Call of Death

The breeze of the wind is freezing cold. The surrounding is in deafening silence. The sound of the wind blowing is sending chills to his spine. It's making him anxious. It's as if someone or something is staring at him not far from where he was standing.

'Damn, this has to be done soon. But how?'

He looked around but could not see anything more than the trees surrounding the dense forest. Seeing how quiet and peaceful the place is, it still somehow gives him the feeling of something bothersome. As if in any moment, there will be such devilish thing that's going to happen. He doesn't usually feel like that but in this case where everything is just a theory, who else cannot worry?

"Detective Lee, there's nothing here." He shifted his gaze to his partner, Police Officer Devius Chad.

Detective Cameron Lee sighed and looked up. "Why would they send us to a place like this, tsk? It's not even habitable, don't you think?"

"That's the point, Detective Lee. If the place is not habitable, that means no one would suspect that someone is living here."

"Then, is it possible that the culprit is somewhere around here?"

"I don't know either. They said we can get some clue in here but all that there were trees and dried leaves. Let's just get back to the car and discuss some things with the chief." Officer Chad suggested to where the latter just nodded in agreement.

They were walking to where they parked their car when something caught Detective Lee's eyes. Behind a tree, not so far from their distance, he saw a man wearing a long, black coat peeking at them. He couldn't see his face but he can tell by his guts that he is staring at them while grinning.

"Detective Lee?" Officer Devius called him but he could not take his eyes off of that stranger.

'What the hell is he doing?'

He gives him creeps. He slowly reached out to his gun, getting ready to whatever is going to happen anytime. He knows that something is very odd about that person. It's not hard to determine that he's a guy because of his posture - broad shoulders and the way he stood.

"Detective Cameron Caiseus Lee, what's wrong?" Devius turned his partner around so he is now facing him.

Detective Lee quickly glanced at the place where he saw that mysterious man earlier but just like a smoke in thin air, he completely vanished in a mere second. He ran towards that direction but he saw no trace of any person there. Devius followed him.

"Cameron? Caiseus? Cam? Cai?"

"..."

"Detective Lee..."

"..."

"Cameron Caiseus Lee!"

"..."

"Hey! Detective Cameron Caiseus Lee!"

"Ha? What?" Detective Lee looked at Officer Devius Chad.

"What's wrong with you? I've been calling you for a while now." He asked, wrinkling his brows.

He once again look back but saw nothing. "I saw a suspicious man earlier, standing behind this tree." He pointed.

"Hmm? There was no one there, aren't you just mistaken? Imagining things? You know?" He asked,

Detective Lee shook his head.

"Nevermind. Let's just go."

"Alright."

They both hopped in the car and drived back to the city. It's already dark when they arrived at their station's headquarter. Most of their colleagues are already sleeping in their quarters and some are already asleep, leaning on their desks. Both men marched their ways to the office of their commanding officer.

"Good evening, Chief Simon." They both respectfully greeted.

The lady turned to look at them. She's wearing a simple poloshirt and a black, tight pants but her looks says authority. She doesn't look that old though.

She gestured them to sit. "So, did you find anything?" She asked.

Officer Devius Chad and Detective Cameron Caiseus Lee shook their heads as they sit. "No, Chief. We found nothing except for trees and dried leaves." Officer Devius uttered.

"We already looked everywhere but there's no trace of the culprit. There's no such house as the witness told us." Detective Lee explained.

He wanted to speak about the mysterious man he saw but he wasn't sure if he should talk about it because he doesn't have any proof that It's connected. Aside from that he has some doubts, maybe we was just mistaken that's why he just decided to keep quiet. But he told himself that he will find something that can relate to who he saw earlier. He must.

"This is the hardest amongst all the cases we've handled before. People are dying because of that mysterious call but we can't find any lead to whoever is doing all of this. My head feels like exploding." Chief Simon stressfully mumbles as she sat down on her swivel chair.

"You're right, Chief. The telephone being used by the killer isn't trackable and there's no evidence left either. This one is a real pain in the ass." Officer Devius agreed.

"Hmm. What about you, Cameron? What do you think? You've been silent since earlier." Chief Simon faced him.

