"Officer, I didn't do anything wrong," a man says, voice shaking.
"You were going 120 mph," Elijah replies.
The man's eyes dart to Elijah's name tag. "Officer Elijah… can't you give me a chance, please?"
Elijah sighs.
"Okay, I'll give you a cheaper ticket. Consider it a rookie courtesy."
"Thank you!" the man says, relief flooding his face.
Elijah hands him the ticket. "Please drive at the correct speed next time."
The man nods and heads back to his car.
Elijah walks back to his cop car, opens the door, and slides in.
The radio crackles:
""Unit Twelve. Possible homicide. 417 Gray Street. Caller reports a body.""
Homicide? Seriously? Elijah mutters.
He flips the siren on. 🚨 The wail cuts through the night as the cop car speeds down Gray Street.
Elijah arrives at the building. The building looks old, paint peeling from the bricks and wood rotting at the corners.
"This place looks like it's been abandoned for years," Elijah mutters as he steps out of the cop car.
He draws his gun and calls out.
"Police! Anyone home?"
No one answered.
Elijah slowly opens the front door. Immediately, a scent hits him.
Elijah checks the downstairs rooms. Then he heads upstairs.
"Anyone home?" Elijah calls out again.
A door at the end of the hallway catches his eye. He walks over and pushes it open and stumbles back, falling to the ground.
In the middle of the room is a dead body.
Male. Mid-thirties. Face down on the carpet. One arm tucked under him, the other stretched out, fingers slightly curled. A pool of dark blood soaks the floor.
Shit. This stinks, Elijah mutters.
Elijah gets up and radios in:
""Unit Twelve reporting… confirmed homicide. Requesting detectives and forensics.""
His eyes catch the victim's hand. Clenched.
What is that? Elijah mutters.
He carefully opens the dead man hand. A piece of paper was there.
Written on it:
12-17
Elijah frowns.
Suddenly, he hears footsteps downstairs. He draws his gun again.
Great. A dead body, weird noises, and a creepy note… Elijah mutters.
Elijah leaves the room and heads downstairs.
"This is the police!" Elijah calls out.
A noise comes from the kitchen. Elijah runs toward it.
There, on the kitchen floor, is another body but unlike the first, this one has no head.
Eww… Elijah mutters.
Elijah radios in:
""I found another body. Send backup immediately!""
An hour later, Detective Alvarez arrives.
"You the rookie?" Alvarez asks, eyes scanning the apartment.
"Yes, sir," Elijah replies.
Alvarez glances at him. "Find anything interesting?"
"The victim was holding this. Could be a message," Elijah replies, handing over the piece of paper.
"12-17… I wonder what this means," Alvarez mutters to himself.
"Okay, the place is sealed off boss," a voice says.
Elijah turns around.
"You must be the rookie. I'm Sarah. Nice to meet you," Sarah says, offering a small smile.
"I'm Elijah Cross. It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Elijah replies.
Suddenly, the radio crackles again:
""Unit Twelve. Officer Cross, head to Newcastle Street. Someone is robbing a gas station." ⛽️"
"First homicide, now a robbery?" Elijah mutters.
Elijah runs to his cop car and speeds toward Newcastle Street.
When he arrives, he sees four masked men running out of the gas station, bags in hand.
Elijah jumps out.
"Police! Stop!" Elijah calls out.
Three of the men run off, but one freezes. Elijah tackles him to the ground and puts him in handcuffs.
"Got you," Elijah mutters, breathing hard.
The man groans, "Please… I didn't mean"
"Too late. You're coming with me," Elijah replies.
He puts the man in the back of the cop car and starts driving toward the station.
Suddenly, a truck appears out of nowhere. 🚚
Elijah swerves, but the cop car skids. Tires screech on the asphalt. His head hits the window.
His vision blurs.
Oh, no… not now… Elijah mutters.
Then he passed out