THE ART OF DECEPTION

1

The night was eerily quiet as Vix stood in disbelief. As she arrived home, a message about an incident awaited her, adding to the chilling atmosphere of the night. Unease crept over her, leaving her unsure how to react. Just 15 minutes prior, she had been in the same area where another murder had occurred.

She was sure more suspicion would arise now; she was already a suspect, and this would only add more to the list of reasons her teammates suspected her.

It all happened on January 15th. A murder had just been reported. As soon as she reached the crime scene, they realized it was very similar to the one reported three weeks back.

Unfortunately, Vix was unable to solve the case amidst dealing with another perplexing issue. Consequently, a new police officer named Arthur was assigned to the investigation. Despite her disappointment, Vix continued to support the case until she was discovered at the crime scene with blood stains on her shirt.

She tried to prove her innocence by explaining that she felt she was being followed and was driven to the point where she discovered the body. She had no alibi and no one with her to vouch for her innocence. As a result, they ruled the case unsolved, suspecting that she might be responsible for the murders.

They investigated her claims of being stalked, but it wasn't helpful. Instead, she was slowly being considered as the actual criminal. 'I can't stay like this. I need to work on this case,' said Vix, in desperate need of justice.

She swiftly gathered all the files containing reports from the crime scene, her instincts signaling that something was amiss. As she sifted through the documents, her gaze fell upon the CCTV footage from the second murder—something felt wrong. The images seemed tampered with, as if pieces had been selectively erased or distorted. A knot of suspicion tightened in her stomach. Without wasting another moment, she dashed toward the scene of the latest murder, urgency propelling her forward.

The rain drizzled softly from the gray sky. Time was running out. The moment she sensed suspicion from her teammates, she realized her days with them were numbered. Desperation rose within her as she raced to find a crucial piece of evidence before the police arrived. As she turned the corner, her heart sank at the sight of the police chief and several officers already at the scene, just moments ahead of her.

Arthur was occupied with journalists eager to blame the police for their poor performance and to spread rumors about the series of killings. Meanwhile, Vix quickly ran behind the convenience store where the murder had taken place. Entering through the back door, she saw that an officer was questioning the worker.

She quickly entered the CCTV monitoring control room. Bile filled her throat upon seeing Justy, one of her colleagues, sitting and going through the CCTV footage. Beside him stood an unfamiliar figure. Not wanting to attract attention, she was about to return to her hiding spot when Justy called out, "What are you doing here? Don't tell—" Before he could finish his sentence, she interrupted him by covering his mouth with her hand. She looked alarmingly at Justy and the unfamiliar figure in the room.

"Hello, miss. You must be Vix. I'm Hede, a psychologist who is supposed to meet you tomorrow, but it seems like you have other plans." He offered his hand while she stood there, perplexed. She looked at Justy, wanting to know what was happening, but he seemed hesitant to answer her questions.

Ignoring Hede she looked at Just with pleading eyes.

"Justy, you can't seriously think I'm responsible for these murders. I've been part of this team for years, working alongside you, and supporting everyone. Look, I get that a new officer might raise questions, but do you believe I could do something like that? This isn't just about trust; it's about knowing the kind of person I am. Help me prove my innocence. I want to continue working with the team, and I need your support now more than ever."