"Our victim goes by the name, Elena Anderson. She was 26 years old, and lived with her parents and 18 year-old brother. She was reported as a missing person two days ago at another police precinct near their area," The Chief informs his team of police detectives by reading through a report newly created with the help of the forensics team and other local police precincts in the area. The team of detectives write down the following notes on their own murder book, a notebook wherein all details and evidence of the murder are found. "Her parents reported her as missing, saying that she did not come home after 24 hours-"

"Maybe she wanted to run away," Detective Cheng immediately comments, cutting off their Chief.

"Maybe," the Chief trails off, "but the victim's parents did mention that she called them an hour before her expected time of arrival at her house. Her parents said that she told them that she was on her way home," the Chief sighs woefully. "She just wanted to buy something to eat."

"Damn," Lieutenant Menard clicks his tongue in disappointment. Throwing down his murder book, he ruffles his hair. "She must have not known the person who took her before the moment she was kidnapped."

"He might just want to kidnap his victims whenever he feels like it," Detective Chapman adds.

"But what about the specific body part on the letter? The woman's ears?" Detective Cheng questions again leaving the team with more questions running in their heads.

"We can't work like this," their Chief suddenly exclaims. "We can't keep flooding ourselves with questions and no answers." He clasps his hands together, "Let's divide the team and get to work. Detective Farhan Fuentes and Officer Hugo Nash, you will interview the victim's family and friends. Check also her workplace and co-workers, and interview people who live nearby the area where her body was found. Please bring back all information."

"Yes, sir," Detective Fuentes says as he starts to collect his belongings.

"Will do, sir," Officer Nash nods at his boss before walking to the exit with his partner.

"Detective Chapman and Detective Cheng," the Chief continues. "Check all CCTV cameras located in the area where the body was found, see if anything seems suspicious. Check also the footage in a one-kilometer radius."

"Yes, sir," They both reply.

"Should we also bring back some footage that may be useful to the investigation?" Detective Chapman asks before leaving.

"If you can," their Chief simply answers. Both detectives exit, leaving only Lieutenant Menard with no assignment. "We should get you a partner," the Chief utters toward the Lieutenant. He grabs his jacket and makes sure that his police badge in inside.

Lieutenant gives off a dry laugh, "I've been telling you this for countless times, I don't need a partner."

The Chief stops what he is doing to scoff at the young man, "Do you hear yourself? With that attitude of yours, you clearly need a partner."

Lieutenant Menard hides an eye roll from his superior.

"I mean," the Chief continues, "come on, kid. I can't keep on babysitting you in every investigation we are assigned to," he complains.

"I'm not forcing you to babysit me, though," Lieutenant Menard mutters in annoyance.

"Let's go, kid." The Chief, who did not hear what the Lieutenant said, opens the door of their meeting room. "We should go check on the autopsy results."

"They better show us a good lead in this investigation." Grabbing his murder book, Lieutenant Menard follows right after him.

----------------

"Only the legs and arms were detached from the body," Doctor Jun Davidson utters, walking around the body covered with a white cloth. The head and feet of the victim are not covered by the cloth. Thankfully, her eyes are now closed. The Chief and Lieutenant Menard stand by the feet of the victim as Doctor Davidson stops by the left arm of the body. "However, her left fourth finger is missing. It was not even found in the area where the body was placed."

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Menard strokes his furrowed brows. "The ring finger...similar to the other victim two months ago?"

"Based from how the finger was separated from its hand, the strokes do seem similar," Doctor Davidson answers, unfolding the cloth to only reveal the left hand of the victim with only four fingers attached to it.

"Could it really be the same murderer?" Chief questions out loud. Although he was not expecting an answer, Lieutenant Menard rushes to confirm his doubt.

"There's a big chance that it is!" He exclaims. "The note with song lyrics on it. The murderer even got the left fourth finger of the victim from two months ago, and now this person has done it again."

"But we must stick to the killer's modus operandi," Doctor Davidson felt bound to interject. "The victim two months ago had clear signs on her neck that she was choked to death. This one, however," he now uncovers half of the victim's body to show the limbs, "was done in a rather clean fashion."

"W-What do you mean by that?" Lieutenant Menard asks, trying to mask how disturbed he is with the view of the body.

"This victim died because of the loss of blood." Doctor Davidson replies. "But if you would look closely," he beckons the two policemen to come closer, "the person who did this knows the areas of the tendons and ligaments." Both the Chief and Lieutenant study the specific part of the body the doctor is showing them. "The suspect sliced the body in such a direction that would clearly tear either the ligament or tendon cleanly. In other words, this person knows the anatomy of a human being very well." Doctor Davidson finishes, sounding worried.

