Cachexia - II

Date: 14th of August, 2030

Time: 07:00AM

"Jean!"

A loud crash of documents just right in front of the table where Jean is resting onto made the young officer jumps from his seat, and widens both of his eyes in a reaction. Although the sleepiness that still sinks into his body and muscles made him winces at firstーhaving to taste a lingering part of his nightmares haunting himーand feeling really awful now he gets to be awakened abruptly, by...

"Chief...?"

Jean blinks his eyes for numerous times to make sure he isn't looking at the wrong person before him, but when he sees the older man is already folding both of his hands and handing him a glass of tea, the young officer immediately forces a smile to his lips.

"How may I help you, sir?" He asks slowly and tilts his head to one side while inspecting the documents that seemed to be more than an amount of hell now he gets to see the clips on each sections upon close view range.

'I thought he said to me the other day, that I wouldn't have any guarantee to take on this case alone. And I thought he wouldn't help me on this caseーwith any filesーso I actually stayed up all night long in this office without even trying to bother him. Did he get somewhat feeling bad after what he said?'

The male ponders inside his own thoughts now he merely smiles at the Chief that doesn't seem to be going to say anything even after a minute standing right beside his desk.

Jean was about to stand from his desk and thinking of moving himself away when he noticed a furrow of brows forming on the Chief's face. Until Chief opens his mouth and Jean actually stares at the older male with a mere small smile.

"I don't know if you are an idiot or something. But seeing how hard you worked last night made me feel like you should at least gather a few help in your work. I have all the files you need in here. And I also brewed you tea. Be thankful." The Chief said with a sour smile that actually made Jean nods thankfully.

"Thank you, sir. But I have find a clue from the other day. Still, thank you for helping. It's greatly appreciated." Jean lied, and felt slightly satisfied now his Chief actually feels bad from what he said.

'At least he knows how bad his words had impacted me the other day.' Jean mused inwardly as he grabs the files, nevertheless, smiling slightly to his Chief before moving out to the other room, since he need to gather some other files. He merely turns his head slightly and tell,

"And ah, sir, just drink the tea. I will move to the library to gather few things I had on the missing person. Thank you for the kind thoughts, by the way. Have a good day." And Jean merely dismissed himself as he can see the Chief actually nods and waves his hand for a moment, before walking off to his office.

Jean too, did the same as he kept a polite smile on his face for the longest time before striding off to one of the hallways ahead.

"For the sake of justice."

He whispers as he slowly made his way to the library, while having his thoughts wanders somewhere faraway, recalling bits and pieces of the nightmares he just had from falling asleep earlier.

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Date: 14th of August 2030

Time: 09:00AM

"Here it is. At long last, my research is fruitful." The male huffs and swipes his forehead with the back of his hand while he grabs the folder with a name of, 'Niles Cormagrion' and throws himself to the couch that is located not far from where he was: the bookshelves.

Once he made sure the folder is in his hand and secure, the male flipped through the first few pages at first. Once he made sure he went through the biological part, he went through the next section of his terminal illnesses record. Although, what surprised him was there wasn't any of the information regarding Niles's sickness.

If anything, the only thing left behind inside the folder itself is a picture of a white haired person, smiling, while holding a huge sunflower.

This, made Jean winced. He quickly takes the photo out from the folder and inspects the photography. At the corner of the photo itself was written, 'Los Nostradamus, 2027', and on the back of the photo, was written, 'This person no longer exists.'

And as if he was reading some sort of horror, Jean quickly returns the photo inside the folder and flipped the page to page one. There was written there that Niles already passed away by Cachexia. And the date was...

"Eighth of August. Wait, isn't this the same date as... his missing day?" Jean quickly takes the missing report and matched the date. Once making sure the whole things seemed to be more of a mystery, the male starts wandering his head inside the world he knows nothing truly about.

He'd then rummaged the papers his Chief had given just early in the morning. Not like there was anything important written there, but when Jean happened to stumble across a small envelope with Niles's name on it, the male quickly grabs it. He instantly tear the paper seal and takes the paper out; hinting that the paper was long untouched. He drags the paper out and starts reading the writing that had gotten him really curious about.

"Dear Niles Cormagrion, I don't know if you are still in the hospital or not. But with this message I am just hoping you are getting well soon. I send you the flowers along the letter, so I am hoping you already got them safely! With love, Hannah."

And there was written the same date. Eighth of August, twenty twenty seven.

Just like that, Jean actually find things to be even more odd now.

