Project 100

Broken Pattern

It was now morning and Victor found himself sleeping near the door. He walked into the kitchen, his movements heavy with exhaustion. After gulping down some water, he quickly got ready and headed to the office. The drive was short, and soon he was stepping through the office doors, greeted immediately by familiar faces—police officers who had become frequent visitors in recent weeks.

"Sir, could we have a moment?" one of the officers asked, his tone urgent.

Victor nodded and motioned to Tom. "Tom, join us, please," he said, and together they walked to Victor's cubicle, a sense of foreboding filling the air.

One of the officers cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence. "We've noticed a deviation in the pattern of the killings," he began, his brow furrowed in concern. "Traditionally, every hundredth victim has been a commoner, but this month, the hundredth was also a wealthy individual."

Victor leaned back against his desk, his mind racing with the implications. "Has there been any alteration in how the murder was executed or were there any unusual clues left behind?" he inquired, his detective instincts kicking into high gear.

Tom looked equally puzzled and chimed in, "And what about the motive for this change? Is there something unique about this victim that might have attracted Raven's attention?"

The officer nodded, pulling out a file and extracting a photograph of an emblem found at the most recent crime scene—a new element in the grim puzzle. He handed it to Victor. "This was left at the scene. It's different from anything we've found before."

Victor examined the photograph closely. The emblem was ornate and unfamiliar, yet it tugged at his memory, suggesting connections just beyond his grasp. "Could this be a message?" Victor mused, thinking aloud. "Maybe Raven is signaling a shift in targets or even challenging someone else within these elite circles."

Tom leaned over to study the emblem. "We should look into the latest victim's background more thoroughly. There might be hidden links—business rivalries, social entanglements, or past grievances."

The officer agreed. "We're expanding our investigation to include these angles. We thought you should be the first to know, considering your ongoing chase."

After the officers departed, Victor turned to Tom with a determined look. "We need to comb through all the case files again. Something might have slipped through, something that could connect back to this emblem."

With this new clue, the complexity of the case deepened. Victor felt the adrenaline surge through him—the chase was evolving, and with it, the danger. They were not just tracking a killer anymore; they were untangling a web of power, revenge, and secrets. Each piece of evidence, each deviation in the pattern brought them closer to understanding Raven's motives—and hopefully, to stopping him before more lives were lost. 

Victor's suggestion broke through the intense focus that had filled the room for hours. They had been poring over files, cross-referencing data, and tracing back through the interconnected lives of Raven's victims, but the sheer volume of information was overwhelming. Fatigue was beginning to set in, and clear thinking was crucial for this kind of detailed work.

"Guys, what about we take a leave for a week and study the backgrounds independently? Next Monday, we can regroup and discuss the similarities and everything," Victor suggested, looking around at his colleagues.

Everyone paused, considering the proposal. The idea of taking some time to dive deeper into their assigned segments with fresh eyes seemed appealing.

Tom was the first to nod, pushing back his chair and stretching his arms above his head. "Sounds like a plan," he agreed. "We might catch details we've missed in this group setting."

Alex, who had been silently taking notes, chimed in, "I think it could help. A little space might give us new perspectives, and we can come back sharper."

Han, who had been scrolling through digital records non-stop, looked up and gave a weary smile. "Yes, let's do that. We need to approach this with as much clarity as possible."

Victor felt a collective sense of relief wash over the group. They all agreed to reconvene the following Monday with their findings, hopeful that the time apart would allow them to uncover crucial links between the victims that could lead them closer to understanding Raven's motives.

As they packed up their materials and prepared to leave, there was a renewed sense of purpose among them. The decision to take a step back was strategic, and each member of the team was ready to delve into the details with renewed vigor, knowing that the next time they met, they might finally piece together enough information to anticipate Raven's next move or even catch him.