The snow continued to fall.
Thin white flakes drifted down slowly, covering the dark alley in a quiet blanket.
But the peace of the snowfall could not hide the grim scene beneath it.
Red stained the snow near the body of the fallen officer.
The flashing lights of police cars painted the narrow alley in waves of blue and red.
Detectives moved carefully around the crime scene, photographing every angle and collecting evidence.
Detective Laura Hayes stood near the entrance of the alley, her breath visible in the cold air.
Her eyes were fixed on the small evidence bag now held by a forensic officer.Inside the transparent bag was the red Christmas ornament.
And inside the ornament—
The message. Day Two.
Laura exhaled slowly.
"So he's really doing it."
Beside her, Mr. Endless stood with his hands inside the pockets of his coat.He looked completely calm.Almost too calm.
His pale eyes scanned the entire alley as if reading an invisible map.
Detective Rudra Sen approached them with a tablet.
"The victim is Officer Mark Dalton," he reported.
"Patrol division. Thirty-two years old."
Laura frowned.
"Cause of death?"
"Single stab wound through the heart."
Rudra pointed toward the body.
"Clean strike. Professional precision."
Laura sighed.
"So the bomber is also a knife expert."
Mr. Endless spoke quietly.
"No."
Both detectives looked at him.
Mr. Endless walked closer to the body.
His movements were slow and careful.
He crouched beside the fallen officer.
The wound had already been covered partially by a medical cloth, but the dark red stain spreading through the snow was still visible.
Mr. Endless observed the angle of the body.
Then the position of the arm.Then the footprints around the snow.Finally, he stood again.
"The killer is not a knife expert," he said calmly.
Rudra frowned.
"How can you tell?"
Mr. Endless pointed toward the body.
"A professional assassin prefers efficiency."
He drew a straight line in the air with his finger.
"One strike from behind."
"But this wound is from the front."
Laura looked again.
She hadn't noticed that detail.
"So they faced each other."
Mr. Endless nodded.
"Yes."
Rudra crossed his arms.
"Meaning the officer saw the killer."
"Or knew him," Mr. Endless added.
That possibility made the air heavier.
Laura turned toward the forensic team.
"Check the officer's communication logs. I want to know who he spoke to in the last two hours."
"Yes ma'am."
The team hurried away.Mr. Endless walked slowly toward the alley wall.
His eyes stopped on something faint.
A thin scratch on the brick surface.He touched it lightly.
"Interesting."
Laura approached him.
"What did you find?"
Mr. Endless stepped aside.
"Look."
Laura leaned closer.Carved into the brick wall, almost hidden by shadow, were two small marks.They looked like tally lines.
I I
Laura frowned.
"Two lines."
Mr. Endless nodded.
"Day One."
He pointed at the first line.
"Day Two."
Then he stepped back.
Laura's eyes widened slightly
.
"You're saying the killer carved this?"
"Yes."
Rudra looked around the alley.
"Why leave marks here?"
Mr. Endless answered calmly.
"Because the killer wants witnesses."
Laura looked at him.
"Witnesses?"
"Yes."
He turned toward the street beyond the police tape.
Several civilians were watching the scene from a distance.Phones raised.Recording.
Mr. Endless continued speaking softly.
"A serial killer driven by revenge hides."
"A serial killer driven by thrill hides."
"But a killer who wants recognition…"
He paused.
"…creates an audience."
Rudra scratched his head.
"So this guy is showing off?"
Mr. Endless nodded.
"Yes."
Laura looked at the ornament again.
"So the bomb was Day One."
"And this murder is Day Two."
Mr. Endless's expression remained neutral.
"Yes."
Laura's voice lowered.
"That means five more."
The words hung in the cold air.Five more murders before Christmas.
Mr. Endless turned his gaze toward the city skyline beyond the buildings.
Lights from apartments glowed warmly against the dark winter sky.Families preparing for Christmas.Children laughing.People unaware of the countdown beginning in their city.