He just sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have any clue either. I've been known for being able to catch a criminal in just three days after the case is sent to me but it's been more than a week and I still have no clue." He's been doing everything to find out more information but he have found nothing at all.

There's not a single evidence in the crime scene. He can't even find what the motive is. The phone being used can't be tracked either. Also, the crime happens randomly. They can't be foreseen or even guess who the next victim is. It just happens when it happens. Just like that. The victims have no connection at all.

"Then, we should investigate more. Or otherwise, more people will perish and die because of this Killer Caller." Chief Simon said, sighing deeply.

"Killer Caller?" Both detectives asked in unison, Chief Simon nodded.

"Yes. We'll call this case the Killer Caller Murder Case." She answered.

She stood up and begun walking to the shelf where some information are arranged. "It's because the murder happens after the victims received a call from the culprit." She added.

Both men nodded.

"Chief, what do you think? Is the culprit a psychopath or just someone who have grudge towards the victims?" Officer Devius asked.

Chief Simon stopped what she's doing and crossed her arms before facing the guys. She stayed silent for a while as if she was thinking thoroughly before saying anything.

"The crime happens randomly. There's also no pattern. The culprit just call some random number and tell them they will die at an exact time and it really happens. If there's any motive, we must find it out because it's been a week and we're still clueless."

"Chief, how did you know that they were told of what time they will die?" Asked Officer Chad, confused.

"It's Detective Parker's theory." She answered, the officer nodded in response.

"So stressful." Detective Cameron Lee mumbled.

"Yeah, right. This is very stressful." Officer Chad brushed his hair with his finger.

"Also, if that person is sane, he should know that he's doing a crime, maybe he's really a psychopath killer." Said Chief Simon.

Detective Lee stood up and walked to the door. "That's why we must catch this bastard as soon as possible to prevent anymore damage. I'll go first, see you." He waved his hand and went out of the office.

He walked straight to the parking lot but when he was about to get in his car, he suddenly felt that strange feeling again. It's that unfamiliar feeling he felt earlier in the forest. He scattered his sight around but it's so dark, he can barely see without the dim light. But he is not mistaken when he saw a figure in the distance. It's dark but he can recognize everything including the feeling of the strange man staring at him while grinning.

It's the same mysterious, creepy guy from the forest earlier and he followed him here. At this time, Detective Lee slowly reach out to his gun because he won't hesitate to fire at him if he plans anything evil.

"Hey! Detective Cameron Lee, you're forgetting something." He was about to take a step forward when Officer Devius Chad called his name, he was running towards him.

He glanced at the figure again and just like earlier, it disappeared like it was never there. He furrowed his brows but eventually brushed it out of his thoughts.

"What are you looking at there?"

Officer Chad also looked at where the other was looking but saw nothing.

"What is it?" Detective Lee just asked the officer.

He raised his brows. "Oh! You forgot about me, we lived in the same apartment since last week, didn't we? Why are you leaving me behind?" He laughed to which the latter just sighed.

'He's already 28 years old but he still acts like a goddamn three year old kid.' Detective Lee thought.

"Come on, hop in."

"Thanks!"

RING...

RING...

RING...

Officer Devius' phone rang before he could even get in the car. "Wait, I just need to take this." He gestured to which Detective Lee just nodded. "Hello?"

Detective Lee just waited for him inside the car but when he finally got in, he was sweating a little bit, he also turned a little bit pale and he can see his hands shaking like he just saw a ghost. To simply say, Officer Devius Chad looked a little worried and terrified. He furrowed his brows, looking confusedly at his usually cheery partner. He's not used to see him so freaked out.

So he asked him. "What's wrong? Did you get someone pregnant?" He tried to joke but Officer Chad didn't even move and inch so he became worried too. "Devius, what happened?"

Officer Chad swallowed hard before turning his sweaty and fearful face to his. "I'm next, Cameron. I think I'm going to die next." He whispered, the side of his lips curved a bit.

"What?"

"The Killer Caller, I think he just called me." He mumbled.

The detective was taken aback and he can't say anything. He just stared at him while trying to process what he just said. If it's true, that means the Killer Caller will come at his partner. He know it's not the right time to think about it because his partner's life is also at risk, but it might be their chance to catch the culprit.