Chapter 9: Nature just gave you another chance— make the best use of it

༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶPolice HQ.... ༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ

EARLY THE NEXT DAY, BREANNA FLIPPED OPEN THE ATTACHED file in Captain Morgan's discharge records.

Her heart gave her a small but noticeable hitch, seeing Antonio's name in the Captain's detained list, but then—their HQ recorded that he was discharged.

She furrowed her brows from tiredness and confusion, was it just an administrative fluke—or someone pulling strings to make his arrest disappear.

Discharges usually came with a paper trail, a reason. But for Antonio? Nothing. Just a blank space where an explanation should be.

A mail dinged in her mailbox and she hastily opened it with a click.

The HQ had affirmed again that Antonio was discharged that same day— but what nagged her was that there was no official explanation attached to it.

Scrolling further, she saw that her superiors had denied her request to reopen the investigation.

They insisted that Antonio was a powerful figure in Enchanted Hills, a kind of man whose name should rarely appear in police records, let alone on an investigation table.

But Breanna had learned long ago that when something didn’t sit right, it was worth digging deeper and there was only one way to find out.

She grabbed her coat, clipped her badge to her belt, and reached for her notepad.

“If the system wouldn’t investigate Antonio, then I damn well would. My Captain deserved better.” Breanna huffed, her soles clicking against the hard tiles as she exited the now quiet office.

One glance at the clock it was, 3: 15 AM, she had worked the whole night but was still adamant to investigate Antonio.

She got into her car and was about to start the engine when her eyes caught sight of a card.

Sluggishly she picked it up and scanned through it. It was a Mother's day card from her eight years old son.

She remembered seeing him slip something into her car yesterday, but she was too occupied to check it.

With guilt tightened around her chest, she traced the sloppy handwriting. Her baby had worked on this just for her—and she hadn’t even noticed.

She fumbled for her phone and dialed their home line—but he didn't pick up.

“Sorry Junior, Mama can't attend the Mother's day surprise—I was caught up with work”. Breanna recorded a voicemail after many unanswered calls.

Tossing the phone to the back seat, she steered the car out of the garage and onto the road.

༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ Fast-forward to 5:32 AM that same morning.༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ

The sickly street lights cast fractured shadows over the bloodstained alley.

A pool of dried blood glistening under the harsh glow, a silent testament to the violence that had unfolded the night before.

The expansive rooftop of the Sparkling Ciders Casino offered an unobstructed view of the chaos below.

And from that perch, Breanna observed the flashing red-and-blue lights below through her binoculars.

In her free hand, she held a burger, absently squeezing it before taking a slow, deliberate bite. Mayonnaise dripped from the corner of her mouth onto her knuckle, but she didn’t wipe it away.

The city never stopped, and neither did its death toll.

Her gaze stayed locked on the scene, on the way the victim’s wrist was broken, fingers stiff in their final, desperate grasp at life.

“This is the fifth hit this month,” Sophia, her aide, murmured, barely audible over the distant hum of sirens.

“Ma’am, do you think Blade Knuckle is behind this?”

Breanna didn’t answer immediately, rather with a deep exhalation, she took another bite of her burger and chewed slowly.

She swallowed after a while, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“No!,” she said finally, her voice cool. “Blade Knuckle is a precision psychopath—a blade across the throat. No wasted effort and a remarkable clean escape.”

She adjusted the focus of her binoculars, her pulse steady and calculating.

“This? This is rage.” Breanna continued, voice almost detached. “Whoever did this used their fists. The face is completely caved in. Blade Knuckle’s style is always contracted—no personal feelings attached.”

Sophia followed her gaze. True to it , the victim’s skull was practically caved in. Deep contusions lined his arms—with broken wrist.

“They definitely did take their time.” Sophia inhaled sharply.

Breanna didn’t look at her. “Whoever did this didn’t just want them dead," she murmured.

“Note down the exclusion of weapons.”

