At the precinct, the realization hit Adrian with the force of a tidal wave. The timer hadn't stopped when Paul Albates was brought in by the police. Now, the reason was clear—Paul had orchestrated everything to get close to Officer Lin. The abduction was never a random act; it was a calculated move, and Adrian had walked right into the trap.
He sat in the surveillance room, eyes fixed on the grainy CCTV footage. There, on the screen, Officer Lin stood outside the precinct, waving at Paul Albates. Paul approached her car, slipped into the passenger seat, and after a few tense seconds, emerged again to take the driver's seat. The car pulled away, vanishing into the city's rain-soaked streets. Adrian's jaw tightened. Every second Lin was gone, the timer ticked closer to zero.
Jude Francois, Paul's stepbrother, sat across from Adrian in the interview room. Jude's hands fidgeted nervously, his eyes darting between Adrian and the floor.
"Who is Paul Albates?" Adrian asked, voice low and steady.
Jude hesitated, then began. "Paul… he used to be just a normal guy. Good with his hands, a real repairman, just like his late dad—my stepdad. He loved fixing things, and he had this hobby for photography. But a few months ago, something changed. He started acting strange. Sometimes I'd catch him talking to himself, or waving his hands in the air like he was scrolling through something invisible. He'd get this faraway look, like he was somewhere else entirely."
Jude's voice trembled as he continued. "But he also became… more productive. He fixed more things than ever, built new gadgets, worked like he was racing a clock. He barely slept. I tried to help, but he'd snap at me, say he had to finish or he'd die. One day, I lost my temper and punched him. He just stared at me, then shouted 'No!' and suddenly, out of nowhere, he was holding a flask of light blue liquid. He tried to drink it, but collapsed before he could. I panicked—he wasn't breathing, his heart stopped. I did CPR, but nothing. Then I remembered the flask, so I poured some into his mouth. A few seconds later, his eyes lit up—literally, I swear—and he came back. But he was different. Colder. Like a new person. I hugged him, apologized, but he just left. When he came back hours later, he handed me a plane ticket and told me to leave the country."
Adrian listened, piecing together the implications. Paul wasn't the only one with a system. Adrian's own system had always felt unique, but now he saw the pattern—Paul's was different, a repairman's system with its own rules and deadlines. And just like Adrian, Paul faced a failure protocol: termination.
He stepped out of the room, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him. "System," he whispered, "is it true? Does Paul have a system like mine?"
System: Insufficient access. Your current level does not permit disclosure of that information.
Adrian clenched his fists, frustration mounting. He returned to the interview room, facing Jude again. "Do you have any idea where Paul might be hiding?"
Jude nodded, voice shaky. "If he's hiding anywhere, it's probably our late stepdad's old repair shop in District 9. That's where Timeless Fix started, before we moved to District 6. He always said it was the only place he felt at home."
Adrian checked his timer—4:30:12 left. The drive to District 9 would take nearly three hours. There was no time to waste.
He rushed out to his car, flipping on the siren as he dialed Chief of Police Jonathan Huggins. The call connected with a crackle.
"Chief, it's Cross. Paul Albates is our primary suspect. He's holding Officer Lin hostage and she's likely the next target. I'm heading to District 9, the old Timeless Fix shop. I need backup."
"Understood, Cross. We'll mobilize units and meet you there. Be careful."
Adrian ended the call and immediately opened his system interface, pulling up the shop menu. His eyes widened in disbelief—his Crime Points had jumped from 220 to a staggering 10,000.
"System, why do I have so many points? And why didn't you tell me?"
System: Notifications were disabled to help you focus on the case and avoid distractions, aside from the timer. Your Crime Points increased due to side quests completed during your investigation. Each time you followed my advice—talking to witnesses, checking overlooked evidence, making deductions on the case board—you earned additional points.
Adrian shook his head, a wry smile flickering across his face despite the tension. "You could have told me."
System: My priority was your focus and the successful resolution of the case. Now, with your current Crime Points, you have access to advanced items and upgrades. I recommend preparing thoroughly before confronting Paul Albates.
Adrian scrolled through the shop, his mind racing. Weapons, gadgets, forensic tools, protective gear—everything he might need for the final confrontation. He selected his equipment with care:
No Reload Glock – 1000 CPImproved Wick's Coat – 1500 CPEnhanced Defense Long Sleeves – 1000 CPEnhanced Speed Pants – 1000 CPEnhanced Strength Gloves – 500 CPEnhanced Sprint Shoes – 500 CPSword Necktie – 1000 CPMP Potion x10 – 1000 CPHP Potion x10 – 1000 CPRevive Potion x1 – 1500 CPHe used all of his CP, moving each item into his equipment slot, feeling the weight and promise of every upgrade.
Adrian paused, looking at the system interface. "Thank you," he said quietly. But as he reflected on Paul's descent—how the system had driven him to obsession, isolation, and madness—Adrian felt a chill. He realized he couldn't trust the system completely. If he lost himself in its logic, he might end up just like Paul: unhinged, or worse, a criminal.
He took a steadying breath, feeling the power of his new gear and the gravity of his choices. Adrian was ready for a confrontation with another system user.