12
After the blood draw, Vanessa seemed to gather a shred of composure.
“My son is fine,” she muttered as if trying to convince everyone in the room. “He sent me a package, didn’t he?”
But she hadn’t opened it yet. She couldn’t bring herself to. That unopened box was her last thread of hope.
I hovered silently, watching the officers work efficiently to send her blood sample for testing and begin restoring the phone’s data.
The department leaders also issued a public statement, urging calm while promising a swift resolution. Slowly, the rumors and panic that had gripped the city began to subside.
Online chatter, however, had only intensified.
“That kid was from Bayport High, wasn’t he?
“Yeah, I know someone from there. They say it was one of the advanced placement kids. Pretty good grades, too.”
“God, it was probably him. He scored above the cutoff for the best colleges but didn’t apply to any. He’s been missing for almost a week now.”
“No way. I heard he ran away from home after a fight with his family.”
“A week and no word from him? That’s not normal.”
22:21 Thu, Mar 13 A
“Why do kids these days run off like that? Don’t they realize how dangerous it is out
there?”
Vanessa had seen these comments, of course. They weighed on her mind as she
worked.
“Dr. Sterling,” one of her assistants said cautiously, “we should have the DNA results tomorrow. It says the phone data will be ready by then, too. We’ll finally know who the
victim is.”
Vanessa gave a distracted nod, her mind elsewhere.
The assistant sighed and didn’t press further.
I watched from above, wishing I could reassure her somehow. But what could I say?
By mid–afternoon, the station erupted into chaos.
Shouts and scuffling sounds echoed through the halls, breaking the tense silence.
Vanessa frowned, turning to her assistant.
“What’s all that racket? Go check it out!”
The assistant saluted and hurried off.
Two minutes later, they came stumbling back wide–eyed and breathless.
“Dr. Sterling! They’ve arrested the suspects!”
Vanessa’s scalpel slipped from her hand, clattering to the floor.
“What? They caught them?”
“Yes! There are four suspects in total! Do you want to see them?”
Vanessa didn’t bother answering. She tore off her gloves and rushed out of the room.
In the main hallway, four disheveled men were being escorted toward the interrogation
22:21 Thu, Mar 13 AG
rooms, handcuffed and surrounded by officers
They snarled and cursed, defiant even in chains.
I recognized them immediately.
These were the men who had ambushed me.
But where was the fifth?