Sophia nodded, taking notes. “But who could it—”

“Sophia!,”

Breanna interrupted, turning to her.

“Yes ma'am”

“I want every angle of CCTV footage from this alley. Get the forensic squad to run DNA on the victim—there’s a good chance that we’ll find a foreign blood.”

As she spoke, movement below caught her attention. Officers muttered to one another, their voices low, wary, as if something new happened.

Enhancing her vision with the binoculars, she noticed that the lead crime scene investigator had gone stiff, one hand pressed against his walkie-talkie as he listened to an incoming transmission.

His shoulders tensed as he absorbed the message. Then, without hesitation, he turned, barking orders.

Breanna lowered her binoculars and reached for her phone. She didn’t hesitate in calling his number.

The investigator answered immediately. “Yes Ma’am.” His voice was tight.

“What's the situation?”, Breanna asked with a composed voice.

“We just got a group bloodshed.” His deep voice reported.

Breanna's grip on the phone tightened. “Location?, I will head there with the forensic squad”.

“South end. Just outside the industrial district.”

“I’m on my way,” she said and killed the line. “Sophia, we've another scene”. Breanna mumbled, tying her shoelaces.

Sophia huffed in defeat, there's no rest for the dead nor for them.

༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶVincenzo's House༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ

Arriving at Vincenzo's house, the luxurious Mansion Courtyard served as a confined stage for the crime.

Blood spatter painted the grim paintings on the white walls.

Furniture laid upturned, silent markers of desperate fight.

Weapons like mace, club, bats, knives and revolver littered the floor, a shattered vase and broken glasses sparkled on the floor.

Early morning rays shimmer through the window illuminating the house—giving more insight.

The scuff marks near the window hinted at a hasty escape.

With gloved hands, Breanna knelt beside one of the victims, her expression somber, she examined the neck of the victims; it was a knuckled and blade cut.

“Blade knuckles ?”, she mumbled with an apathetic emotion—filling her notebook with rapid and meticulous details.

The forensic experts dusted for fingerprints, DNA samples were carefully collected ,technicians photographed the scene, preserving every detail.

Breanna and Sophia scoured for evidence , invisible to the untrained eye, together they photographed some seemingly insignificant details.

Next, Breanna trailed a blood pattern out of the building and demanded the forensic squad to analyze and see if it matches the second blood from the other crime scene, ‘the one of the man with a distorted face’

She followed the blood trails, and saw what looked like where someone passed out.

She abandoned her search when she couldn't find any more blood trail and rejoined the team.

—

IN THE SOMBRA AZUL VILLAGE, PAIN SHEETED THROUGH ANTONIO with a terrible intensity as he regained consciousness.

He grunted as he tried to fight the haze clouding his vision, but it was futile.

As he strained to stand up a deep throated growl escaped his lips.

“Grrrr!”, he moaned.

“Hey Hermano...no te muevas {Hey Brother....don't move}”. A teenage girl rasped hastily, her panic ridden tone stopping Antonio from getting up.

Slowly Antonio's senses started to send reports back to his brain, he remembered his close to death encounter with Vincenzo and cursed.

“Son of a b*tch!”. He flickered open his heavy eyelids and there were bruises, cuts and scrapes all over his body.

Absorbing the pain with strong will, he tried to move again, assuring himself that the pain was just an illusory sensation.

With each jostle and movement, it shot ripples of pain through his shoulder, back and neck.

His strength failed him and he tumbled flat to the floor with a grunt. A woman in her early fifties pushed the door open and rushed in.

“Buen señor ....que paso aqui ? {Good lord…. What happened here?}” Liza Minnelli exclaimed, taking in the sight before her,

“I tried to stop him but he was adamant” Maya replied to her mother 'Liza Minnelli'.

Liza Minnelli crouched down beside Antonio and helped him up. With collective efforts from her and Maya, he 'Blade' was able to sit on a chair.

“Here!, drink this” , Liza Minnelli passed him a green liquid in a yellow faded cup.

