The Puppeteer's Game

Chapter 19: On the Hunt

Later that morning, Emily and Miguel were in Captain Daniel's office, where the air was thick with anxiety. They had been there for hours, carefully investigating and interviewing people to learn more.

Captain Daniel spoke seriously. "We've gathered some evidence." His voice broke the silence in the room. The forensics team found traces of a sedative in Mark's system. He was high on drugs before the attack."

Emily looked wide-eyed and shocked. "So, it means...?"

"It means Mark might be the one who attacked Detective Alvarez if we didn't find the culprit," Miguel said.

"No. Does the attacker have a desire for him to be out of himself, or does he intentionally want to be the culprit?"

Captain Daniel confirmed that his face was serious. "It appears that's the case. As for Detective Alvarez, she is currently getting better after surgery. We'll have to wait until she wakes up to get her comment."

Miguel leaned in close and gripped the table's edge tightly. "What about the security footage? Did we discover anything?"

"We've watched hours and hours of video, but so far we haven't found anything solid," Captain Daniel said. "The hospital is helpful, but it's pretty hard to sort through all the information."

Emily bit her lip with fear and anger at the same time. "We must find him before he causes more harm."

Captain Daniel confirmed with a nod. "We've already given an APB to anyone who fits our description." Additionally, we are investigating the victims' known friends and acquaintances to see if there are any possible links."

Emily could feel how heavy the situation was for her. She looked at Miguel, but he kept his eyes on Captain Daniel.

"And what about Mark?" Emily asked, then whispered.

Captain Daniel replied, "He's in a safe condition, but it will take some time for him to fully heal. We have put cops outside his room as a safety measure. No one can enter except us three, the doctor, and the nurses assigned to him. With that, we can monitor the people who were interacting with him."

Emily nodded, and her mind was racing with all the possible outcomes. "We must stay alert at all times. He won't stop until he gets caught."

With a soft touch, Miguel grabbed Emily's hand, making her feel strong and at ease. "I assure Emily that we will find him. We are determined to keep everyone safe."

Emily gently squeezed his hand back, thanking him for his constant support. Strongly determined, they would face this threat head-on, never giving up on their goal to catch the planner.

While Emily was leaving Captain Daniel's office, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that followed her. In the darkness, there was a mysterious figure waiting for the right time to move again.

Emily was ready, though. She wasn't going to let fear stop her. As long as Miguel was by her side and a dedicated group of cops helped her, she was determined to end the puppeteer's rule of terror for good.

As news of the puppeteer's latest attack spread like wildfire through the city, everyone was very anxious. Mark and Detective Alvarez were both in serious condition, so the police began a large-scale search for the killer. The truth about these cruel attacks was something Emily was determined to find out.

As they stood outside the hospital, Emily and Miguel were feeling very serious. After the puppeteer crossed a line, it got personal. Emily's hands got tighter as she thought of all the questions she wanted to ask. What made the puppeteer decide to go after Mark and Detective Alvarez? What could have pushed someone to do such horrible things?

Emily, her voice full of purpose, said, "We must find out why the puppeteer attacked Mark and Detective Alvarez."

Miguel said yes with a nod. "I'm going to make the corrections to make sure the original crazy killer is safe. If he's still in jail, we have a copycat on our hands."

Miguel rushed to the jail, but Emily stayed behind to look into what happened to the victims. The hospital was very busy, with doctors and nurses moving quickly from one place to another. Emily carefully made her way to Mark's room, feeling very worried all the way through.

As Emily walked into the room, she saw a scene play out in front of her. Mark was lying still in his hospital bed. Layers of bandages concealed his wounds, causing his skin to lose all its color. She couldn't help but feel sad when she saw his wounds. Being around Mark's current state broke my heart because he was a close friend.

Emily whispered to Mark in a way that made it sound like he could hear her. "Mark, stay strong. After a careful investigation, we will catch the puppeteer.

Emily couldn't help but notice something strange in Mark's room as she looked around. There was a very thin wire on the floor that was hard to see. There was something wrong with it, and Emily's gut told her that it meant something.

Emily carefully picked up the wire and examined it closely. Despite its thinness and sharpness, someone with the right skills could have used it as a deadly weapon. What did it do in Mark's room, though?

Simultaneously, Miguel arrived at the jail and swiftly made his way to the cell of the infamous killer. The strict security measures made the jail even more quiet. Miguel showed his ID to the guards, and they let him into the cell block right away.

Within the cell, Miguel found the infamous killer, who was reading a book on his bed and looked strangely calm. When Miguel walked in, he looked up with a cold, critical look.

"Do you still want to kill people while you're in jail?" Miguel inquired, his voice tense with anger.

Miguel felt a chill go down his spine as Eduard laughed scarily. "There is no connection between me and these new acts at all. I may be a killer, but I have my own set of principles."

Miguel looked closely at the killer's face, trying to find any signs that he was lying. "So, just who is the puppeteer?"

Eduard's face lit up with a scary grin, and his eyes were sparkling with evil. "Ah, yes, the puppeteer. Pretty tough opponent, don't you think? The opponent is someone who is well-versed in the mechanics of the game.

Emily's research took her back to the hospital and Detective Alvarez's room. Several machines closely monitored Detective Alvarez's vital signs as she slept in the poorly lit room. Emily looked around the room, searching for clues. Her mind was clear and focused.

All of a sudden, something caught her attention. The detective's pillow conceals a small piece of paper. Emily carefully removed it from its place and unfolded the paper, her heart racing with excitement.

"Tick tock, Emily. The game just began."

Emily had a chill go down her spine as she read the message. The puppeteer's mean words kept playing over and over in her mind, making her feel very scared. Even though she was scared, she had strong determination.

Miguel walked into the room out of nowhere, shocking everyone. His pale face showed how shocked he was. "Emily," he said in a hurried voice.

When Emily looked at him again, her eyes were filled with worry. "Miguel."

Miguel took a big breath in and out before speaking. "Ed is still in jail. Someone else is the puppeteer."

Emily's mind was full of all the possible outcomes. If not the puppeteer, the first crazy killer, who could be behind these horrible attacks? Why did he target Mark and Detective Alvarez?

Emily said with a strong voice, "We need to figure this out."

Miguel nodded, and a serious look came over his face. "We'll do it. Being careful is still important, though. That puppeteer is sneaky and dangerous."

Right then, the door to the hospital room swung open, showing a man in a sharp suit.

"Diego Monteverde." He quickly displayed a badge indicating that he was an inspector. After looking around the room, the detective said, "I'm here to help. To catch the puppeteer before it's too late, we need to work together."

Emily and Miguel looked thoughtfully, with Miguel particularly curious and confused. Does the new detective represent the end of the puppeteer? Will this new person be able to help them find the criminal?

As they stood there, unified in their objective, they felt uneasy. Even though they knew they were about to play a dangerous game, the puppeteer always had the upper hand.

As they were getting ready to leave the hospital room, the lights flashed and went out, leaving them in total darkness. "You're getting closer, but not close enough," a voice whispered from the dark. A cold breeze blew through the room. "Puppeteer is always one step ahead."

The eerie words kept playing over and over in their minds, making them shiver. People were still looking for the puppeteer, and the stakes were higher than ever.

Emily and Miguel went into the unknown with undying love and a firm resolve to face any problems that came their way. They were determined to catch up and secure justice for the attacked people, refusing to let the puppeteer stay one step ahead.

The game was still on, and they were eager to play.