"The suspect is clearly toying with us," the Chief speaks up. He looks at the Lieutenant with a distorted look, "and, damn it all, he's enjoying every moment of it."

----------------

The Chief and Lieutenant return to the station with minds clearly disturbed by the fact that they still have no clear lead on how to find the suspect.

As the Chief excused himself to make a phone call, Lieutenant Menard heads to the meeting room where the other detectives and officer were waiting. Just like the Chief and Lieutenant, they too looked disturbed and dejected.

"How was it, Cop?" Detective Chapman immediately asks the Lieutenant, calling him by his nickname that the detectives formed for him years ago when he too still had the same rank as them. Lieutenant Menard plops down on the nearest chair available.

The Lieutenant strokes his eyebrow, a habit he does when he feels stressed and restless. "The suspect knows how to hide his traces."

"Exactly!" Detective Fuentes agrees with no second thoughts, "Hugo and I got to check with the forensics team on possible evidence left on the victim, but the suspect did not leave any fingerprints."

"Even on the note," Officer Nash adds leaning on the back of his chair, clearly exhausted. "The only fingerprints on the note were identical to the victim's. I doubt that the fingerprints of the victim and the suspect are the same."

The others heave long and heavy sighs with the news that would probably not help them at all with the investigation. These men normally do not feel tired after doing such excruciating assignments. But when it comes to hard work leading to nothing in the end, it becomes absolutely draining for the team.

"Chief's feeling down too," Lieutenant Menard utters, remembering the quiet car ride on their way back to the precinct.

"Speaking of him, where is he?" Detective Cheng asks, looking through the glass windows of the room.

"He had to call someone, Luis. I'm sure he'll be back in no time-"

"Men," the Chief stands by the door opening. All detectives and officer stand straight as the Chief enters the room with a woman with sleek and straight black hair tailing behind him. Lieutenant Menard could tell that the woman is here for serious matters. After all, with the blazer and slacks she has on, she looks very professional for her age.

"I would like to introduce Kim Irene, a criminal psychologist who also teaches at the local university." He gestures to the woman beside him and Kim Irene, without any words uttered, bows at the men in front of her. "I called her to help us with this investigation."

Lieutenant Menard could not stop himself from scoffing out loud a heavy breath of disappointment at the mere presence of a criminal psychologist at their precinct. He knows that they do not need the help of one. They only come out of hiding when it comes to studying the crime after the suspect has been captured.

"Excuse me," Irene immediately speaks, irritated with the sudden action of the black-haired detective who just scoffed at her. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Lieutenant Menard points at himself. "Lieutenant Copernicus Menard." He simply answers. The Chief warningly eyes the Lieutenant, but Copernicus Menard does not give a crap by sardonically smiling at the criminal psychologist standing in front of him.

"Well," Irene starts with a taunting smile too, "why did you do that a while ago?" She asks with an eyebrow raised.

"Because, Miss Kim," the other detectives start to dread the answer Lieutenant Menard might spit out. He is known for his short temper. And one would not want to mess with it. "I've done more investigations than you and none of them had a criminal psychologist involved. My team can do this without the help of people like you."

Irene lets out a short and quiet laugh. "You're funny, actually all of you are funny especially with how you eyed me as I entered the room." She takes her time as she looks at all of the detectives. "I seem like an alien to all of you; something that's out of the world you know."

"Professor Kim," the Chief places a hand on her shoulder, sensing the strong tension building up in the room. "I can handle thi-"

"Oh, I'm okay, Chief Webford." She smiles at him and gently takes his hand away from her shoulder. "I know that it will take time for them to realize how much I can be of use."

"By how?" Lieutenant Menard spits out, "Running after the suspect with your heels on?"

"No, Mister Menard-"

"That's Lieutenant Copernicus Menard, to you." Lieutenant Menard retorts, clearly irritated and annoyed with the team's new addition. Who does this woman think she is?

"Not to me," Irene spits back with confidence radiating off of her. "In fact, I won't be doing any running at all." Her hands ball into fists and she leans on the table right in front of her. She eyes the detectives once again and studies all their facial expressions. All seem surprised except one. The lone one is clearly feeling hatred towards the criminal psychologist.

"Because while you're running after the criminal," she continues, "I'll be finding ways to lure the criminal and let him run to me." She finishes with a smile, suggesting a challenge to the men.

"Damn..." Detective Chapman utters in awe. "This woman's feisty."