Nocturne Valley was as dark as it was dangerous. The narrow streets were lined with abandoned warehouses, their windows broken and their walls covered with faded graffiti. The air smelled of stale alcohol and cigarettes, the scent of a place where crime hid in every shadow.
Xian, the leader, surveyed the scene. His sharp eyes scanned every corner, every alley. "This is where it happened," he muttered. "But where's the evidence? There should be something."
Han, the big bodyguard, walked ahead, his massive frame casting a long shadow in the dim light. Jimmy, quick on his feet, jogged between alleys, checking every nook and cranny for anything that stood out. Jenny and Irin spoke to the few locals they found, trying to gather information, but the people in the area were quiet—too quiet.
"It's like no one wants to talk," Irin said, frustration clear in her voice.
Xian nodded. "They know something, but they're too afraid to speak. Let's keep looking."
They continued their search through the valley. They checked every building, knocked on doors, and asked questions. But all they found were empty streets, dirty liquor bottles, and discarded cigarette butts. No signs of a struggle. No blood. No clues. It was as if the crime had never happened.
"This doesn't make sense," Jimmy muttered. "A crime this big, and there's nothing. No struggle, no trace. Where did they all go?"
Xian paused, his mind racing. "That's exactly what doesn't add up. A clean crime. Too clean. We've missed something. But what?"
As hours passed, their frustration grew. They had checked every building, every street, and asked every possible question. Nothing. The place seemed normal, almost too normal for a location with a history of crime.
Xian gathered the team together. "We've hit a dead end. There's no evidence here. Let's head back."
The team left Nocturne Valley, the mystery still haunting them. There had to be something they had missed, but they couldn't figure out what it was.
Back in the lab, the team waited anxiously as Calen, the doctor, and Lina, his assistant, worked with the samples they had collected from the valley. Xian couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that they were on the verge of discovering something big—but what?
Hours later, the phone rang. It was Calen.
"Xian, we've found something," Calen's voice crackled through the speaker. "We analyzed the soil and the tree leaves you brought back. There's a chemical compound in them—something rare. It's not something you can buy at a store. This compound has the ability to put someone into a hypnotic state. It's the kind of chemical that controls the mind."
Xian's heart raced. "What do you mean, controls the mind?"
Calen explained. "It's not an easy chemical to make. Only someone with advanced chemistry skills could create something like this. And it's not something you find just lying around. Whoever did this is an expert, someone who knows chemistry inside and out."
Xian's mind clicked. "So, the victims... they were controlled? Hypnotized?"
"Exactly," Calen confirmed. "Whoever made this chemical must have used it to force the victims to do something against their will. The person behind this knows exactly what they're doing."
Xian's eyes narrowed. "Then we need to find who made this chemical. Someone with those skills. This is the lead we needed."
"Right," Calen said. "We'll start digging through records of chemists. It might take a while, but we'll find someone."
The team immediately got to work. They searched through databases of known chemists—people with advanced knowledge of chemistry. After hours of research, they came up with four names. But one name stood out: Eryk Tanis.
Tanis had once been a renowned chemist, known for his expertise in rare and dangerous chemicals. But years ago, he had vanished. No one knew where he had gone or what had happened to him. His name was the only one that matched the skill needed to create the hypnotic compound they had found.
Riri, the tech expert, took charge. "I'll find him," she said, her fingers already typing on the keyboard. Within hours, she tracked Tanis down to a small house on the outskirts of Nocturne Valley.
The team drove to the address, their hearts pounding with the thought that they were finally close to a breakthrough. The house was old, with a rundown fence and overgrown weeds. It looked abandoned, but something told Xian this was the place.
They knocked on the door. A man in his mid-forties answered, his face shadowed by tired eyes. Eryk Tanis. His gaze shifted nervously as he saw who they were.
"We need to talk," Xian said, showing him their badges. "We believe you're involved in something, and we need your help."
Tanis stepped back, his face hardening. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't been involved in anything for years."
"We found traces of a chemical you're capable of making," Xian pressed. "A chemical that can control people's minds. It was found in Nocturne Valley, where several people have gone missing. You were one of the few people capable of making it. Don't lie to us."
Tanis's eyes flickered. For a moment, Xian thought he saw fear in them, but then he quickly masked it with a cold stare.
"I don't make that stuff anymore," Tanis said, his voice tight. "I left that life behind. I'm not involved in any of this."
Lina stepped forward, her voice steady. "We know you have the knowledge. Why are you so defensive? If you're innocent, help us solve this. But if you're lying... we'll find out. And we'll make sure you pay for it."
Tanis didn't respond at first. His silence was enough to make the team uneasy. Xian could feel the tension in the room, thick with suspicion. Something wasn't right. He could see it in Tanis's eyes—there was more to this than he was letting on.
The air grew heavy as Xian stared at Tanis. Every second felt like it stretched on forever. Was Tanis guilty? Or was he hiding something bigger?