Signs of Murder

Chapter 10

Back at the precinct, Kaito and Reina sat in a dimly lit office, the USB drive resting between them like a ticking bomb.

Reina drummed her fingers on the table. "So let me get this straight—some random woman, who may or may not be a cop, outran you, handed you evidence, and disappeared into thin air?"

Kaito exhaled sharply. "Yeah, that about sums it up."

Reina crossed her arms. "This screams trap."

"Maybe," Kaito admitted, plugging the USB into his laptop. "But if there's even a chance this has answers, we can't ignore it."

The screen flickered to life, revealing one single file.

A folder labeled: THE DEAD SPEAK.

Kaito clicked it open.

Inside were dozens of documents, photos, and videos. Names he recognized—Takahara, the journalist, the lawyer, every victim so far.

They were all connected to one case.

Project Satori.

Reina leaned in. "What the hell is that?"

Kaito opened the first document. It was an internal report from Kyosei Group, the powerful corporation Hajime Kiryu controlled.

A secret project. Human trials. Illegal experiments.

Reina's breath caught. "They were testing something on people."

The documents described mind alteration, memory erasure, and something worse—behavior manipulation. The victims weren't just investigators.

They were test subjects.

Kaito clicked on a video file. Security footage.

It showed a darkened lab, a single person strapped to a chair. Electrodes on their head. Their body convulsed as a masked doctor stood over them.

A voice spoke from offscreen. "Subject 17—test complete. Prepare the final phase."

Then, the figure in the chair lifted their head.

Kaito's blood went cold.

The person in the footage was Kenji Takahara.

The screen glitched—static, then darkness.

Reina stared at the screen, horrified. "They weren't just silencing these people. They were controlling them."

Kaito clenched his fists. "And now, they're cleaning up their mess."

Before Reina could respond, the lights flickered.

Then, Kaito's laptop screen went black.

A new message appeared, typed in real time.

"You shouldn't have seen that, Detective Mori."

A chill crawled up Kaito's spine.

They were watching.

A second message appeared.

"You're next."

The laptop shut off.

The room plunged into silence.

Kaito exhaled. "Now we know for sure."

Reina swallowed. "Know what?"

Kaito looked up, eyes burning with resolve.

"This isn't just a killer. This is a cover-up."

To Be Continued...