black cloud ¦ lee haechan

ch ; 10

- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒ 10 ༒ ˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -
Double Risks

The briefing room hummed with the low murmur of conversations. Kory sat in the front row, her normally sharp focus clouded by the haunting images of the Gyeodong Apartment crime scene.

The details replayed in her mind like a macabre loop, each moment etching itself deeper into her memory.

Despite the urgency of the meeting and the crucial information being presented by Jungwoo, Kory found it challenging to concentrate, her thoughts consumed by the horrors she had witnessed only hours before.

Jungwoo's voice droned on in the background, the words blending together into a dull buzz as Kory struggled to shake off the images that haunted her. The bodies, the smell, the eerie silence of the apartment-all of it seemed to replay in her mind with vivid clarity, each detail etched into her memory like a scar.

"Detective Seo?" Jungwoo's voice cut through the haze, pulling Kory back to the present. She blinked, her focus returning as she realized that all eyes in the room were on her.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" Kory asked, her voice slightly hoarse from disuse.

Jungwoo gave her a sympathetic smile before continuing with his presentation, recounting the details of the evidence found at the crime scene. But try as she might, Kory found it difficult to fully engage with the information, her thoughts still consumed by the horrors.

As the meeting dragged on, Kory struggled to maintain her composure, her mind drifting back to the scene at the apartment. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her years on the force, and the sheer brutality of it left her feeling shaken to her core.

Finally, as Jungwoo wrapped up his presentation, Kory felt a wave of relief wash over her. She stood up, her legs feeling weak beneath her, and made her way out of the break room, needing some time alone to process everything that had happened.

Outside, she leaned against the wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to calm her racing heart. The images from the crime scene still haunted her, but she knew that she couldn't let them consume her.

Kory sat at her desk, her eyes fixed on the photograph of the bloodied symbol that had been etched into the flesh of one of the victims at the Gyeodong Apartment. Despite her best efforts to push the gruesome images from her mind, they continued to linger, haunting her like a specter in the darkness.

She reached out, her fingers trembling slightly as she traced the lines of the symbol, trying to make sense of its twisted design. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, its meaning shrouded in mystery and intrigue. But one thing was certain-it was a symbol of violence, of brutality, of unspeakable cruelty.

As she stared at the photograph, lost in thought, a voice broke through the silence of the room. It was Sungchan, her rookie colleague, standing nervously by her desk with a folder in hand.

"Detective Seo," he began, his voice hesitant. "I, uh, I have some new information on the case. I thought you might want to take a look."

Kory's attention snapped back to the present, her curiosity piqued by Sungchan's words. She took the folder from him, her hands shaking slightly as she flipped it open to reveal the contents inside.

Inside were photographs, documents, witness statements-all pieces of the puzzle that had been painstakingly collected in the aftermath of the crime. Kory poured over them, her mind racing as she tried to connect the dots, to make sense of the chaos that surrounded her.

Kory looked up from the folder, her eyes meeting Sungchan's expectant gaze. "What do you make of all this?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of urgency.

Sungchan shifted uneasily, his gaze flickering to the documents spread out before them. "Well, after a brief meeting with Sargeant Kim," he began slowly, "We're starting to think that this might actually be two separate cases, not directly related to the Anderson case."

Kory's brows furrowed in confusion. "Two separate cases?" she echoed, trying to wrap her mind around the new revelation. "But the similarities—the modus operandi..."

Kory's thoughts whirled as she processed this new information. Two separate cases meant double the work, double the risk. There were too many unanswered questions, too many loose ends that refused to be tied. And at the center of it all was the symbol—the symbol that seemed to mock her with its silent presence, taunting her with its secrets.

"What is this symbol?"

With a frustrated sigh, Kory pushed the folder aside, her mind spinning with possibilities. She knew that she needed to focus, to stay vigilant in the face of adversity. But with each passing moment, the weight of the case seemed to grow heavier, threatening to crush her beneath its relentless weight.

-

Continued.