Thirty Eight

After returning to the police station, Cassandra and Alexander parted ways in the main lobby. Cassandra, looking exhausted after a full day of gathering information and conducting interrogations, prepared to go home. Alexander, on the other hand, still had to finish his administrative tasks.

“I’ll include our interrogation results with Maria, Cale Callaghan’s wife, in the report today,” Alexander said, examining some files in his hands. “You’ve worked hard today, Cass. Go home and get some rest.”

Cassandra gave a small nod. “Okay, Alex. Don’t stay too late, alright? I know you like to drown yourself in work, but your health is important too.”

Alexander gave a faint smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll finish up soon.”

Cassandra acknowledged him with a small smile before stepping out of the station. Meanwhile, Alexander headed to his desk, ready to record the interrogation results into the system.

The clock showed nine in the evening when Alexander finally finished all his work. The blue light from the computer screen cast a faint glow on his tired face. After closing all the documents and shutting down the computer, he packed up his belongings.

Alexander walked to the parking lot, now deserted. The quiet night was accompanied only by the faint sound of the wind. He opened his car door, got inside, and closed the door with a relaxed motion.

However, as soon as he sat in the driver’s seat, something unexpected happened. From the back seat, a large hand suddenly covered his mouth with a cloth. Alexander gasped, trying to fight back, but the masked man sitting behind him acted quickly. With swift movements, the man injected something into Alexander’s neck.

Alexander fought back. As a trained police officer, his reflexes still worked even though his body was starting to weaken. He struggled, trying to reach the weapon tucked at his waist, but his strength was fading. The substance worked quickly, rendering him unable to control his body. His vision blurred, and within seconds, he completely lost consciousness.

The masked man ensured Alexander was truly unconscious before calmly exiting the car. He carefully closed the door, ensuring no suspicious noise was made. Then, he disappeared into the dark night, leaving Alexander’s car silent in the parking lot.

Elsewhere, Cassandra had just arrived at her apartment. She removed her jacket and shoes, then collapsed onto the sofa. Thoughts about the case they were handling continued to swirl in her mind. Maria Callaghan, Cale Callaghan’s wife, had given quite suspicious testimony during today’s interrogation. Cassandra felt the woman was hiding something but couldn’t confirm it yet.

“I’ll need to review all the interrogation recordings tomorrow,” Cassandra muttered to herself. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to relax her mind, which was full of various speculations.

However, her phone suddenly rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. Cassandra grabbed the phone from the side table and saw Alexander’s name on the screen. She frowned. It was almost ten at night, and Alexander usually didn’t call her at this hour.

“Hello, Alex?” Cassandra answered the call with a wary tone.

There was no response on the other end of the line. Only the sound of heavy, interrupted breathing could be heard. Cassandra’s heart started to race. “Alex? Are you there?” she asked again, this time more firmly.

Still, there was no response. The call then disconnected, leaving Cassandra in confusion and worry. She tried calling Alexander back, but her calls went straight to voicemail.

A sense of unease began to creep into Cassandra’s thoughts. She knew Alexander wasn’t the type to be careless, especially regarding his safety. Something must have happened. Quickly, Cassandra grabbed her jacket and prepared to return to the police station, hoping to find Alexander or at least get information about his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Alexander woke up in a state of confusion. His head felt heavy, and his body was difficult to move. He tried opening his eyes, but his vision was still blurry. Faint sounds surrounded him, like footsteps and low conversations.

As his consciousness slowly returned, Alexander realized he was in a dark, unfamiliar room. His hands and feet were tightly bound to a chair, making it hard for him to move. He tried recalling what had happened before, but his memory only went as far as entering his car in the parking lot.

“Finally, you’re awake,” a cold, heavy voice came from the front. Alexander slowly lifted his head, trying to see who was speaking. In the dim light, he saw the silhouette of a masked man standing before him.

The man stepped closer. Alexander quickly scanned his figure – about 180 cm tall, sturdy build, and confident movements. The man’s voice sounded unfamiliar to Alexander, but one striking feature was his eyes. When the man grabbed Alexander’s face and held it tightly, Alexander saw unfamiliar brown eyes.

“Listen carefully,” the masked man’s voice was cold and threatening. “Stay away from Cassandra if you value your life.”

Alexander endured the pain on his face and tried to remain calm. “What do you want from her? Why Cassandra?” he demanded in a firm tone.

Instead of answering, the masked man punched Alexander hard in the face. The blow threw Alexander’s head back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“Shut up!” the man snapped before hitting him again. Alexander bit his lip, trying to endure the pain.

Two other masked men entered the room. They joined their leader, mercilessly beating and kicking Alexander. Alexander tried to fight back, but the bindings on his wrists and ankles left him powerless. Each attack felt like a painful jolt of lightning until his body finally gave in, and his consciousness began to fade.

When Alexander finally passed out, the three masked men stopped. They untied the bindings on Alexander’s wrists and ankles, then removed their masks. Their leader, Marcus, a man with a strong jaw and sharp eyes, observed Alexander’s limp body with a cold expression.

“You know what to do,” he said to his two subordinates. “Take him back near the police station. Make sure he’s found, but not before we’re gone.”

The two subordinates nodded, lifting Alexander’s limp body and carrying him out of the dark room. Marcus watched them leave before turning away, disappearing into the shadows of the night.