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Chapter 23
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2024-12-07 10:30:18Masahiro turned his desktop on, the monitor flickered, sending a soft glow around the place. Booming on, Masahiro leaned over and started to go through the stack of papers.
Reed's notes were complete: the profile of Damon Callahan, bank transactions, possible crypto angle, all there, methodically laid out. Masahiro's eyes settled on repeated cash withdrawals, irregular amounts, lack of corresponding expenditures. It screamed secrecy, yet the missing pieces gnawed at him.
He cast the papers aside and logged in. The screen popped open almost in an instant, and his fingers flew to type the name "Ridley" on the internal police database.
The results populated fast, but as Masahiro tried to click into the file, a bright red banner flashed across the top: CONFIDENTIAL. ACCESS RESTRICTED. HUMAN TRAFFICKING DEPARTMENT.
Masahiro's brows knitted. "Great," he muttered, leaning back in his chair, and running a hand through his hair. His fingers pressed against his tem
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Masahiro was sitting at his desk, a sea of papers and case files surrounding him.The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside.“Excuse me,” she said.Masahiro who was lost reading a file, looked up, seeing the woman getting close.There was something commanding about her presence-the long auburn hair cascading over her shoulders in soft waves, the green eyes alight with intelligence and determination framed by delicate lashes. She was clad in a fitted navy-blue blazer over crisp white blouse and dark trousers that outlined her slender figure. Subdued makeup highlighted her sharp features."You must be Ms. Hawthorne," Masahiro said in surprise. "I didn't expect you so soon."She nodded, "Yes, I was informed you needed assistance with the Ridley case," she replied, her British accent clear and confident. "I'm here to help."Masahiro nodded, intrigued by her swift arrival. "Let's get to it, then. The sooner we fin
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The car rumbled along the deserted road, heavy hum of the engine filling the silence. The driver, an older officer with gray hair and a calm demeanor, kept his focus on the road ahead. Masahiro sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, eyes scanning the dark horizon with quiet intensity.Ms. Hawthorne sat in the back, her laptop balanced on her knees, scrolling through notes on Ridley's file, while Matthew sat beside her, fidgeting with the cuffs of his jacket. The silence between them was thick, with the only breaks the occasional tapping of Ms. Hawthorne's keys and the soft hiss of tires against asphalt."How much longer?" Matthew finally asked, his voice strained."Not far now," replied the driver, his tone professional, yet indifferent.Masahiro glanced back over his shoulder. "You okay back there?"Matthew gave a wry smile, but his eyes betrayed how nervous he was. "Define 'okay.'"Ms. Hawthorne lifted her gaze from her opened laptop, he
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The police briefing room was dimly lit, thick with tension as Masahiro, Matthew, Ms. Hawthorne, Evelyn Carter-head of Human Trafficking Unit, and officer Reed, all sat around a big table. Laid in the middle was the picture of Ridley's back. Under the fluorescent lights, the tattoo shone-an inked jumble of lines, symbols, and jagged shapes that seemed impossible to decipher.Masahiro leaned forward, his finger tracing the contours of the image. "We have to figure this out; if Ridley's back is a message, it's the key to finding the Spiced Cherry or the people behind it.”Evelyn peered closely at the photograph; her brows furrowed in concentration. "Would this really lead us to the Spiced Cherry? This doesn't even look like a map," she questioned, doubt beginning to seep into her tone.Ms. Hawthorne, arms crossed, leaned closer. "Boss, I think you might be right. It's too messy. Why would his friend etch something so crucial on his back? It doesn't make sense.”Matthew had been leaning si
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Ethan knocked lightly before entering Masahiro's office, a stack of printed documents in his hands. A serious expression clouded his face, with a flicker of excitement in his eyes."Got something for you, Payne," he said, taking a seat as he set the papers down on the desk. "The dark web's abuzz about something they're calling the 'Full Moon Parties'."Masahiro leaned forward, intrigued. "Guess that's the thing we are looking for. What's the deal?”Ethan rummaged through the papers, pulling out a detailed description. "It's an invitation-only event. They are selling it as a night of 'unforgettable encounters and unrestrained pleasures under the full moon's glow.'""What kind of activities are we talking about?"“Each full moon has a different theme… masquerades, provocative gatherings, even mentions of dark rituals," Ethan said, furrowing his brow. "It's deliberately vague, which makes it even more sinister. They're drawing peopl