“What is this?” Antonio asked in ragged breathing, staring at the liquid with a mix of suspicion & disgust.

“Son!, you are not pain resistant, It's just a natural remedy, it will help reduce the ache and pain”, Liza replied with a courteous smile.

Antonio's gaze lingered on Liza, searching for any sign of deception. But her expression remained calm and sincere.

He has trust issues, and Liza's response wasn't helping.

As if she knew what was going on in his head—Liza added, “You've been here with us for two days now. If I wanted to harm you, I could have done it while you were unconscious.”

Antonio's eyes flashed with understanding, the woman was right. If she had wanted to kill him, she would have done it already.

With a deep breath, he raised the cup to his lips—tilting his head back, he poured in everything and gulped it down at a go.

The bitter taste hit the back of his tongue and he grimaced, his eyes snapping open in disbelief.

“Damn it!”, Anthony spat in disgust, squeezing his face. “What the fuck was that ?”

Liza's eyes sparkled with a knowing glint as she collected the cup from him. “We don't use foul words here” Liza's smile was warm and approving.

“You need to rest’’ she added, her voice soft.

Antonio, seeing that he wasn't getting any response from the woman—reluctantly laid back on the wooden bed.

True to what Liza Minnelli said. The medicine took effect.

Ten minutes later the pain started to pull back like a tide, it left his fingers first—then slowly it worked its way up to his arm.

He took a couple of deep breaths and this time he was able to stand on his own.

He slowly walked to the window, supporting his weight by holding the window's frame.

With renewed energy, he inhaled the fresh fragrance of nature, which was devoid of City's pollution.

“How did I get here?”.

“Mother was returning from the hills, where she went to procure herbs—then she ran into you— completely drenched in blood”.

Maya stepped closer and explained everything with the slightest detail she knew.

“That's how you got here”. She added at the end of her narration.

Antonio turned, facing Liza with a groovy face.

“I apologize for any inconveniences my presence might have cost you—calculate the losses you incurred and I will repay you”.

Liza Minnelli furrowed her brow in disappointment. “Not everything necessarily has a price tag".

“Yes I know bu—”

“No buts”, Liza cut in sharply. “The world hasn't been drained totally of humanity”. She scolded, brushing a soft knock on his head.

“Mother, I will head to the woods now”, Maya excused herself and left.

“Tag along your mates and be careful”, Liza screamed, but Maya was long gone.

“I don't think she heard that” Antonio throated.

Liza chuckled slightly and shook her head. “She's always hyper-active”.

“Young blood!” Antonio remarked with a deep exhalation.

“What is it called here ?”

Liza flashed him a questioning look. “Sombra Azul...why do you ask?"

“I will head back later in the evening....” He paused briefly, tilting his head to ease the tension on it. “I don't like being a burden”.

“As a herbalist—I won't let you go, your body is still very weak, rest for a day or two more” Liza objected.

“No ma'am, I am perfectly fin—’’. A sneeze formed under the splint of his nose, and for a moment he didn't dare breathe.

Liza stretched her hand and caressed his back rhythmically, reducing the sneeze tension.

“See what I told you , you need to rest”, Liza inferred. She craned her neck out to see if anyone was within earshot.

“Did something happen ?”.

“No”, She replied curtly and reached for a woven bag—she handed it to Antonio.

“What's in it”, his tone dropped hesitantly.

“It contains your blood soaked shirt and bullets.” Liza murmured.

Antonio fumble through it slowly, curious as to how many people know about it.

“I told the villagers that you were attacked by a wild animal”, she paused momentarily for Antonio to release a breath but he didn't.

“Son—you could have lost your life in whatsoever you got yourself in”

“Ma'am is nothing of the sort”. Antonio croaked, dropping the bag to the floor.

Liza sized him from head to toe and smiled, “Nature hardly gives another chance—but it just did with you, make the best use of it”.

Without waiting for a response, she steeled her heels and exited the room.