The question stayed with him longer than it should have.
A second chance.
Aren stood by the window long after his mother had called him inside. The city lights flickered faintly in the distance, calm on the surface, hiding everything beneath.
Second chances didn't come easily in his line of work. Sometimes… they didn't come at all.
The next morning, Aren was already awake before sunrise. Sleep hadn't stayed long for him for Lucian's words replayed in his mind again and again.
Positions. Not victims.
He sat at the table, a notebook open in front of him. Three points marked carefully already.
A triangle. But it didn't feel complete. His fingers hovered over the page. Trying to draw lines which would match or could be possible.
He drew another line, extending outward, Another possible point, Not random, Balanced intentional.
A pattern forming something bigger....Aren's eyes sharpened as he tries to think more.
"…You're not done," he murmured.
By noon, he was back in the city. Not officially but not as a officer either. But that didn't stop him.
Inside the police station, the atmosphere felt tense. Mirelle stood near the case board, reviewing updates. When she saw him on the door, she froze for a moment and spoke:
"Aren?" there was relief in her voice.
"Hey." she walked closer.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Probably not." Then she asked quietly: "…Are you okay?"
Aren gave a faint smile and replied:
"After losing my job?...honestly I've been worse."
Before she could respond, Another voice entered.
"Still the same, I see." Mirelle turned.
A woman stood near the entrance. Elegant, Composed.
Confident in a way that didn't need attention but drew it anyway. Mirelle recognized her immediately. Mirelle didn't know her but she knew that a women will come to help.
"…Elena?" she asked. The woman smiled slightly. "Elena Veris."
Her eyes briefly shifted to Aren who was standing still, lost in his thoughts.
Just for a second. Then she looked back to Mirelle.
"You must be Mirelle." Mirelle nodded: "yes"
There was no tension in her expression, no jealousy, just awareness.
"You're here to help, and for Veydrick?" she asked calmly.
Elena's smile didn't change.
"Something like that."
Veydrick visited the police station as usual, once in a week. His steps slowed slightly when he saw Elena. Veydrick was not shocked. But not entirely neutral either.
"Elena."
"Veydrick." just a simple, Controlled conversation. History without explanation.
Mirelle watched them quietly. Then glanced at Aren. Aren didn't react... At least, not outwardly.
"I didn't expect to see you here," Veydrick added later. Elena tilted her head slightly.
"I heard about the case...And about everything else."
Her eyes flickered, just slightly, toward Aren.
Veydrick noticed.
So did Aren, confused he looked back at the map in his hands.
Mirelle broke the silence gently.
"We're in the middle of something right now."
Elena nodded. "Of course." Then, calmly:
"I won't stay long."
The moment passed, But something had shifted, not dramatic. Just… Unsettled. Aren and Mirelle looking at eachother, Aren looked a little uncomfortable as he has to explain to someone unknown to him, Elena is a criminal psychologist.
But anyway, Aren stepped slightly aside, lowering his voice toward Veydrick.
"I think I know where the next one will happen." That got his attention instantly.
"…What?"
Minutes later, They stood over a map.
Aren pointed. "Here." Mirelle frowned and spoke:
"That area's abandoned."
"Exactly."
Veydrick's eyes narrowed slightly.
"How are you so sure?"Aren didn't answer immediately to Veydrick's question.
For a brief second Lucian's voice echoed in his mind. Positions. Not victims.
"I've been looking at the pattern again," Aren said finally, calm, controlled.
"The first three points form a triangle. But it's incomplete." He traced an invisible line in the air.
"If you extend it… this becomes the next logical position." Mirelle leaned closer to the map.
"…It balances the structure," she murmured.
Veydrick didn't speak immediately, He was watching Aren. Carefully.
"You figured this out alone?" he asked.
Aren met his gaze. "Yeah."
Veydrick didn't press further. But something in his expression shifted, Just slightly.
Like he knew there was more. Veydrick knew Aren enough to know that he keeps things inside.
But Veydrick chose not to push. Elena, still nearby, observed quietly. Her eyes moved between them, picking up what wasn't said.
"Well," Mirelle said, breaking the silence, "if this is right, we don't have much time."
Aren nodded and said
"Then we go now."
The facility stood abandoned,Dark, Silent.
As though Waiting in silence.
Aren entered first, Mirelle behind him.
Veydrick stood few inches away.
The air felt wrong, eerie, Too still.
Then A click sound heard by everyone.
Lights flickered, a screen turned on, a voice...Distorted yet Calm.
"Welcome."
Aren's expression hardened, the group saw two people tied to the their chairs. One trapped behind reinforced glass.
A timer appeared. 02:00
Mirelle's voice dropped saying
"…No."
The voice continued:
"You've arrived faster than expected."
Aren's mind raced, Two systems, different mechanisms, too far apart, impossible.
"Split," Veydrick said immediately, they moved quickly without hesitent.
Aren rushed toward the control panel.
Mirelle toward the restraints.
Veydrick toward the chamber lock.
01:15
"Locked!" Mirelle called.
"Same here," Veydrick said.
Aren tried overriding the system, Denied!! He tried again and the system denied again.
His breathing sharpened and sharpened, with pressure as time decreased.
00:50
His mind calculated fastly, Angles, Distance
Time.
But at that moment....that one moment.
A flicker of hesitation,not visible. But real.
00:30
Aren made the choice, his hands moving fastly as other try to stop the overall timer.
After a moment of rigorous hand moments, The mechanism gave way.
One person pulled free...Just in time.
Behind him, the another victime, his timer went to zero...a loud sound. Aren became still when a voice called out "Aren!!"
Aren didn't turn immediately, He already knew.
Outside, Red and blue lights filled the night again. Mirelle stood beside the ambulance, her face quiet. Aren stood just a few inches away. Still.
"I couldn't…" he started. Then stopped.
Mirelle looked at him."You saved one."
Aren shook his head slightly. "It doesn't feel like it."
Veydrick stepped beside him. He didn't ask questions, nor offer explanations. Just stood there.
The station felt quieter than usual. Elena stood near the exit, Watching from a distance.
When Veydrick approached, she spoke softly: "He's carrying it already, will be hard."
"I know." Veydrick says looking down.
She studied him for a moment and spoke again: "You haven't changed."
Veydrick replied calmly:
"No."
Elena's gaze shifted briefly toward Aren.
"But...He might." Veydrick takes a deep breath and looks Aren with a little worry.
Aren stood under the dim city lights—
his hands still trembling slightly.
Because this time…
he didn't just lose someone.
He made the choice to.