I slump in my chair, staring at the computer screen with a mixture of determination and despair. The criminal database looms before me, a digital ocean of information. Where do I even begin to search for our suspect in this vast sea of data? Sexual assault records, as Manson suggested, but that could be thousands of cases. It's like trying to find a specific grain of sand on a beach.
Frustrated, I push away from my desk and make my way to the briefing room. The familiar smell of coffee and dry-erase markers greets me as I enter. The walls are a tapestry of our investigation - photos of victims, crime scene snapshots, timelines scrawled in different colors, and maps dotted with red pins marking each attack site.
I stand before this collage of horror and hope, willing the pieces to align in my mind. The faces of the victims stare back at me - women whose lives were brutally interrupted by our mysterious attacker. I trace the timeline with my finger, feeling the weight of each passing day without a solid lead.
As my eyes flit from one location to another, something nags at the back of my mind. A pattern, just out of reach, like a word on the tip of my tongue. I grab a fresh map of Seoul from the stack in the corner and pin it to a relatively empty space on the wall.
With a red marker, I begin to connect the dots, my hand moving almost of its own accord. From the park where our latest victim was found, to the apartment of the first blunt force trauma victim, to the alley where another survived the attack. The line weaves through the city, crossing districts and neighborhoods, seemingly random at first glance.
But as I step back, capping the marker, a familiar shape begins to emerge. It's not a straight line or a circle, but a winding path that seems to follow some logic of its own.
I turn to the computer in the corner of the room. The ancient machine whirs to life reluctantly, and I pull up a map portal. With meticulous care, I start typing in the locations, one by one. The blue pins drop onto the digital map, mirroring my red line on the physical one.
As I input the last location, a suggestion pops up at the bottom of the screen - "Show public transportation routes." On a hunch, my finger hovers over the mouse for a moment before I click it.
The screen fills with a web of colorful lines - bus routes crisscrossing the city. At first, it's a confusing maze, but then I see it. A single line that matches the path I've drawn. Not perfectly, but close enough to be far more than coincidence.
I zoom in, my nose almost touching the screen. Bus Number 101. I check and double-check, my excitement growing with each confirmation. Every single attack has taken place within a few blocks of a Bus 101 stop.
"Holy shit," I mutter to myself, the implications sinking in. I stand up so quickly my chair clatters to the floor behind me.
This is it. This is the connection we've been missing. Our killer isn't just striking at random locations on rainy days. He's following a specific route, one he likely knows intimately.
I pull out my phone and quickly dial Seo's number. "Seo, I need you and the team in the briefing room. Now. I've got something big."
Within minutes, the room begins to fill. Detective Eum arrives first, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Detective Pyo follows, clutching a steaming cup of coffee. One by one, the team filters in, curiosity and anticipation palpable in the air.
Seo is the last to enter, his face a mask of controlled expectation. "Alright," he says, closing the door behind him. "What have you got?"
I take a deep breath and turn to the map on the wall. "I've found a pattern in the attack locations. They're not random. They're following a specific bus route - Bus Number 101."
A murmur runs through the room as I explain my discovery, tracing the route on the map.
"But here's the crucial part," I continue, my voice gaining intensity. "The attacks are moving in a specific direction - east to west along the route. And based on this pattern, there are only three stops left."
I circle the three remaining stops on the map. The room falls silent as the implications sink in.
Seo leans forward, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "So you're saying our next attack is likely to happen in one of these three areas?"
I nod. "Exactly. We can narrow our focus, increase patrols in these specific locations."
Detective Eum speaks up, his voice tinged with skepticism. "But even with just three stops, that's still a massive area to cover. We don't have the manpower to watch every street."
Murmurs of agreement ripple through the room. I can see the doubt creeping into their faces.
"You're right," I concede. "It is a large area. But we can narrow it down even further."
