Chapter 28: Eyes in the dark
700 Words
Damien Sinclair was not a man who left questions unanswered.
If something disturbed his instincts, he pursued it until the truth revealed itself.
And Adrian disturbed him.
Deeply.
That evening, Damien sat alone in his office. The city lights of Seoul stretched endlessly beyond the glass walls, glowing like scattered stars beneath the night sky.
But Damien's attention remained fixed on the tablet resting in his hand.
Adrian's photograph stared back at him.
Perfect records.
Perfect behavior.
Perfect performance at work.
Too perfect.
Damien tapped the screen once.
"Get in here," he said into the intercom.
A moment later, the door opened and a tall man stepped inside.
Min-Jae.
Head of Sinclair's private intelligence team.
"You called, sir?"
Damien slid the tablet across the desk.
"I want everything you can find on him."
Min-Jae picked up the device and glanced down at the image.
"Adrian Knox?"
Damien leaned back in his chair.
"Yes."
Min-Jae frowned slightly.
"He's already been background-checked when he joined the company."
"Check again," Damien said coldly.
Min-Jae studied Damien's face carefully.
"You think he's involved in the kidnappings?"
Damien didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly stood and walked toward the window.
"I think he's hiding something."
Min-Jae nodded.
"How deep do you want us to dig?"
Damien's voice turned quiet.
"Dig until the ground breaks."
Two Days Later
Min-Jae returned with a thick folder.
Damien didn't look up when the man entered.
"Well?" Damien asked.
Min-Jae placed the folder on the desk.
"We investigated everything."
Damien finally looked up.
"And?"
Min-Jae opened the file slowly.
"Nothing."
Damien's eyes narrowed.
"Nothing?"
"Not a single inconsistency," Min-Jae confirmed.
He flipped through the pages.
"His passport records check out."
"His school history is legitimate."
"Medical records, bank accounts, employment... everything matches."
Damien's expression darkened.
"That's impossible."
Min-Jae hesitated slightly before speaking again.
"There's something unusual though."
Damien leaned forward.
"What."
Min-Jae tapped a page inside the file.
"His life only begins ten years ago."
Damien's gaze sharpened.
"Explain."
"There are no records before that," Min-Jae said carefully.
"No childhood records. No early school registrations. No hospital files."
Silence filled the office.
Damien slowly closed the folder.
"So someone created him."
Min-Jae nodded slowly.
"That's the only explanation."
Damien's jaw tightened.
"And you still found no connection to the victims?"
"None."
Min-Jae looked genuinely puzzled.
"If he's hiding something... he's doing it better than anyone I've ever seen."
Damien leaned back again.
His mind was racing now.
Adrian was hiding something.
That much Damien felt in his bones.
But the more he searched...
The deeper the mystery became.
Meanwhile...
Across the city...
The killer stood in the shadows outside Sinclair Media's massive headquarters.
The towering building reflected the neon lights of the city like a mirror.
His hood covered most of his face.
But his eyes watched everything.
Carefully.
Patiently.
Employees walked in and out of the building.
Security guards stood near the entrance.
Vehicles arrived and departed endlessly.
The killer tilted his head slightly.
"Interesting," he murmured.
A faint smile appeared beneath his mask.
Because this company...
Was suddenly appearing everywhere in the investigation reports.
Several victims had worked nearby.
One had been interviewed here.
Another had visited the building shortly before disappearing.
Coincidence?
He did not believe in coincidence.
Slowly, he stepped closer toward the entrance.
Blending into the evening crowd.
Invisible.
Inside the building...
Adrian exited the elevator, adjusting the collar of his jacket as he walked through the lobby.
Another exhausting day.
His shoulders ached from training.
His mind was still tangled in the investigation.
He pushed the glass doors open and stepped outside.
And at that exact moment...
He passed directly beside the killer.
Their shoulders brushed lightly.
Adrian barely noticed.
But the killer paused for half a second.
A strange feeling flickered through him.
Something... familiar.
He turned his head slightly.
But Adrian had already walked past him, disappearing into the street crowd.
The killer stared after him for a moment.
Then quietly shook his head.
"Not her," he whispered.
His attention returned to the building.
But somewhere deep in his instincts...
Something had stirred.
And soon...
That instinct would begin pulling him closer to the truth he had been chasing for twenty-five years.
- Writer
