Chapter Two

The first kill took place in the May of 2022. I started working for the Times only last year. No one thought much about this case as it was a typical case of murder. It is odd how murder is called typical now.

The fact that the body was found with a bug was not disclosed to the public back then. The second kill took place three months later. Then, with an interval of three months, more bodies kept appearing and the number rose to nine. My first case was the rape of a three-year-old. The rapist's identity was unknown. I remember going through shady blocks and roads to find out more about the rapist and well, I managed to find him. It was none other than the paternal uncle of the child. It was a disgusting case, but I earned a good position for it. I am respected despite being young.

After the drug dealer case, I took the case of the Bug Man. I should have taken it sooner. I have not gone far in a month. I need more time. But now, as the Bug Man tried to kill me and failed, do I even have so much time left anymore? The Bug Man never failed before, at least, not that anyone knows of. Then, will the Bug Man not try to finish me?

Lloyd and another officer questioned me a few times. After five days, I have been discharged from the hospital. If it were not for my low blood pressure, I would have been able to leave the hospital sooner.

"You should be careful, