A third figure, an aloof official, crouched next to the corpse, his dark brown eyes inspecting the body closely, hie dark brown hair a bit roughed up, just like his questionable life choices.
His bandaged arms were visible under his sleeves, though his overall posture suggested a disinterest that bordered on disdain. He wore a black suit that contrasted sharply with his pale skin and sharp features.
His voice broke the silence as he stood up, letting out a soft sigh of amusement.
“Well, well, what have we here?” The man mumbled as he eyed Marcus Rayner’s lifeless body.
“Doesn’t look like he had a lot of fun in his life. Not sure he even knew what a woman’s touch was, if you ask me.”
The blue-haired woman, her name Brielle, snapped her gaze from her tablet to the bandaged man. “Seth, don’t be an ass,” she growled, her voice sharp with annoyance. “Show some respect for the dead.”
Seth, unfazed, gave a nonchalant shrug as he straightened up, bandaged arms hanging loosely at his sides. “Respect for the dead? I thought we were trying to figure out how he died, Brielle. What’s more important, the facts or some silly sentiment?”
He gave the body one last scrutinizing glance before sighing dramatically.
“Although, I’m not sure how much of a ‘life’ he really had. I mean, look at him. He looks like a man who died a virgin.”
Brielle’s eyes narrowed, her teeth gritting in frustration. “Don’t be a jerk, Seth.”
Seth raised an eyebrow at her, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “What? It’s the truth. Did he have a girlfriend, Brielle?”
“Damn it,” Brielle said through clenched teeth. “He was single.”
A knowing smile appeared on Seth’s face, shaking his head as he turned away from the body. “Nailed it,” he said with a smirk. “Sad. Poor guy never got to experience one of life’s greatest wonders.”
He pulled out a worn notebook from his coat pocket, flipping it open, jotting down a few notes. His handwriting was messy but it was readeble… To a certain extent.
As he finished writing, he clasped his hands in front of him and looked down at the corpse. “Well, I suppose I’ll pray for his soul, wherever he is. May he find joy in the afterlife.” He gave a dramatic pause, as if trying to say he didn’t turly mean those words.
Brielle let out a frustrated growl, but she said nothing more, knowing it was pointless to argue with Seth when he was like this.
Meanwhile, other officials moved through the crime scene. One crouched down near a few bloodstains on the pavement, inspecting the marks with a small black scanning device that shot out blue rays.
Another was taking photographs of the surrounding area, while a few others began gathering the scattered pieces of evidence near the body.
Seth glanced over his shoulder, eyes scanning the scene briefly before turning back to Brielle and the man in the trench coat, Zane, who had just finished his cigarette and was now crushing it under his heel.
“So, when’s she getting here?”
Seth asked as he turned toward Brielle, tapping his pen against the side of his notebook. “Miss Kira, I mean. She’s the only one who can crack open this kind of case, right?”
Zane, who had been silent until now, spoke up in a low, gravelly voice. “Yeah, I’ve been wondering the same thing. If she’s got the clairvoyant power like they say, why hasn’t she cracked this thing open already?”
Brielle let out a frustrated sigh, clearly tired of Seth’s antics. “It’s not that simple.”
“Mrs Kira’s always tied up with other assignments. The Union has a ton of work for her, and it’s only after the Union brace director specifically directed her to this case that she got involved.” She shook her head, frowning as she looked down at Marcus Rayner’s body.
“None of us thought this case would drag on for this long. If we’d known, she would have been involved sooner.”
Zane, still leaning against the wall, let out a low chuckle. “Yeah, guess the Union’s got a lot more on their plate than they let on.”
Seth didn’t look particularly interested in the explanation, but he tilted his head slightly as he tapped his pen against his notebook. “I get it. So we basically all have to stand around waiting for her to work some magic on this case.”
Brielle’s eyes snapped to him, her expression a mix of frustration and weariness. “You really need to stop being such a jerk, Seth.”
He just shrugged. “I’m just saying. Let’s see what lady Kira can do, if she’s really the one with all the answers.”
Suddenly the hum of an approaching hover car drew everyone’s attention. A sleek, black vehicle glided to a stop just beyond the yellow crime scene tape, its tinted windows gleaming under the artificial streetlights.
