Karon sat in her apartment, a glass of water in hand, staring at the shadowed corners as if they might betray her copycat's whereabouts. The fight with him had left her shaken in a way that she hadn't expected. Her cheek still ached, a dull throb that was both a reminder of her mistake and a call to action. He'd escaped, and not only that—he'd seen her face. And she'd seen his.
It was unusual for Karon to feel rattled. Her kills were typically clean, precise, and entirely under her control. But this one, this mystery copycat, had managed to leave her off-balance, forced her into unfamiliar territory. She hated it, the feeling that someone was out there, mirroring her moves, studying her just as she was studying him.
She tightened her grip on the glass, forcing her mind to stillness. The memory of his face flashed before her eyes: sharp features, a look of defiance mixed with admiration, almost as if he found joy in testing her limits. And then there was the thrill in his voice when he'd taunted her, as if her very presence had been a source of amusement. He had dared to treat her like some kind of twisted entertainment, and that, she could not forgive.
A knock on her door jolted her out of her thoughts. Karon put down her glass and moved cautiously to the door, her hand hovering over her weapon. When she looked through the peephole, she saw Jade, her partner from the force. His presence caught her off guard—she hadn't expected him to drop by unannounced.
She opened the door a crack, keeping her voice casual. "What brings you here?"
Jade flashed a quick smile, though his eyes were serious. "Thought I'd check on you. You seemed… different lately. Figured something was up."
Karon's fingers twitched on the door handle, but she forced herself to relax, adopting her usual calm expression. "I'm fine. Just the usual workload, you know how it is."
Jade studied her, his eyes lingering on the faint bruise on her cheek. "You don't look fine. You look like you've been in a fight."
Karon let out a dismissive chuckle. "Got into a scuffle with a suspect last night. Nothing I couldn't handle."
Jade's expression darkened, his gaze unwavering. "A scuffle? You don't get into 'scuffles,' Karon. Something's going on, and if it's related to work, I'd like to know about it."
She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she took a step back, allowing him to enter. Closing the door behind him, she weighed her options, carefully choosing her words.
"There's a… situation I've been dealing with. Someone who seems to think they're clever, like they can play games with me." She kept her tone light, casual, as if she were merely sharing a curious detail of her day.
Jade raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Someone on the streets?"
Karon nodded, keeping her eyes steady. "They're dangerous, and they know their way around a fight. It's nothing I can't handle, but… they're proving to be annoyingly elusive."
"Need help?" Jade's voice was earnest, his loyalty apparent.
For a brief moment, she considered the offer. Jade was trustworthy, skilled, and could be a valuable ally. But she knew she couldn't risk anyone getting too close, especially not someone who might one day realize just what she was hiding.
"No," she said finally, her tone firm. "This is personal. I need to handle it myself."
Jade looked at her, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "Karon, you don't have to do everything alone."
She gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. Trust me."
Reluctantly, Jade nodded, though the worry in his eyes didn't fade. "Alright. But if you ever need backup, you know where to find me."
Karon watched him leave, his footsteps echoing down the hall. When the door clicked shut, she allowed herself a sigh, her mind already shifting back to her copycat. She couldn't afford to have people like Jade interfering—this was her fight, and her fight alone.
---
Over the next few days, Karon intensified her search, meticulously sifting through every lead, every shred of evidence that might reveal her copycat's identity. She haunted the city's underbelly, questioning informants, studying surveillance footage, analyzing patterns. She wanted to understand his methods, to get into his mind as thoroughly as he'd managed to get into hers.
And then, one evening, she found something—a connection she hadn't noticed before. A string of killings, similar to her own work, but just slightly off. They were messy, unrefined, and yet… familiar.
It was as if he were practicing, testing his skills by mimicking her style. Her pulse quickened as she realized what this meant: he wasn't just a copycat. He was a fan, an admirer, someone who wanted to be like her. And that made him even more dangerous.
Karon followed the trail to a dingy bar on the outskirts of town. The clientele were rough, the kind of people who didn't ask questions and didn't want any answers. She slipped inside, blending into the shadows as she scanned the room. Her gaze landed on a figure at the bar, a young man nursing a drink, his posture relaxed but alert.
It was him.
She moved slowly, calculating every step, her eyes never leaving his figure. He didn't seem to notice her approach until she was almost right behind him. Then, as if sensing her presence, he turned, meeting her gaze with a calm, unflinching look.
"You again," he said, his tone laced with amusement.
Karon gave him a cold smile. "Didn't think I'd find you so easily."
He chuckled, swirling his drink. "Maybe I wanted to be found."
She took a seat beside him, her gaze steady. "You've been busy."
He shrugged, feigning indifference. "Just picking up a few tricks. You're a fascinating teacher, you know that?"
The casualness of his tone grated on her, but she kept her composure. "You're sloppy," she said, her voice sharp. "If you're going to imitate me, at least do it right."
His smile faltered, a flash of irritation crossing his face. "I'm getting better. You'll see."
Karon leaned closer, her voice low, deadly. "Do you have any idea what you're dealing with?"
He didn't answer immediately, his eyes searching her face. "I think I do. And I think you're more afraid of me than you'd like to admit."
She felt a surge of anger, but she kept her expression neutral. "You're not worth fearing. You're just another wannabe, another lost cause trying to make a name for himself."
He smirked, unfazed. "We'll see about that."
They sat in silence, the tension thick between them. Karon could feel his gaze on her, studying her, trying to decipher her thoughts. She let him look, knowing that whatever he saw would only be a fraction of what she was capable of.
Finally, she stood, giving him one last, piercing look. "This is your last warning. Step out of my way, or I'll make sure you disappear."
He watched her go, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, though his expression remained defiant. As she walked out of the bar, Karon allowed herself a small, satisfied smile. He was rattled, just as she'd intended.
But she knew this was far from over. He was clever, determined, and he wouldn't give up so easily. In the weeks to come, she would have to stay vigilant, to watch every move, to keep her enemies close and her instincts sharper than ever.
And when he made his next mistake, she would be there, ready and waiting.