Her Bittersweet Chaos

6.

 Leon Smith 

Seeing her again after all these years filled me with a mix of emotions. The guilt from my past mistakes still lingered, but I pushed it aside. I was determined to make her mine, no matter the cost. Albert and anyone else who dared to stand in my way would be eliminated.

As I arrived at the crime scene, Mr. Hons greeted me with his trademark ruthlessness. "What took you so long?" he growled, leading me into the ravaged house. The scene before us was gruesome. "Look at this," he said, his voice laced with disgust. The victim's body was a mess - seven stab wounds to the chest, the skin on their face completely removed, and their heart ripped out. "The Skin Stealer is back," I muttered, my mind racing with the implications. This killing mirrored another from six years ago, suggesting the killer had returned. But why were they killing so brazenly, leaving their victims exposed?

Mr. Hons' question hung in the air: "Do you think the killer is back?" I knew the answer - of course, they were. But what drove them to resume their twisted game after all these years?

"Look, there's a mark on his back," Leon said, pointing to the victim's body. "All the cases from six years ago had this same mark." I examined the symbol, and a theory began to form in my mind. This wasn't just a random killing; it was connected to a gang. "What does this have to do with anything?" I asked, skeptical. 

Mr. Hons sighed, "I'm saying it's relevant because these victims are all gang members. They mark themselves with symbols only they understand." But I knew there had to be more to it. This couldn't be the only reason for the killings. Something was missing, something the killer wanted to overlook.

Just then, Mr. Hons' phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered, and his expression darkened. This was a call from headquarters. "Let's wrap this up and leave," he growled, his mood shifting. We quickly collected the evidence, scarce as it was, and departed the scene. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. And with Python, the notorious gang leader, missing in action for two years, I doubted he was behind this. But who was it? And what was their true motive?

⇿

The man's voice was laced with disdain as he addressed us. 'I know you've all been working hard, but it's not enough. Are you incompetent?' His tone was harsh, and his words cut deep. I wondered why he didn't take matters into his own hands if he was so capable. Mr. Hons spoke up, 'We've just come from the crime scene in the Ken community.' But the man's attention remained fixed on me. 

'Leon, you're being assigned to patrol duty. Don't be a coward; you're a detective.' His words echoed a familiar sentiment he'd expressed in a previous meeting. It was clear he had it out for me.

 I didn't like being targeted; I preferred to be the one in control. 'Sir, allow me to do my job. I get paid for a reason,' I replied, my voice devoid of emotion. The man's mood shifted, and he moved on to more pressing matters. 'Scorpion is on the run, targeting low-ranking members of the Python gang. I have my ways...' He trailed off, and all eyes turned to me, waiting for my response.

'And how did you get that information?' he pressed, but I wasn't about to reveal my sources. He continued to needle me, and I grew increasingly irritated. Mr. Hons shot me a warning glance, then turned his attention to the chief. 'As I said, you don't want to know,' he snapped, his patience wearing thin.

 He berated anyone who dared to ask a question or did something that annoyed him. 'The city will go on lockdown,' he announced, finally dismissing us. I made a beeline for the door, eager to escape. Just as my hand reached the doorknob, I heard the chief's voice behind me. 'Mr. Smith, may I have a word with you?' 

Ah, damn it.

Edited;)