The next morning.
Inside the conference hall, the atmosphere was tense.
The investigation was officially underway.
Chief Anthony sat at the head of the table. Beside him were Emily, Bethy,
and Michael—their tech expert.
Silence filled the room.
Bethy spoke first.
"As per our findings so far,"
she began, "based on bone structure and remaining tissue analysis, the victim is male—approximately between twenty-five and thirty years old."
She paused before continuing.
"Cause of death is severe burns combined with toxic inhalation."
Everyone leaned in.
"However," Bethy added, "we found toxicants in the victim's lungs that are not produced by fire alone. These substances are typically used to suffocate a human."
She tapped the file in front of her.
"The same toxicants were detected in the charred metal cylinders recovered from the scene."
The room went still.
"So," she concluded,
"this was not accidental. The victim was first suffocated using gas, then burned, and finally the site was blasted to destroy evidence."
Shock flickered across their faces—controlled, but unmistakable.
Anthony broke the silence.
"Any further details?"
Bethy shook her head slightly.
"Identification is still in process, Chief. The condition of the body makes it difficult."
Anthony nodded .
"I understand. Proceed as fast as possible."
"Yes, Chief," Bethy replied.
Michael straightened in his seat.
"Chief, about the burned newspaper fragments,"
he said. "We managed to recover a partial date—13 December 2013. A little reference of Accident "
He continued, activating his tablet.
"I searched all publications from that day. Multiple incidents were reported—at least five road accidents."
"One accident occurred on the same highway,"
he added, "but we can't confirm a connection yet. It could be a deliberate mislead."
Anthony exhaled slowly.
"Alright. We wait for identification."
Bethy added quietly, "And the mask—we don't believe it's random. It doesn't belong to the victim."
The tension in the room thickened.
Too many answers… and even more questions.
As the meeting ended, Anthony turned to Emily.
"He still hasn't shown up?" he asked sharply.
"No updates, Chief," Emily replied, unease in her voice.
They left the hall, each lost in thought.
Question remained Unanswered .