The Puppeteer's Game

Chapter 23: Dangerous Game

Diego couldn't stop thinking about all the different ideas and chances that could happen. They were all deep in thought as they met in Captain Daniel's office, and you could feel the stress in the air. Diego couldn't help but think that the mysterious message he had gotten had something to do with the Phantom's quick flight.

"I wonder if the Phantom could be the mystery person who sent that message," Diego thought as his brow wrinkled in meditation. "But that doesn't convince me. There's more going on here."

While they were thinking about what to do next, Diego quietly left to look at the CCTV video again with great care. He looked at every part of the scene with steady attention, carefully studying it until something interesting caught his eye.

In the corner of the screen, where the shadows were, a strange person showed up. Diego was very focused, and his heart was racing with a mix of excitement and worry. A strange person emerged from the shadows with a mask on their face.

Diego felt his breath catch in his throat as he realized how bad things were. "He has a partner," he said in a low voice that was hard to hear.

As Diego watched the CCTV tape over and over, he couldn't help but spot something odd. He observed a jail guard returning to Eduardo's cell, yet the timing did not align with the customary delivery of meals to cells. He kept looking at the video with a wrinkled face, his mind running with all the possible outcomes.

After focusing for a short time, Diego's eyes lit up with a sudden understanding. He shouted, "Ah-ha!" with a sense of victory washing over him. He watched the film again, this time focusing on a certain part where the guard did something different from what he usually did.

As he tapped his pen on the desk in a regular way, his mind was busy making plans. Diego quickly made a comparison between the guard's changes and the strange object he had observed. It was like the puzzle pieces just clicked into place, revealing a disturbing truth.

Diego was determined, so he quickly checked his phone for the message from the unknown number. He slowly got a smile on his face as he read it again. With the skill of a great explainer, he easily broke the complicated code and found the message it held.

At the same time, Miguel and Emily were speeding through the city streets. The car was tense. They had reached a turning point in their urgent search for the mysterious puppeteer, and with each passing second, the stakes seemed to rise.

Miguel and Emily were both startled when his phone vibrated out of the blue in his pocket. It caused them to jump into their seats. He quickly got it back, and as he read the new message, his mood became more serious.

Emily's gaze remained fixed on Miguel, causing her to feel uneasy. "Miguel, who sent that message?"

As he looked at the screen for a while, Miguel finally said, "It's from Diego." He learned something important about the Phantom."

"The Phantom?" Emily's voice was scary and shocked at the same time. "What did he find out?"

"Diego has found the Phantom's secret hideout," Miguel said in a frantic voice. We will soon receive the locations. "We need to get there quickly."

Emily gave Miguel a determined look, which meant she wanted him to speed up. The driver quickly steered the car through the city's busy streets. But chaos broke out just as they were about to reach their goal.

The sound of metal scraping against the road reverberated clearly, echoing through the air. The car jerked violently and swerved out of control.

"What the heck is going on?" Through the noise, Emily's voice was audible.

Miguel had a tight grip on the steering wheel, and his speech was tense. "We must have lost our brakes!"

She looked out the window and saw a world full of chaos and movement. This made Emily's heart race. As Miguel carefully steered the car to stay on track, it raced down the street, almost colliding with other cars.

"Let's jump!" Emily's voice grew shaky as she yelled.

Miguel's bobbed head was full of agreement, and his mind was racing as he looked around for a way out. When he saw a lane off in the distance, he quickly turned the car into it, making the tires screech against the road.

Along the tight alley, the car jerked and rocked, and the walls closed in around them. The car stopped suddenly, sending a cloud of smoke out from under the hood after a quick jolt.

Emily quickly opened the door to her room and ran out onto the sidewalk. Miguel did the same thing, and his heart was racing as he looked at how bad the damage was.

***

But Diego ran into Eduardo Cordova, who was also known as "The Phantom." Tension filled the room, and the dim lighting made the eerie mood even stronger. Diego was about to find something that would have a big impact on his life after a long and hard search.

Eduardo gave Diego a sly grin, but his eyes had a hint of fun in them. He seemed unconcerned. "Inspector Monteverde, you're very persistent. Why are you here?"

Diego kept up a calm exterior, hiding the storm of emotions that was building up inside him. "Enough of this act, Eduardo. I can tell you're not the puppeteer."

Along with his step, Eduardo's smile got bigger. "Oh? It intrigues me. What have you discovered?"

Diego pulled out the crumpled piece of paper, which was full of mysterious information. Clearly, he said, "At midnight, the crow flies."

Eduardo's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, that's interesting. Do you want me to translate for you?"

Diego kept going because he was determined to find the truth. "What does that mean, Eduardo? Who do you work for?"

A scary laugh came from Eduardo, sending chills down my spine. "Working for? Yes, Inspector, you are completely wrong. I am the Phantom, and I am the brain behind it all. I have my own business."

Diego had a lot on his mind. "The Phantom isn't everything you are, is it?"

Eduardo changed his smile into a big grin. "Oh, do you think I'm the puppeteer, too?" Even though I have won a lot of awards, I like to think of myself as the best at this game.

When Diego found out the truth, he got a chill down his spine. The Phantom, the cunning planner, and the puppeteer were all involved. The complicated plans and strategic moves all fell into place at once. He was up against a really tough opponent.

"You're not just the Phantom; you're also the Puppeteer," Diego said with his eyes crossed.

Eduardo laughed, which was a very scary sound. "Oh, Inspector, you don't give the puppeteer enough credit. He pulls the strings with ease. You missed your chance to stop the game.

"Tell me..." Diego was set on doing it. "Who is the puppeteer?"

Eduardo's smile changed into something scary. "Why do I need to tell you? You are an inspector, so figure it out."

"There will be a case against you if you don't," Diego warned. "If you tell me, there will be other people in jail with you."

The room echoed with Eduardo's laughter. "Being late is not a problem, Inspector. The puppeteer's plan is already in motion.

An unexpected turn of events happened when Eduardo quickly moved and reached for a hidden gun. As Diego expertly avoided his opponents, the room became very chaotic.

Diego had clear, sharp thoughts, and his moves were based on pure instincts as he faced his tough opponent. He was determined that the puppeteer would not prevail.

With a strong will, Diego was able to take Eduardo's weapons away. They got into a fierce fight, and Diego was able to pin him down.

"Tell me who the puppeteer is!" Diego insisted, and his grip got stronger.

Eduardo blinked. "I've known him since the beginning. He has constantly been smarter than everyone else."

Diego felt dread. Because of you, I have no choice.

But Miguel and Emily walked into the room just as Diego was about to get the information. They were simultaneously shocked and scared by what they saw.

Eduardo was gasping for air on the ground when Diego let him go.

"Emily, Miguel, and I..." Diego's voice went away because of how serious the situation was.

To get away, Eduardo skillfully moved around Diego. Diego took a quick look at Emily and Miguel, and he became interested right away. He wanted to ask, but he held back because he knew he had to catch up with Eduardo.

Miguel took a quick look at Emily. He asked, "Can you run?"

"Of course. Let's split up so we can catch The Phantom faster," Emily said.

Miguel left Emily after a brief acknowledgement. They had to catch Eduardo that night.