Under the Oak Tree - Time Before You

05 Recognition

The sound of dried leaves crackling under his feet sounded like a ballad rhythm when Riftan Calypse made his way through the fallen foliage. Feeling sluggish, the man peered into the sky and yawned. The midday sun blinded him momentarily, hitting his vision with a sharp flash of white light.

Suddenly, the man found himself sitting under the shelter of a gazebo made of ivory marble. Feeling a small weight on his laps, Riftan peered down and realised that a cat had made itself comfortable there. As he started to stroke its soot-like fur, the feline purred in satisfaction. A gentle smile began to spread over his face.

Will you stay with me, always?

A drop of water landed on his cheeks. Reaching his fingers to his face, Riftan was surprised by the wetness. He was under shelter and the weather was too bright to be raining. Just then, the mass on him grew heavier, weighing his heart along with it. Looking down in confusion, three cats had gathered in his laps instead. He felt his head spinning wildly.

"Talon!"

Eyes snapping open, Riftan grumbled out loud when he realised it was his dog directing his dream with its wet tongue. The man carefully pushed the large hound off his body and sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. His alarm had yet to ring, so Talon must have woken him up earlier for the toilet. Riftan reached out for his mobile phone and noted the time and temperature.

For the first time since he had moved here, the degree Celsius was finally in the positive digit. Today would be an ideal day to bring his hound out for a short stroll then. The dog must have known too. Talon had been confined in the apartment as Riftan was reluctant to expose the senior canine to the icy weather due to its poor health.

"Yes, let's go."

Upon hearing the approval, the black hound immediately made its way to the door. Despite its slow movement, Talon's blunt tail was wagging so quickly that Riftan was afraid it might fracture.

"Slow down."

The man chided after his dog, but a gentle smile spread over his lips like he did in his peculiar dream. It had been more than a decade since Riftan had adopted the canine, but the accumulated years had not tame its energy at all. He felt the emotions endured yesterday washed away momentarily. After being sent home by Elliot, his mind was constantly plagued by the investigation. Or so he thought he would be.

Groaning, the man combed his scruffy hair with his fingers and headed into the washroom for his morning routine. He then prepared a simple attire to head out and attached a leash around his impatient companion.

From his daily morning runs, Riftan had already established a comfortable walking route for his senior dog. Heading north from his residence, the path ran along one of Anatol's main roads and had one of the gentlest slopes with minimal trees around. Cafes were lined along the road as well, which provided urban heat to warm up the dog's paws. Having grown up in cosmopolitan cities, Talon was already used to the company of humans and cars running by. However, small critters such as squirrels would still trigger his hound unnecessarily and Riftan was keen to avoid accidents where his dog might injure himself.

Once outdoors, it appeared that Riftan's concern might have been excessive. While Talon was overwhelmed with excitement, trailing every scent and marking every territory it could, the canine was seemingly aware of his limited mobility and took things slower. After registering Talon's comfort, Riftan soon found his thoughts wandering as they strolled down the alley.

There were quite a few leads the squad could take now with the latest findings from the coroner. Team Alpha was already looking into the victims' identity, which would allow them to investigate the day of disappearance. On the other hand, Team Beta was identifying men who were equipped with surgical tools or trained to handle such operating precision. Could it be the work of an individual psycho then? An organ trafficking syndicate? A cult? The lead from Coroner Serbel to the professor was also a bizarre one. Why her? Was there something more to Rem Foundation?