Mr. Endless spoke quietly.
"The killer has a pattern."
Laura looked at him.
"What kind?"
Mr. Endless raised two fingers.
"First."
"The location of the explosion."
He pointed in the direction of the police station.
"Second."
"This alley."
Rudra frowned.
"They're close to each other."
Mr. Endless nodded.
"Yes."
Then he drew an invisible line across the air.
"A radius."
Laura understood immediately.
"He's staying within a specific area."
Mr. Endless nodded again.
"The killer is restricting his hunting ground."
Rudra asked,"Why would he do that?"
Mr. Endless answered calmly.
"To keep control."
Laura tilted her head.
"Explain."
Mr. Endless looked at the snow-covered ground.
"A hunter knows his territory."
"If the killer stays within a limited zone, he understands every alley, every camera, every escape route."
Rudra looked impressed
.
"So he planned the battlefield."
"Yes."
Laura glanced at the map displayed on Rudra's tablet.
"Then we should mark every police officer working inside this radius."
Mr. Endless shook his head.
"That won't stop him."
Laura raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?"
Mr. Endless gave a faint smile.
"Because he wants them."
Laura felt a chill.
"The victims are police officers."
"Yes."
Rudra suddenly spoke.
"Wait…"
He looked at the body again.
"Both victims are cops."
Laura realized it too.
"The bomb targeted the police station."
"And this victim is an officer."
Mr. Endless nodded slowly.
"This is not random."
Laura crossed her arms.
"You think the killer hates the police."
Mr. Endless shook his head.
"No."
"Then what?"
Mr. Endless looked directly at her.
"He's judging them."
The word echoed strangely in the cold alley.
"Judging?" Rudra asked.
"Yes."
Mr. Endless walked back toward the evidence bag containing the ornament.He looked closely at the glass ball.
"Christmas ornaments represent celebration."
"But this one carries a message of death."
Laura understood the symbolism immediately.
"A twisted Christmas theme."
Mr. Endless nodded.
"Yes."
"Each day… a new judgment."
Rudra looked uneasy.
"That's insane."
Mr. Endless's expression didn't change.
"Most genius criminals are."
Laura took a deep breath.
"Alright."
She turned toward the officers.
"Secure the entire area and collect every camera recording within two kilometers."
"Yes ma'am."
As the officers moved quickly, Mr. Endless remained still.His gaze was fixed on the snow.
Laura noticed.
"What are you thinking?"
Mr. Endless replied calmly.
"The killer is watching us."
Laura looked around instinctively.
"Here?"
"Yes."
Rudra frowned.
"You're serious?"
Mr. Endless nodded.
"He wants to see our reaction."
Laura sighed.
"Then he's probably enjoying this."
Mr. Endless gave a faint smile.
"Maybe."
Then his eyes sharpened slightly.
"But that also means…"
Laura waited.
Mr. Endless finished calmly.
"He wants to be challenged."
Laura stared at him.
"You sound confident."
Mr. Endless looked toward the distant city lights again.
"Because I would do the same."
Rudra blinked.
"That's a little disturbing."
Mr. Endless shrugged.
"To defeat a mind like his…"
He paused.
"…you must think like him."
At that exact moment—
Across the city—
On the roof of a tall building—
A shadowed figure stood watching the police lights flashing below.
Snowflakes landed silently on his dark coat.
In his hand was a small notebook.
Inside the notebook were several names.
Two of them were crossed out.
Officer Daniel Morris.
Officer Mark Dalton.
Below them were five more names.
The figure slowly drew another line through Mark Dalton's name.
Then he whispered softly.
"Day Two complete."
His eyes looked toward the police cars far below.Toward the investigators.
Toward the young man standing calmly in the alley.
The shadowed figure tilted his head slightly.
"…Mr. Endless."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Let's see if you can keep up."
He closed the notebook.
Snow continued falling over the silent city.
And somewhere beneath the peaceful lights of Christmas—
The Countdown begins, again.