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Days laterMasahiro was lounging at home, flipping through a book, when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen-it was Ethan. With a sigh, he answered."Hey, what's up?" Masahiro tried to sound relaxed."Payne, I need you at the station. It's about the dark web profile for the Spiced Cherry."Masahiro's curiosity piqued. "What's going on?”"I need you to bring Matthew. I can't go into all the details by phone, it’s for the couple's profile we got some questions that need to be answered."Masahiro frowned. "It's my day off, Ethan.""I know… and hey… don’t forget you are the one who asked for this.""Fine. I'll get Matthew."He hung up and headed into the living room, where he found Matthew sprawled across the couch, flipping on his phone. "Get up," Masahiro said, sharper than he had meant to.Matthew looked up, startled. "What's the hurry?""We have t
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Ethan sat in his office, the soft hum of the computer filling the otherwise quiet space. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, but the data on the screen didn't seem to hold his attention. The phone against his ear, however, had his full focus."So, what's the deal?" Ethan asked, his voice casual but laced with a hint of concern as he leaned back in his chair.Noah's voice came through the speaker with its usual easy-going tone. "I'm just saying, uncle Nick's been asking about you. He misses us, man. Been a while since you've come around. You don't think he's getting a little… lonely?”Ethan shifted in his chair, looking over at the dark web program open on the second computer, the faint glow reflecting off his face. "I know, I know," he said, rubbing a hand across his face. "It's just been hectic, you know? The case has been dragging me in deeper than I thought.”Noah chuckled quietly. "Yeah, yeah, I get it; you're always busy. But un
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Masahiro was sitting at the table in the kitchen, casually eating his lunch. The quiet room caught soft clinking sounds that the chopsticks made upon being tapped against the bowl. Besides him lay a bowl full of steaming hot miso soup, and in front was a plate of neat and thin noodles filled tenderly with slight spicy pork. He sipped his soup slowly, feeling the warmth spread through him, one of those few moments of peace before the storm that was his life.Matthew, on the other hand, stood by the counter, leaning lazily against the edge with one hand wrapped around a cup of coffee. His other hand absently stroked the fur of Clyde wheo was perched on the counter, lazily eyeing Masahiro as he ate. The cat's purring was the only other sound, a soothing background to the otherwise tense silence that seemed to hang between the two men.Masahiro chewed a mouthful of noodles, his mind wandering, until the shrill buzz of his phone yanked him from those thoughts. He wiped his mouth with a napk
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The masked man leaned back in his chair, his gloved fingers steepling as he spoke. “So, gentlemen, are you going to demonstrate or not?”Masahiro's instinct was to retreat, but Matthew, ever the one to take the reins in situations like this, smiled warmly, leaning slightly toward the camera. "Look," he said, feigning nonchalance. “My boyfriend here isn’t even hard, and we ain’t too interested in exhibitionism…”The masked man tilted his head, almost playfully. "If you can't do this in front of me, how do you expect to handle what happens at the Full Moon Party? Do you understand the kind of scrutiny you’ll be under? This is child’s play compared to what’s coming.”Matthew leaned back, his demeanor shifting ever so slightly. He turned to Masahiro, his voice dropping into a softer, almost intimate tone. “Honey… are there any condoms left?”Masahiro shot him a sharp look, his eyebrow arching in confusion. He opened his mouth to protest, but the faint glimmer in Matthew’s blue eyes stoppe
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The pulsing bass of the nightclub reverberated through Masahiro’s chest as he pushed through the crowded entrance of El Paradiso. The lights flashed in chaotic bursts of color, illuminating faces twisted in joy and desperation. For a moment, the energy of the crowd enveloped him, but as he stepped further inside, it became clear that this was not where he belonged.He wasn’t here for the drinks or the music; he was here to escape. But escaping from what? The ache of Matthew’s absence? The unrelenting pursuit of justice that had consumed him? Or perhaps the shadows of betrayal that lingered in his mind like a haunting melody?Masahiro leaned against the bar, nursing a drink that had long since gone warm. He scanned the room, searching for something… or someone… to pull him from the depths of his thoughts. But as he watched people laugh and dance, he felt more alone than ever. Matthew was everywhere and nowhere… the memories wrapped
