The clock on the wall of the Oakhaven Police Department read 3:14 AM.
The heavy glass doors swung open, and Elias Thorne walked in. His coat was stained with mud and a dark, rust-colored liquid. He walked straight to the front desk where a young officer sat, startled.
Elias reached into his pocket. The officer's hand went to his holster, but Elias moved slowly. He placed a small, silver locket on the counter—Maya's locket. Next to it, he placed a blood-stained USB drive.
"My name is Elias Thorne," he said, his voice steady for the first time in a week. "I've finished what you couldn't."
He turned around and placed his hands behind his back, interlacing his fingers. He looked at the reflection of the fluorescent lights in the floor tiles, thinking of Maya. The hunt was over. The silence had finally returned.