"UncleJun,whatareyoudoinghere?"
AmoudentspassingbywasJasmin—Jun''''''''scousin''''''''sdaughter.Spottinghimfromadistance,sheboundedover,hercheerfulvoicecuttingthroughthetension.
Junbrushedasweat-damperandofhairfromhercheekandgaveherrosyskinaionatepinch.
"Justhereforsomeworkstuff,"hesaidwithasmile.
Jun''''''''scousinwasmucholderthanhim,sohehadpracticallygrownuplookingafterJasmin.AlthoughJasmincalledhim"Uncle,"Junwasmorelikeanolderbrothertoher—andshelovedagspoiledaroundhimthemost.
LookingatJasmin''''''''si,radiantsmile,Juasurgeofreliefandwarmth.Atleastthosetwomenwouldneverbeabletoharmanyoneagain.
WhenhereachedouttotouchJasmin,hecouldfeeljusthowpletelydefenselessshestillwasaroundmen.
Instarktrast,thehostilityradiatingfromMadelineasshewalkedalongsideherossibletoignore.
Junliftedhisgazetothegirl,andinvoluntarily,fshesofthefootagehehadseencrossedhismind.Heclearedhisthroatawkwardly.
Madeliherheadslightlylowered.Heronceeyebrow-lengthbangshadgrownout,nowcastingashadowoverhereyesandgivinghergazeagloomthatseemedtocarrythestenchofhellitself.
Herschooluniformoutlinedherdelicatefigure,butshestoodinanidposture—backslightlyhunched,handschedtightlyathersides.Likeabristlingcat,openlywaryofhim.
Junsighedinwardly.
Atashouldhavebeenfilledwithinnoce,agirlwhohadenduredsomethinglikethatwouldlikelycarryalifelongmistrust—andhatred—towardmen.
Madeliseemed,harborednotjustahatredformen,butageneralhostilitytowardeveryonearouhatrobablywhyshekeptgwithhercssmates.
Thesoft,warmsensationonhisarmbroughtJunbacktohissenses.HegnceddownatJasmin''''''''schest,pressedagainsthisarm,alywithdrewhisarm.
Girlsthesedaysseemedtogrowtoofast—likebuds,glisteningwithmdew,onthevergeofblooming.Theirexpressionsandgazesarestillchildlike,buttheirbodiesalreadyshowtheshapeofwomanhood,tealluring.Lookingaround,theschoolresembledagardeninearlyspring,eachstudentadifferentflinningtounfurl.
Hiscriminologyprofessorshadalwayssaid:tocatchapredator,youhavetothinklikeooanticipatethevictimsakillerwouldchoose,andthroughthem,uhekiller''''''''sidentity.
Lately,though,Junfearedhewassinkingtoodeep.Eventhiscasualtactmadehischesttighteninwayshecouldn''''''''tquiteignore.
Jasmin,hervoicelmysteriously,asked,"UncleJun,isitabigcase?Evenyougooutforfieldwork?"
Junnodded,keepinghisanswerbrief."Twobadmenwerekilled."
Hereyeswidehat''''''''sght?Willthekillergetareward?"
"Thekillerwillfacejustice,"Junsaid.
Jasminlookedfused."Thepersonwhokilledthebadguysshouldbeagoodpersht?Whywouldtheybepunished?"
Junexhaledslowly.Toachild,moralitywassimple:badpeopledie,goodpeoplelive.
"Takingalifeiswrong,"hesaidquietly."Nomatterwhoitis."
"Whatdidthebadmendo?"
Juated.Hecouldn''''''''tsharethedetailsofthecasewithJasmin.Butwhocouldsayifthereweren''''''''totherpredatorsoutthere,watggirlslikethem?Itwasgoodtoremiobecautious.
"Theydidsomebadthingstoyounggirls."hesaidatst."Soyouobecarefultoo.Don''''''''tletstrangersenearyou,don''''''''tgoclosetocarsifsomeoneasksfordires,don''''''''ttakeridesfrers,don''''''''t—"
Ashespoke,afliovementcaughthiseye—Madeline.
Hehadn''''''''tloweredhisvoicewhiletalkingtoJasmin.Andthemomentsheheardthatfirstsentence,herwholebodywentrigid.Listeningtotherest,shedrewinashakybreathandedgedbackastep.Theersofhermouthtwitched—halfasmile,halfasob.TheedherfacetoJun,horroretchedinhereyes.
Junfrowned,mindstillggingbehindwhathewasseeing,whenJasminpipedup:
"Ihopeyouneverfindthegoodpersonwhokilledthebadones."
***
Later:OutsideOfficeBuilding
JunstillosultShayahersubjectteachersandclubadvisorsaboutthedynamicsamoudents.Ashelefttheofficebuilding,heranintoMadeline.
