The Crimson Silence

The Hunter Among Us

Katie arrived at the precinct, her mind heavy with the weight of recent events. As she stepped through the doors, Mathew and Nathan followed close behind, their footsteps echoing down the hall. The tension in the air was thick, every officer on edge. Something was building, and everyone could feel it.

Katie made her way directly to Angela’s office. Without hesitation, she knocked and then entered.

“Morning, Angela,” Katie greeted, her voice upbeat despite the turmoil.

Angela, already lost in deep thought, snapped her head up, startled. “Katie, good morning,” she replied, her tone strained and her smile tight, as if forcing herself to engage in pleasantries.

“Come in, sit down,” Angela said, motioning toward the chair in front of her desk. Katie sat down, noticing Angela’s tense posture as she moved toward the window, looking out at the city.

“How long have you known Jacob?” Angela’s voice was soft, but the question cut through the room like a blade.

Katie blinked, taken off guard by the personal question. She hesitated for a moment, then answered, “I’ve known him since our first day of undergrad. We’ve been friends ever since.”

Angela didn’t turn around. She kept her gaze fixed on the city below, the silence between them growing heavier with each passing second. Katie could feel something was wrong—Angela was holding something back, and the shift from personal to professional in an instant was unsettling.

After a long pause, Angela turned, her face unreadable. “Any progress with the codes?” Her voice had snapped back to the hard, focused tone of a detective.

Katie cleared her throat, trying to adjust to the abrupt shift. “Uh, no… I’ve made some updates to the brute code. I’ll run it again today, but no breakthroughs yet.”

Angela studied Katie’s face for a moment before nodding, her expression still difficult to decipher. “Okay then. Get to work.” Her voice was firm, with a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Katie rose from her seat, sensing the underlying tension but not wanting to press further. As she walked back to her desk, she saw Mathew rushing into Angela’s office. His face was pale, his usual cocky demeanor replaced with urgency.

“The mayor is on the line… with the DA,” Mathew said, his voice low but tense. The door shut behind him, leaving Katie alone with her thoughts.

From her desk, Katie could only catch bits of the conversation through the door. The precinct felt like it was on the brink of something—something big, and it wasn’t just about the case anymore. There was more at play, and Katie could feel it in her bones.

An hour passed before Angela emerged from her office, calling Mathew back inside.

“Mathew, a word,” Angela said, her tone cold and commanding.

Mathew entered quickly, closing the door behind him. “What’s going on, Angela?” he asked, his voice trying to maintain its usual casual flair.

Angela stared him down, her face hard. “What the fuck is the NYPD doing?” she hissed. “Somehow, a particular group of civilians are being dragged into this mess, and now their lives are at risk.”

Mathew met her fierce gaze, his jaw tight. “Angela, we’re working this case from every angle, just like the FBI. The last thing I want is innocent civilians getting hurt.”

Angela’s face softened just a fraction, but her voice was still laced with frustration. “Jacob's café getting burned down, a sniper attack on Katie… ever since I set foot in that café, everything has felt connected. These aren’t random attacks, Mathew. Someone’s targeting them.”