"Isn't Niles... already no more on Eighth of the August? Then why did this person sent... Wait, maybe Hannah is not his family. It might make sense by the untouched mails. Alright, now then, what exactly happened in this corresponding numbers written in these letters?" Jean asked mostly to himself as he starts to rummage more of the prior files, and finding just yet, another article that has the same date in August, twenty twenty seven.

The young officer quickly reads the article with his sharp eyes.

'Breaking News: A MALE JUMPED FROM THE BRIDGE, found deceased by the time he was admitted to hospital. The patient from Room 990, with a name of Niles Cormagrion, actually jumped from from the Los Nostradameー'

And just before he finished reading it, Jean actually tilts his head to one side. He finds everything to be really odd.

First, why does the article looks exactly the same as the current situation they are dealing with right now? Second, why does the date always reveals the same number, but different years, and the connection of they are all deceased is already proven. Yet, why, does there another Niles Cormagrion in the present time? Is this one, even the same Niles?

Just like a curious cat, Jean actually starts to compare the photograph that was shown there. They all have the same face with the missing one they are searching right now. Jean, again, furrows his eyebrows further.

"Does that mean, Niles is still alive? Then why would the folder actually mentioned he is already deceased, along with that news? Not only that, why is there even a missing report from a hospital now if Niles is precisely deceased? I... is this some sort of joke?" Jean starts to doubt his own mind as he starts rummaging more of the papers, this time finding nothing is reliable there.

And he just exhaled loudly as he throws all of his folders from earlier, finding no other contributing informations when he actually gotten the lead just earlier. Alright, it might be a good lead, but it leads to nothing.

"Nothing but my assuming mind that the police is playing with cases? Maybe, since they caught the fake Niles the other day. Or did they feel toyed as well by these weird cases now they start catching weird people? I have a feeling that they are actually case blind and clueless throughout these whole three years they wanted to close the case with making Niles seeming as if he was the murderer." Jean concluded as he drapes both of his hands to his face, sighing loudly.

'Either way, I can't conclude anything now I don't have enough informations to know what was going on. It might have something to do with the past and present case, but I am not sure where to start.'

Jean actually nods and starts cleaning all of the folders and the files after what felt like ten minutes of him to laze around, before finding his way back to the office. Although his nagging mind of 'sense of justice' hasn't really leave him yet so he actually starts to continue on his research again, not caring of the overtime or even anything, as long as he will get to unravel the truth.

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Jean actually spent most of his times with his monitor. The young officer groans when he felt his eyes hurting slightly from staring too long; and just to get his pair of eyes too dry. He quickly turns off the monitor when hours already flew like a wind. And finding nothing in the internet as well, especially regarding Niles's case. Most of the headlines had the same thing covered in the files he had.

Holding his yawn, the young officer turns his head to look around then, noting there is no one around but him.

He has the urge to ask the Chief about the odd numbers and dates in the case, but knowing the Chief might just mock himーregarding his incompetency and the whole thing of how he can't even finish something clearlyーhe actually holds his choices back.

"I wonder if there might be someone I can ask about..." Jean closed his eyes and ponders inside his mind.

'First, the case. Then, Hannah... Hannah, doesn't have any of the addresses written on the letter. And we know nothing about who is Hannah, it feels like she isn't sibling nor relatives of Niles either; by their written letter. Then who might be related to Niles aside from Hannah?' The young officer actually groans and stood up from his chair.

"Not only that, I need to find out about who is Niles exactly, who is the one who knows about his precise death; if he is really dead. And his siblings... which was never mentioned." Jean swiftly pulls his coat from the chair and drapes it over his shoulder.

He too, grabbed few of the documents from the desk and quickly make his way out, while not forgetting to take a can of coffee on his way out now he doesn't know where is heading to.

'A bit of refreshment seems to be doable for now.' The young officer wanders his eyes to the orange sky that seems to be changing its hue anytime soon now the night is coming. And just winding up towards the path that seems to lead anywhere now his legs are moving randomly ahead; since he doesn't really know where to go either.

That, Jean kept on walking ahead as he lets his mind disclosed in the meantime. Uncertain where he will wind up to, the male merely walks aheadーenjoying the stroll for onceーand kept his eyes on the surroundings. Until his gaze landed on a familiar building that is not far from his position. He arches one of his eyebrows and wonders how he came to the cafe that was no far from the bridge itself.

The male checks on his surroundings at first before shaking his head entirely. A smile was etched on his lips as he scratch the back of his head accordingly.

"Well, I guess this case really wants me to finish it then."

And just like that, the male actually approached the building and settles himself for the night inside to gather what he can get for the night.

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