CHAPTER 3 - THE EMPTY BOY

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CHAPTER 3 – EMPTY BOY

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CHAPTER 3 – EMPTY BOY

"The most salient thing about Earl is his obsession with absolute power .He values people only insofar as they bend to his will or can be coerced or manipulated into doing what he wants. He constantly sizes up his prospects for exploiting people and situations"

- Robert Hare

RECAP:

Karna was summoned to the office, where higher-up officer reminded him that if any more killings occurred, Karna would be suspended. The next day on duty, Karna got a phone call about a crime that happened at the cable bridge. Started investigating. All they found was a dead body and a mobile phone in which the crime was recorded. The whole crime scene was horrific to Karna as the victim was naked and had bullet wounds almost all over his body and the killer is in full make-up. Then the officers searched more and found a chess coin "ROOK" placed in the victim's mouth. Looking at the chaos, the video, victim, and the way he killed, one thing was sure: this kind of act can only be done by a 'PSYCHO."

STORY CONTINUES:

Because of the killer's intelligence in wearing a mask to conceal his face and committing the crime in darkness, identification became a challenging process for the officers. Their only resort was to inquire with nearby residents. After searching for a whole day, they found nothing that could assist them. Disheartened, they decided to head back, but suddenly, a frightened man appeared and claimed to recognize the murderer. Karna's spirits immediately rose, and he began bombarding the man with multiple questions, making him uncomfortable. Karna was so excited that he didn't give the man a chance to speak. However, once he calmed down, he recognized the man as a retired police officer. This time, he approached with more generosity and asked him to share his information, assuring him that no harm would come to him.

"Same... Same style of murder," said the frightened officer, his hands shaking visibly as Karna observed the fear in the officer. Karna asked, "Do you know who he is?" The officer described, "Yes, he was the one behind the shooting that happened at Sevi's High School five years ago." He continued to describe the incident with his voice shaking and his eyes locked straight into Karna's, not even flinching a bit. "It was five years ago. I received a call about the shooting at the school, and I rushed to the scene. My intention was to save as many children as possible, as I was the closest officer to the school. I moved from corridor to corridor, witnessing children running around. At first, I thought there were multiple shooters, but to my surprise, there was only one... And all the remaining students that he didn't target were unharmed. I ran towards the spot where the shooting happened, and I will never forget what I saw that day... (tears started to fallout from his eyes) My body stopped moving, as if it wanted to acknowledge his existence. His eyes were filled with rage, probably because they were completely bloodshot, as his face was covered in blood. His body shivered as well; he, too, might have been scared of himself and what he could have done. I believe he felt nothing on the inside. He believed that was a routine action in his life. In my entire career, I have never encountered such an empty boy. I was lucky to make it out alive."

Karna, upon hearing this, realized that the case was even more sinister than he had initially thought. He decided to shift his immediate focus to it and reinvestigate the case of the Sevi's High School shooting. Upon reaching the college, he thoroughly searched through the files about the victims and the murderer. Initially, obtaining facts was challenging, but as he delved deeper into the records of each student over the years, he stumbled upon a disturbing revelation: a girl had committed suicide due to privacy concerns. However, he did not find a clear answer as to why. Determined to uncover the truth, he went to her house based on the address provided, only to find it empty. Further investigation revealed that her entire family had died, with only her brother missing since their parents' deaths. These discoveries led Karna to harbor suspicions about her brother.

The next day, Karna visits the hospital where he encounters and interacts with his colleague who had sustained injuries during previous missions. Deep in conversation with his colleague, Karna is abruptly interrupted by his phone's persistent buzzing. His attention is called by his superior officer, but he ignores the interruption in favour of his conversation with his colleague. But as their talk comes to an end, he suddenly feels cautious and realises he needs to make a phone call right away.

With his own phone out of reach, Karna turned to Vrindha, seeking her assistance by borrowing her device. Dialing the number, Karna's apologetic voice carried through the receiver. "It's me, Karna... sir... I apologize for not answering earlier. I was deeply immersed in my investigation." The superior officer wasted no time, pressing Karna for an update on the progress of the case. Unfazed, Karna assured him, a tinge of confidence seeping into his tone, that he was very close to wrapping up the case.

However, the superior officer's response was quick and commanding, urging Karna to wrap up the case swiftly before it became a bigger problem. Karna laughed and shouted, "Problematic...? What are you gonna do...? Suspend me? Why do you want to end this case so badly? Are you part of it? Now I get why you always looked so mad at me: because I'm solving the case and you're scared like a pig. Listen up: if I find any proof of your involvement, there won't be any talking. I'll take care of you just like I did with the other pigs. Confess now if you're in on it before it's too late..."

"You've crossed the line, Karna. this behaviour of yours is the one I hate the most and the anger inside you, someday this will only lead to your own downfall. For now, consider yourself suspended. Until you acquire a therapy certificate, you are nothing more than an ordinary person," the enraged senior officer responded. Overwhelmed by the exchange, Karna's grip on the phone tightened, his anger reaching a boiling point. In a fit of frustration, he slammed the device down, shattering it in the process.

Realizing that he had accidentally broken Vrindha's phone, remorse washed over him. Apologizing sincerely to Vrindha for breaking her phone, he vowed to replace it, offering his own device in the interim until he could fulfil his promise.

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