I move to the crime scene photos pinned to the board. "Look at the previous attacks. They all happened near bus stops, but not right at them. And in areas with minimal CCTV coverage."
Understanding begins to dawn on their faces as I continue. "This suggests our killer is familiar with these areas. He's likely scouted them out, looking for blind spots and secluded locations."
Seo nods slowly. "So we focus on areas near the bus stops with little to no CCTV coverage and low foot traffic."
"Exactly," I say, feeling a surge of hope. "It's still a challenge, but it's much more manageable than trying to cover entire neighborhoods."
As the team discusses strategy, Detective Eum speaks up, "We should contact other departments, borrow officers. Increase patrols in all three areas."
There are nods of agreement around the room, but I shake my head. "That might just chase the suspect away. If he sees an increased police presence, he'll know we're onto him. He might change his pattern or go to ground."
The room falls silent. Seo turns to me, his expression grave. "What do you suggest then?"
I take a deep breath, knowing my next words will be controversial. "I think we need to use bait."
A ripple of surprise runs through the room. Seo's eyes narrow. "Explain."
"First, we identify the blind spots near these three bus stops - areas with minimal CCTV coverage and low foot traffic. Then, we use officers disguised as civilians as bait."
The room erupts in murmurs. Seo holds up a hand for silence, then fixes me with an intense stare. "Are you suggesting that the next time it rains, we use female officers as bait?"
I meet his gaze steadily. "Yes. I know it's risky, but it's also our best chance of catching him quickly."
The tension in the room is palpable. I can see the conflict on everyone's faces - the desire to catch the killer warring with the fear of putting one of their own in danger.
Seo rubs his forehead, clearly wrestling with the decision. "It's dangerous," he says finally. "We'd be deliberately putting an officer in harm's way."
"I know," I acknowledge. "But every officer here signed up knowing the risks. And we'd have backup nearby. It's a calculated risk, but one that could save future victims."
Detective Pyo speaks up, her voice quiet but determined. "I'll do it. If it means stopping this monster, I'll volunteer."
A hush falls over the room. Seo looks at Pyo, then back at me. "You really think this is our best option?"
I nod, feeling the weight of the decision. "I do. We can set up a sting operation. Have officers nearby, ready to move in at a moment's notice. It's risky, yes, but it's also our best chance of catching him in the act."
Seo is silent for a long moment, his face a mask of concentration. Finally, he nods. "Alright. We'll do it. But we plan this meticulously. Every detail, every contingency.
I won't lose an officer to this bastard."
As the team begins to discuss the logistics of the operation, Seo suddenly holds up a hand, silencing the room. He pulls out his phone and starts tapping on the screen with urgency.
"Hold on," he says, his voice tense. "Let me check something."
We all watch in silence as Seo's face grows increasingly serious. After a moment, he looks up, his expression grim.
"We need to move fast," he announces, turning his phone to show us the screen. It's a weather forecast app. "Rain is predicted for next Thursday."
A collective intake of breath fills the room. Detective Eum voices what we're all thinking: "That's only five days from now."
Seo nods, his jaw set. "Exactly. We don't have the luxury of time. We need to have this operation planned and ready to go by then."
"Alright, people," Seo says, his voice commanding attention. "From this moment on, this is our top priority. Everything else gets put on the back burner. Pyo, are you still sure about volunteering?"
Detective Pyo nods firmly. "Absolutely, sir. I'm ready."
Seo turns to me. "You came up with this plan. I want you to take point on the logistics. Work with Pyo to set up the scenario. Eum, you're in charge of coordinating with other departments. We'll need surveillance equipment, backup teams, the works."
I catch Pyo's eye across the room and give her a nod of respect. She returns it, her gaze steely with resolve. We both know the risks, but also the necessity of what we're about to do.
As the meeting breaks up and people rush off to begin preparations, I linger for a moment, staring at the map with its circled bus stops. In five days, one of these locations will become the stage for our confrontation with the rain-day killer.