Found them yet?

No.

Where did they hide those files?

(Eating and munching while typing on the keyboard. Searching for keyword FILE-003.)

...

Whoever sorted these files out must learn how to properly use the computer. Who in the right mind would put chronological files scattered across the system?

Oh, there you are! Come to continue their adventures? Well... according to this introduction part, hmm, oh! They're driving to Missus!

The District of Missus lies outside the main city of Justice. Buildings with fifty or more floors do not exist in this district, but rather only the forests surrounding its center. It's famous for its mass production of wood as every district makes it their source of lumber.

The two got off from their police vehicle and walked towards the district of Missus. The residents were peeking from the windows of houses made from wood, far from the common houses in other districts.

An old man walked outside the biggest house in the district, assisted with a wheeled walker, and waved at the two detectives.

"Let's talk inside my house." the old man said.

Blake, Klenn and the old man sat down on a table. The housemaid poured tea on cups and handed them over to the three. The detectives took a sip, and the old man looked ready to answer some questions. Blake looked at Klenn, and she knew from his eyes what he wanted to say, 'Can't still taste anything'.

"I'm John. John Sofar." the old man said as he shook Blake's and Klenn's hands. "It is truly a fortune, detectives finally reaching this district."

"What? Are we not supposed to communicate?" Klenn asked.

Something's fishy going on already! I like it!

"For a long time we were trying to report missing incidents here. This has happened for a month, and many of these residents have lost their families." John replied.

Woah, that was... shocking.

Blake said, "So, these reports we received..."

"Yes, those were days, or weeks late." John replied with a saddened expression.

Klenn leaned over to Blake and whispered, "You talk to the old man, I'll go to the residents." Blake nodded and Klenn waved at the two, and went outside.

She wandered around the district, observing the houses bit by bit and peeking inside. Residents were going on with their daily lives. However, no one was smiling or laughing; they looked as if they are dead inside. Maybe they felt hopeless after weeks of delayed help?

Klenn went closer to a house, slightly bigger than the rest but not larger than John's. She knocked on the door, and a woman appeared asking, "Yes?"

Klenn introduced herself and the woman let her in. They took their seats on a sofa while the woman asked Klenn if she wanted tea, to which she declined.

"I'm Sara Neary." the woman said. She looked just a little bit younger than Klenn, having a cute ponytail on her head. She wears a yellow dress. "I assume you are the help we asked?"

"Yes. I apologize we're late." Klenn replied.

Sara nodded weakly while drinking her tea.

"Four people were missing, one in each week for the last month." Sara said.

"How could you... describe those incidents?" Klenn straightly asked. "Any patterns like time of the day, the exact day?"

"Ah, these kidnappings happened on Thursday nights. The third week we were really ready but..." Sara explained and then stopped talking. It must be hard for her to retell the stories.

"You tell only what you can tell." Klenn said. "But, if possible, you should speak up everything you know."

"I know." Sara replied. "That third Thursday night, we were supposed to wait outside the road. Weapons were ready: hammers, machetes, even chainsaws."

I feel bad for Missus. They don't even have the advanced weapons to defend themselves!

"We stood for hours, and then the night came. We heard footsteps from the forests. The man on our frontline exclaimed 'Monster!', and then the crowd ran. Due to the panic, I tripped on my own feet, and as I look up, a tall man with the face of a monster really was there. My father went to save me but was taken away; he is the victim of the third night."

Sara cried and Klenn hugged her closely.

"So you see, when the fourth night came..."

"I know." Klenn interrupted her midway. She knew Sara had gone through enough and it's hell for someone to relive through those memories.

"We'll find your father, alright? Do you have your mother here?" Klenn asked. Sara nodded and pointed at a room indicating that she is sleeping.

Klenn bowed and thanked Sara. She waved, and left the house. Blake was right there, standing by at the front of the house.

"You heard?" Klenn asked.

"Yep. Same report from the old man." Blake replied.

"In the forest, she said." Klenn spoke.

