan looked Miles up and down, then sighed regretfully, "Miles, man."
"I think you should let go of frontline criminal investigation. From what I've observed over the years..."
"You're just not cut out for it, but you do have a knack for working with city surveillance systems and various forensic technologies. You could really excel in that area."
"And the key thing is, forensic tech also gets you a gun, which should satisfy your wish."
This made Miles pause for a moment, about to argue about what it meant to lack investigative talent.
Then he remembered how Ethan had single-handedly unearthed those three fugitives the day before.
After a brief silence.
He sighed, looked up at the ceiling camera, and muttered to himself, "Well, if it's watching monitors, then it's watching monitors."
"As long as I get a gun, that's all that matters."
While Miles was talking to himself.
Ethan had already returned to his desk, logged into the internal system, and pulled up the files from the twenty-year-old Gotham University dismemberment case.
As the loading screen finished.
Looking at the thousands of pages of electronic documents, Ethan narrowed his eyes and murmured, "Let's see just how 'perfect' this twenty-year-old cold case really is!!!"