Sasha's and Serge's eyes widened in horror as Karl finished recounting his ordeal.
"Karl, you must go into hiding," Serge urged, his voice laced with concern.
Sasha nodded vigorously. "Serge is right, Karl. They're after you."
Karl's jaw set, determination burning within. "I'm not afraid."
Serge's expression turned incredulous. "Are you mad? You're considering taking on those who blew a school building in broad daylight! They're powerful, Karl."
Karl's resolve remained unwavering. "I know, but my family's death demands justice. I won't rest until I avenge them. I vow it."
Sasha's voice trembled. "Karl, you'll die."
His eyes flashed with defiance. "I don't care. I'll see this through, no matter the cost."
Karl asked Sasha, "Weren't you and Senior Detective Khaan assigned to investigate my family's murder?"
"Yes," Sasha replied cautiously.
Karl pressed on. "Do you recall any clues about the investigation?"
Sasha shook her head. "No...I tried asking Khaan about the clues, but he kept it confidential."
Karl's gaze intensified. "What about the crime scene? You were there, right?"
Sasha's nervousness grew apparent. "I...I wasn't. Khaan called, but I overslept. By the time I arrived the next day, everything had been cleaned up."
*Flashback: April 15, 2016.*
Sasha, eight years younger, stirred awake, groggily reaching for her phone. Her eyes widened as she saw eight missed calls from Detective Khaan, starting from 12:15 a.m. the previous night.
"Shit, shit!" she exclaimed, bolting upright.
Racing against time, Sasha hastily dressed in her uniform, fearing the worst. "I'm fired."
Arriving at the crime scene, she ducked under the yellow tape and entered the house. The spotless interior stunned her.
"Who cleaned this up?" Sasha demanded, approaching an authoritative figure.
"Detective Khaan's orders," he replied. "He said he'd finished investigating."
Sasha's eyes narrowed. "Is Detective Khaan here?"
The officer nodded.
Outside, Sasha approached Khaan. "Sorry, Sir. I overslept."
Khaan's expression softened. "It's okay, Sasha. I work alone. That bloody Rayner assigned you to me, saying you'd learn from me, but I don't need assistance."
Relieved, Sasha breathed. "Thanks, Sir. I won't oversleep again. I will fix my sleep schedule."
*Present 23rd June 2024*
Karl stood up, determined. "I'll go see Detective Khaan myself."
Sasha blocked his path. "You can't. He won't cooperate with you."
Karl insisted, "Let's go together."
Sasha hesitated. "I must investigate this scene first. I'll call you afterwards."
Karl nodded reluctantly.
Sasha warned, "Don't do anything reckless."
A medic approached Sasha. Sasha's eyes met the medic's, her gaze searching for any hint of news. The medic's expression was a mask of calm professionalism, but his words were a balm to Sasha's frazzled nerves. "Detective, fortunately, there are no fatalities."
A wave of relief washed over Sasha, her face relaxing into a soft smile. "Thank God," she whispered, her eyes closing briefly as she let out a shaky breath.
But the moment of respite was short-lived. Another detective called out, his voice cutting through the din of the scene. "Sasha, we've got work to do!"
Sasha nodded, already turning to Karl and Serge. "I have to investigate," she said, her eyes scanning the scene with a practised intensity.
As she walked away, Serge's gaze lingered on her, a soft smile playing on his lips. Karl caught the look, his eyes narrowing slightly as he wondered what was behind his friend's enigmatic expression.
Karl asked Serge, "Bastard are you coming with me?"
Serge replied, "No, I have a patrol to do. Superintendent James has advised all the officers to stay on work overtime because of the current situation. We will go with Sasha."
Karl nodded and Serge left to do his patrol.
Sasha stepped into the blast-scarred building alongside Detective Simon Shaw, a ruggedly reliable partner with a thick beard and an air of quiet confidence. The 36-year-old detective's eyes scanned the damage, his expression grim.
The building's interior was a testament to the blast's fury: shattered glass, splintered wood, and crumbling plaster. Yet, despite the chaos, the structure remained standing, a testament to its sturdy construction.
"It's not as bad as it could've been," Simon observed, his voice low and even. "The damage is minimal."
Sasha nodded in agreement. "Yes, and thankfully, there were no fatalities."
As they ventured deeper into the building, Sasha's trained eyes scanned the walls and floor, searching for clues. "It looks like the blast was intended to send a message," she said, her mind racing with possibilities.
Simon's gaze narrowed. "This area was used for laboratory activities. I'll check the labs, and you can sweep the hallway. See if you can find any residue."
The two detectives set to work, their movements methodical and practised. After some time, Simon called out, "Sasha, get here! Chem lab!"
Sasha hastened to the lab, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. A water supply pipe had been shattered, its broken edges twisted and jagged. "The bomb was in the pipe," Sasha said, her voice firm with conviction.
The chem lab was in disarray, broken beakers and shattered equipment scattered everywhere, with a puddle of water spreading from the ruptured pipe.
Simon's expression turned thoughtful. "There's a chance it was the school teacher."
Sasha's eyebrows shot up. "But why would a person blow up the place where they work?"
Simon conceded, "Point."
Sasha pulled out her phone and dialled the forensic team. She said, surveying the damage. "I need you to process the scene and collect any residue samples."
The forensic team arrived, and Sasha watched as they carefully collected the residue samples, their gloved hands moving with precision. Once they'd finished, Sasha turned to Simon. "I want to talk to the principal, Mr. Louis. See if he's noticed anything unusual lately."
Simon nodded. "I'll review the security footage while you're with the principal. Maybe we can catch a break."
Sasha headed to the principal's office, her mind racing with questions. What could have motivated someone to bomb the school? Was it a disgruntled student, a former employee, or something more sinister?
As she entered the office, Mr Louis looked up from his desk, his expression sombre. "Detective Sasha, I'm so glad you're here. This is just devastating."
Sasha's eyes locked onto the principal's. "Mr. Louis, can you tell me if anything unusual has happened at the school lately? Any threats, disputes, or incidents that might be relevant to the investigation?"
Mr. Louis said,"Nothing, it was all normal till yesterday. "
Sasha's eyes rolled heavenward as she muttered under her breath, "Oh, of course, the bomb just magically spawned there. It had nothing to do with human intervention whatsoever." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Mr. Louis looked taken aback by Sasha's tone, but Simon, who was standing by the window, chuckled. He knew Sasha's sarcasm was a coping mechanism, a way to deal with the absurdity of the situation.
Sasha's expression turned serious once more. "Mr. Louis, who is the chemistry lab teacher.?"
Mr. Louis said hesitantly, "It's Mr. Johnson."
Sasha's eyes narrowed. "Is Mr. Johnson here today?"
Mr. Louis shook his head. "No, he's on leave today. He called in earlier and said he had some urgent work to attend to."
Sasha's gaze flicked to Simon, her expression thoughtful. "Do you have his address?" she asked, her eyes locked on Simon.
Mr. Louis nodded, scribbling down an address on a piece of paper. "Here you go, Detective."
Sasha took the paper, her eyes scanning the address. She looked up at Simon, a hint of determination in her voice. "Let's go."