To Search And Find

Chapter One: Never Looking Up

THE AFTER.

"Seto Nakamura used to be a good boy."

"He got stellar grades, smiled and was polite to everyone. He invented awe inspiring machines in his spare time, and was revered as a genius in all respects. He was the epitome of a perfect child."

"Then how..."

"Did he become what they all feared?"

"This is the story of how it all unraveled."

"This."

"Is the tale of The Mechanical Murderer."

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THE BEFORE.

A blond put his head in his hands.

*sigh*

"It's official. This is the worst case I've ever worked on, and that's including the one with the parakeet as a suspect."

His sister smiled softly. Dressed in a light pink cotton dress and flat bowed shoes, she looked like a personified summer day.

Serenity.

"Well, Joey, you were the one who wanted to be a detective."

The blond huffed and stood up swiftly from his office chair, it rolling away only slightly, despite the rough shoving from the detective.

He leaned on his elbow to look out of an open window, the light breeze blowing the periwinkle blue curtains. The New York traffic was as loud as ever, but the two natural New Yorkers were used to it. It complimented their seemingly perfect May afternoon.

If it weren't for Joey's rare bad mood.

The blond growled and slammed his hands on his cherry wood desk.

"I can't even enjoy a great day without fuckin' Dennis on mah back!"

Serenity squeaked in fear.

"B-But Joey! He's your boss! He's in the building! Please be quiet before he hears you!"

Joey looked his sister in the eyes, rubbed his temple, and slid back into his chair, slumped over.

"I'm sorry, Ren, but this case is killin me..."

He pulled out his manilla folder of said case.

A single sticky note was neatly arranged in the center of it, labeled "Mechanical Murderer".

He looked at the folder in despair and groaned.

"What am I gonna do?"

Serenity bit her lip and looked up in thought, her dress swaying with her.

"Maybe... You can go to the park? It could clear up your mind!"

Joey smiled.

"Thanks Ren. Ya always know what I need."

But his eyes never once looked up from the folder.

The only case holding him back.

That was the source of his stress.

And he never once looked up from it.