Thegirlwashuddledintheshadowofthebuilding,andtheaggressioninhereyesseemedtohavesoftenedalittle.Agustofwindpsteredherschoolunifaihinframe,exposinghowfrailshereallywasbehehostility.
Junsighed.Whateverschemesshewastryingthercssmatesinto,shewasstillonlyasixteen-year-oldchild.Hecouldn''''''''tbetooharshonher.
Ayoungsoulthathadgorayshouldn''''''''tbedismissedorabandoned.Onceeverythiled,heporeferhertoafriendofhiswhospecializedinchildpsychology.Withtime,shemightbeabletoheal.
"Whatareyoudoinghere?"
Heshiftedhisstance,blogthewindsoitwouldn''''''''ttoher.Itwasself-studytime;allstudentsweresupposedtobeintheirs.
Madeline''''''''sheaddropped.Shestaredatthetipsofhershoes,shouldersrisingandfallingwithonedeepbreath,andforalongmomentshesaidnothing.Thenhervoiceslippedout,barelyaudible:
"Thetwopeopleyoumentionedearlier...weretheytheoneswho...didbadthingstoyounggirls?Whatdidtheydo?"
Juated.Byprinciple,hecouldn''''''''ttellhertoomuch.Buthedidn''''''''twaotinuelivinginfear,stantlywwhenthosetwomonsterswouldreturohell.
Soheanswered,"Don''''''''tworry.They''''''''thurtanygirlsanymore."
Madeline''''''''sheadsnappedup,eyeslogontohimwithsuddeybeforedroppingagain,herlipsmovinginamurmur:
"Howcouldthatbe?"
Jun''''''''sbrowsdrewtogether.
Mostvictimsfeltsomereliefwhenassuredthethreatwasgoshedidn''''''''tlookrelieved—shelookedalmostdissatisfied,liketheanswerhadn''''''''tmatchedwhatshealreadybelieved.
Juninterpretedthisasherbeingthteobelieveshewastrulyfree.Hedidn''''''''tthinkmuchofit.
***
Meanwhile:HQ
Theferenbrimmedwithtension,everyfacemarkedbyafurrowedbrow.
Theiigationhadhitadeadend.Higher-ups,nowawareofthevictimizedgirls,hadorderedLutohandthecaseovertoaspeciagentfromabove—Ma''''''''amLee.
Oablesataboxfilledwithdiscs.Ashort-hairedwoman,radiatingauthority,sppedherpalmagainsttheboxandasked,"Isthisall?"
Lugaveaod,hisirritationbarelycealed.
"Nobackups?Noarchives?"
Damon,theheadofthetechdepartment,shookhishead,hisjawchedinfrustration.
"TheITteamwillsyoursystemsandallofflineRAIDunits..."Leewenton.
"You''''''''tdothis!"Damonshottohisfeet.
Leemerelytiltedherathimandfinished,"...toehere''''''''snohiddenmalwareorviruses.Itrustyou''''''''llcooperate."
LucaughtDamon''''''''seye.Damon''''''''sfacewasstillflushedwithanger,buthesankbatohisseat,bitinghislipinsilence.
Leesedtheroomfullofpeople,hereyessharpasbdes,andsuddenlyasked,"Where''''''''syourbehavioranalyst?"
LuknewshehadlikelybeenassighistaskbyJun''''''''sfathertomakesurethepamperedyoungmanwasn''''''''tbeingthrownintothegriheirrough-edgedteam.Normally,theykeptJunfarfromthefieldtoavoidevenascratch;hisfatherwouldoleratehimgettinghurt.Butwithsomanylivesnowtahecase,theyhadnochoicebuttoputeveryoouse—includingJun.
Luansweredevenly,"He''''''''soutfollowingupwiththepeoplethedeceasedhadtactwithbeforetheirdeath."
Lee''''''''sbrowtightened."He''''''''snotadetective."
"He''''''''sbettersuitedtodrasychologicalprofilebyspeakingwiththemdirectly,"Lureplied.
Leeexhaled,dissatisfied."Wheurns,tellhim—"
Beforeshecouldfinishhersenteheferendoorsuddenlysmmedopen
"CaptainLu,anotherbodyhasbeenfound."
Luroseinstantly,browsknitting."Details."
"Thecallcameinanho,"theofficerreportedbreathlessly."Someonecalledambuntheamusementpark.Emergencydoctorfirmedthedeathandcalllocalpolice.Thepatrolofficersrushedoverandsealedtheamusementpark.Thevictimwasmale,mid-twehirties.Noobviousinjuriesexceptabrokenleg."
Atthewords"amusementpark",Lu''''''''spulsekickedup.Thehairsonhisneckbristled.
"Anho?Whyareweonlyhearingaboutthisnow?"
Theofficerhesitated,dartedagheshort-hairedwomanbesideLu,thenswallowedhardandstayedsilent.
Lupausedforhalfased,thenturnedauredtoafewpeople,"ewithmetothese."