Born in blood

capther 1

January 30, 2023

It has now been three years since all this mess started. I remember it as if it were yesterday when my boss approached me giving me the first confirmed case of the serial killer who would later be known as the "Slasher". When I arrived at the crime scene, the body was lying in the Mannatham park meadow, in a strange position with the throat slashed and the face painted with blood signs that none of the technicians understood the origin of despite various investigations. After several months of investigations, the case was labeled as unsolved, which made me angry because until then I had been able to solve every case assigned to me.

A few days after the case was archived, another body was found that showed signs identical to the first, the victim was found with the throat slashed and the face covered with those strange symbols that still haunt me in my dreams. Even that time, the investigations carried out led nowhere, but the migraine that has been haunting me for a year now continues to persist more and more frequently, causing me moments when I have difficulty remembering certain moments of the day.

After a year and a half from the first case, the murders attributed by the newspapers to the "Slasher" are about twenty, and the pressure that people exert on the police is strong. During one of the morning briefings, the boss announces something that shocks me: other similar cases seem to be connected to various murders committed in Europe two years ago. When I ask for explanations as to why I wasn't informed of this earlier, the boss tells me that Interpol would never have admitted to the FBI that they had failed to capture a killer who, although now subdued, they still consider to be active on European soil.

So I feel seething with anger, that bastard of a Slasher not only made a fool of the entire American police force but also of all Europe. Now I have to vent, how is it possible for one person to commit so many murders around the world without leaving any trace? Damn, the migraine is getting stronger, and despite the drugs prescribed by the doctor, it cannot ease the constant discomfort, but writing this diary helps me reflect calmly on the various events. Now I'm going because my boss wants to see me to give me new information on the "Slasher" case.

I get up from my desk and head towards my captain Dereck Ross's office. I enter the office and notice that he is not alone. There is someone next to him whom I do not know, but he seems like a seasoned person. Dereck turns to me and says, "Detective Black, I want to inform you that from tomorrow, together with me and UK agent James Smith, we will leave for Germany where we will meet with other agents from various parts of the world where our killer has struck in order to stop him. It will be a task force made up of elite agents where our only goal will be to stop this bastard."

"Understood, Captain, I must say that I find the idea excellent, and the fact that you have thought of me for this joint investigation honors me," I say. Brown looks me in the eyes; his gaze seems to want to scrutinize my soul, then he looks away and says, "Detective Black, your captain has informed me of your abilities, and I believe you are highly qualified, but despite this, he has also informed me that since you had an accident about a year and a half ago, you still suffer from some problems, am I right?"

"Yes, that's true. It happened during a chase with a suspect. The criminal had entered this abandoned building, and I followed him, but at one point, I had lost sight of him.   While I was trying to find my bearings, the suspect saw me. I didn't have time to draw my gun before he shot me in the right side. When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a hospital room where they told me I had been unconscious for a long time. After a few days of being discharged, I started experiencing migraines and memory gaps, but now I'm doing better and have returned to work. However, since then, I have started to suffer from increasingly frequent and intense migraines."

James Smith nods and then says to me, "Well, then I have a proposal for you. We need you on the task force, but I understand that your health could be an obstacle. That's why we need a doctor to follow you during the mission. Additionally, we also need someone to handle the technological aspect of the investigation, so we have decided to entrust this task to the young German hacker Karl Schmidt. He has demonstrated in the past to have great abilities, and I believe he is the right person for our purpose. Also, I can't wait to see the famous detective Black, who is so much talked about, in action."

I feel a bit embarrassed by the compliments, but at the same time, I feel flattered that they have chosen me as part of the task force. Then, something comes to my mind, and I ask, "Excuse me, but when will our flight depart?"

"Tomorrow morning at 7:00, our private plane will take us directly to Berlin, where we will meet the other members of the task force," Ross replies.

"Got it. Then I'll show up at the airport ready for departure tomorrow," I say.

Ross nods and then says, "Okay, detective. I'll wait for you at the briefing before departure. You can go now."

After talking to Captain Brown and Agent Smith, I return to my desk and sit down to start planning the trip. Germany is a country I know little about, so I dedicate myself to researching the city where we will meet the other agents and the places where the Cutter has struck in the past. As I write notes in my notebook, my cellphone starts to vibrate. I look at it and see my wife's name on the screen. I wasn't expecting her call at this time of day, but I decide to answer anyway.

"Hi, love. Everything okay?" I say when I answer.

"Yes, yes, everything's fine," she replies, but her voice sounds a bit worried. "I just wanted to know how you're doing and how work is going."

"I'm doing well, thank you. I'm working on a new case, a very difficult one, but I have a good team that will help me solve it," I reply.

"That's good to hear. I'm glad you're busy with work. I just called to tell you that I miss you and love you," my wife says.

"I miss you too, sweetheart. I love you too," I reply, smiling as I talk to her.

After hanging up, I feel a bit more at ease. My wife has always been my rock, my source of strength and support. I just hope I can solve this case soon and return home to her. I return to my research and continue writing in my notebook. There's a lot to do, and I don't have time to waste. This is a case that requires the utmost attention and dedication, and I am ready to face it.