Seth’s lips curled into a smirk as he casually leaned against a nearby lamppost. “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear,” he equipped.
The car’s door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a striking woman who stepped out with elegance. Her blonde hair went down her shoulders, partially obscured by a white blindfold adorned with a golden eye insignia embroidered in the center.
She wore the standard black, white, and blue Union uniform, though hers was tailored to perfection, with a black jacket draped loosely over her shoulders like a cape. Her movements were fluid, exuding authority with every step.
She was Mrs Kira Ainsworth.
Beside her was a man in a Union officer suite who towered over her, his blue and white hair streaked in a way that seemed both meticulous and natural.
A black eyepatch, identical in design to the woman’s blindfold with its golden eye insignia, covered his left eye. His expression was blank, devoid of emotion, as if he would rather be anywhere else.
Despite his disinterest, his very presence commanded respect, his broad shoulder, sharp jawline and practically perfect frame would make any who laid eyes on him think he was some sort of celebrity model.
Seth tilted his head, the smirk on his face widening. “Well, well,” he said, walking over to nudge Brielle with his elbow. “Who’s the stud beside her? Looks like he’d fare better on the cover of a fashion magazine than mucking around with Union business.”
Brielle shot Seth a withering glare before glancing at the pair. Her expression softened slightly, though her frustration with Seth lingered. “That,” she said pointedly, “is her half- brother, Claus.”
“Half-brother?” Seth echoed, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. “Did not see that coming. What’s his deal, then? Or is he just here for the aesthetics?”
Brielle rolled her eyes, clearly trying to muster patience. “Apparently, both of them have powers that complement each other. The Union paired them up for a reason.”
Seth tapped his chin, his curiosity piqued. “Complementary powers, huh? Must be some serious synergy if they’re sending these two in.”
Before Brielle could respond, the woman and her companion crossed under the crime scene tape, their presence silencing the low murmurs of the other investigators.
The woman’s blindfold gave her a mystique air, her every step was radiating both grace and
authority.
Her companion followed closely, his gaze looking around the scene with a detached look on his face, though his demeanor suggested he was no stranger to such grim work.
As they approached, the pair’s aura was intense, demanding attention without needing to
utter a single word.
As Mrs. Kira and Claus came to a stop in front of the body, Brielle straightened up and offered
a polite nod. “Mrs. Kira, welcome. I’d like to brief you on the current state of—”
Mrs. Kira raised a hand, her blindfold-covered gaze tilting slightly toward Brielle, cutting her
off mid-sentence.
“I already know, Officer Brielle,” she said smoothly.
“Spare me the summary. Every detail has already been communicated to me during my
transit. Let’s not waste time with redundancies.”
Brielle faltered for a moment before nodding, biting back her words.
Seth, as usual, couldn’t resist injecting himself into the moment. “Well, if you’re already so well-informed, maybe you could enlighten us mere mortals about what’s going on here,” he said with a smirk.
Mrs. Kira didn’t even spare him a glance, her focus entirely on the body. “Your sarcasm is noted, Officer Seth. Perhaps focus on the investigation rather than your commentary.”
Seth chuckled softly and leaned back against a lamppost. “Tough crowd,” he muttered, earning a sharp look from Brielle.
Zane crossed his arms, his voice gravelly as he addressed Claus. “What about you, big guy? You’ve been quiet since you showed up. Got anything to add, or are you just here to loom over us like a storm cloud?”
Claus’s blue, single visible eye flicked to Zane, his expression still blank but with a small hint
of irritation.
“Enough.”
The word silenced everyone instantly. Even Seth straightened up, his smirk fading slightly.
Claus continued, his tone unyielding. “We’re not here to trade quips or argue over protocols.
A man is dead, and every second we waste is a disservice to finding out why.”
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air. For a moment, no one dared to speak.
Mrs. Kira tilted her head slightly toward Claus, a faint smile. “Well said, Claus.” Turning back to the body, she crouched down gracefully, running her fingers just above the air
above the corpse, as if feeling for something unseen.
“Let us proceed,” she said softly. “There’s much to uncover.”