"There was a big clearing on the side of the forest. For years, it was small but then it became bigger." Blake explained. "I think we should go there."

Klenn flashed her cellphone. Blake shook his head. What do you think they meant with that? Klenn wanted to ask for reinforcements, Blake replied with 'It's alright.' You gotta applaud their synchronization!

...

Is someone using the computer?

Go check it!

(Computer shuts down. Lights close off.)

Not here.

Not here also.

That slippery pest, how long would we search for that?

(Loud thuds sprint across the area.)

...

Erm, where was I? Oh, that's right.

Both of them carefully stride across the forest. It was five o'clock in the afternoon; the sun was about to set. Klenn and Blake handed out their flashlights and explored the forest.

For hours, they lighted up the dark forest and searched for clues. The clearing was supposed to be obvious but they were searching for an abnormal amount of time. Have the system glitched? Has Blake looked incorrectly? These were the questions they asked themselves.

"What time is it?" Blake asked.

"It's..." Klenn stuttered.

"What's the matter?" Blake asked as Klenn started running back towards the district.

"It's 8:50 PM!" Klenn shouted.

"Then, what?" Blake replied as he started running.

"It's Thursday!"

The air felt heavier with them quickly moving their feet and avoiding the obstacles they encountered as they delve deeper into the forest. They tried their best to stabilize their grips on their flashlights.

Oh, this is eerie.

They felt movement from their sides. The rustling of the leaves came from not two, but of many aggressive motions with the same pace. Klenn brought out her pistol, ready to defend herself. Blake flashed his flashlight sideways from left to right, only to find nothing. Still, they kept hearing movement as it follows.

They arrived nearby after hearing screams from Missus. The moment they reached outside the woods, the rustling stopped, and no more footsteps were heard. They sprinted quickly only to notice someone being dragged from the district. They pointed their pistols and flashlights, and a disturbing appearance was revealed.

It looked like a face of a devil: eyes were red, face was colored in red, horns growing on each side of the forehead, and black hair covering the top of the head. As the light shined upon its face, it horrifyingly smiled.

In truth, the two were startled but they tried to keep themselves from shooting. They knew something must be behind this, and no cursed magic can be real in this world.

How about you? Would you have pulled the trigger? I will... without a doubt.

"Who are you?" Klenn yelled, hoping to find an answer from this mess.

The kidnapper intently stared at Klenn's eyes. Blake made his grip firmer than before. Just one flick of his finger and the gun would fire, straight at the head of the devil.

A split second and the kidnapper pulled out a pistol from a hidden holster near the hip. Blake pulled the trigger faster than the kidnapper can fire. He shot through the hands. A bloody scenery was imprinted in the minds of the residents who witnessed the encounter. The kidnapper screamed in agony, and suddenly fainted from the pain. These residents were actually brave, they did not shout nor yelled loudly.

The dragged woman hastily stood up on her feet and ran towards John. Klenn and Blake gazed upon the residents as they bowed to thank the two detectives. Klenn brought out the first aid kit and tended to the wound. Blake requested for a place, and John gladly gave his house for interrogation.

The maid gave them food for their hungry stomachs to which they gladly ate. People were amassed at the windows, curiously peeking at the famous detectives who saved an innocent woman, clinging closely at Blake. All were smiling, must be because the chain of kidnappings were finally stopped.

"This isn't finished." Blake said, talking at John and Klenn. "This is just only one man. Who knows, maybe they'll send on an irregular day."

"You think we can route them out?" Klenn asked.

Blake pulled out the phone and called Bobby. He requested reinforcements to defend the district, and estimated time of arrival was for a couple of hours.

"Blake, when will..." Klenn spoke and stopped. Blake was confused. Klenn was still moving her mouth, and rapidly shook her. The ambient noise and the sound of the wind went silent. As he looked at his watch to see '12:00 AM', a realization suddenly clicked.

Another day, another sense. How could our protagonist resist the challenges of being deaf?

That ends the third file! I got to go, erm. Something... came up. Hmm, how could I... Anyway, see ya folks!