Detective Kate Matthews stood at the edge of the city, the twinkling lights of the skyline blurring together as she gazed out into the darkness. The wind whipped through her curly brown hair, and the chill of the night air seeped into her bones, but she didn’t flinch. She was lost in thought, her mind a thousand miles away, trapped in the memories she had tried so hard to escape.
The sound of her phone shattering the silence brought her back to reality. She sighed, knowing she couldn’t avoid the call. It was her captain, and he wouldn’t be calling at this hour unless it was something big.
“Matthews, we’ve got a body,” he said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of concern. “Female, mid-twenties. Looks like a homicide. I need you on the scene, pronto.”
Kate nodded, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. She had been waiting for this moment, the chance to prove herself once again, to show the world that she was more than just a troubled past.
As she made her way to the crime scene, the city lights blurring together like a kaleidoscope, Kate’s mind wandered back to the memories she had tried so hard to suppress. The memories of her mother, of her father, of the night that had changed everything.
She had grown up too quickly, forced to navigate the dark alleys of life alone. Her mother, a victim of domestic violence, had been taken from her when Kate was just a teenager. Her father, a man she had once idolized, had become a monster, and Kate had been left to pick up the pieces.
But she had refused to be a victim. She had fought, clawing her way through the darkness, determined to make a difference. And now, as a detective, she had dedicated her life to seeking justice for others, hoping to find some semblance of peace for herself.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
The crime scene came Into view, the flashing lights of the police cars illuminating the dark alleyway like a macabre dance. Kate’s heart raced as she stepped out of her car, her eyes scanning the scene before her. This was it, her chance to prove herself, to show the world that she was more than just a troubled past.
Little did she know, this case would be different. This case would lead her down a rabbit hole of secrets and lies, of corruption and deceit. This case would force her to confront the ghosts of her past, and to face the darkness that had haunted her for so long.
As she arrived at the crime scene, Kate’s trained eyes took in every detail. The victim, a young woman, lay on the ground, her eyes frozen in a permanent stare. Kate’s gaze lingered on the small, intricately carved wooden box clutched in the victim’s hand.
“Looks like we’ve got a ritualistic killing,” Jack said, his voice low and serious.
Kate nodded, her mind already racing with theories. She knelt beside the victim, her fingers gently prying open the wooden box. Inside, a small piece of paper with a single word: “Nemesis.”
Kate’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that word, had seen it before in a case that had haunted her for years. A case that had left her with a personal vendetta against the perpetrator.
“Jack, I think we’re dealing with something bigger than we thought,” Kate said, her voice firm.
As they began to process the scene, Kate’s phone rang. She answered, her eyes never leaving the victim’s face.
“Detective Matthews, we’ve got a match on the DNA,” the voice on the other end said.
Kate’s grip on the phone tightened. “Who is it?”
“The DNA belongs to a man named Alexander Grey. He’s a former agent with the government’s top-secret agency, Echelon.”
Kate’s eyes locked onto the wooden box, the word “Nemesis” seared into her mind. She knew that name, Alexander Grey. He was the one who had destroyed her life, who had left her with the scars she still carried today.
The case had just become personal.