Under the Oak Tree - Time Before You

03 Referral

"I believe it's your first week here, Captain? I hope you're settling well."

"The city has been agreeable, Sergeant Charon."

"Call me Elliot, our official titles can be a mouthful. As you can see, we're a closely-knitted squad, so please feel free to reach out if you're facing any challenges. The team will be happy to show you around too."

Captain Calypse nodded wordlessly as he glanced out the window of the moving vehicle. Elliot was driving a white Range Rover Evoque. Despite the peaceful scenery, his mind was plagued by the earlier imageries of mangled corpses.

"And we're here."

The drive to the coroner's office was indeed short as pointed out by Elliot. As the pair alighted from the car, Riftan surveyed the establishment. His brows furrowed at the towering yet derelict structure. While it was understandable that a peaceful city like Anatol would not need a large space for forensic crimes, the building appeared too neglected and crummy to be a site for investigations that required the most sterile environment.

"The lift is often down, so it's best to always take the stairs instead."

Riftan followed his partner up a rundown spiral staircase that reeked of unspeakably poor hygiene. Trash bags and cartons were littered irresponsibly along the steps, a total disregard for fire safety despite being a government building.

After a few floors, the duo finally reached a fortified glass entrance that contrasted with the repulsive stairwell. As Elliot held his hand out for biometric access, the captain noticed that while the door appeared bare, there were actually a solid number of advanced security features hidden.

"Hmm, that's odd. I have notified the chief coroner of our visit."

The coroner's office, which was a relatively small layout, appeared to be void of human presence. Or at least one that was alive. Upon entering the office, Riftan wrinkled his nose when he observed the space to unsurprisingly mirror the hoarding situation along the stairs. Publications and documents were scattered everywhere; extending from the working desk to the floor, with barely any walkway for a large man like himself to get by. It would have been a miracle if a corpse could be wheeled in for examination.

This is driving my OCD nuts.

Riftan silently mumbled in disapproval. As the captain walked with his partner into the mortuary, he noticed stillness extending to the autopsy room as well. The entire place reeked of metal and disinfectant. Walls of cold lockers appeared to be relatively empty except for a few cabinets with description labels attached to their handles. Surgical instruments were scattered on examination trolleys, while documents were placed careless around here too.

How is an autopsy examination even possible in this environment?

As his gaze wandered around the room, Riftan soon noted that the autopsy tables were all occupied. Purplish pale feet peeked out from the icy white sheets that covered them, too thin in their futile attempts to comfort the deaths.

Are these the homicide victims?

"Chief coroner!"

Captain Calypse glanced up immediately upon his subordinate's tone of surprise.

All of a sudden, a lean figure sat up from one of the autopsy tables. The man let out an unapologetically loud yawn and stretched his arms out into the air. His skin was so pale that Riftan could see purple veins cruising under those sunken eyes. He could have easily passed off as one of the corpses. Elliot, on the other hand, was blushing red to the tips of his ears.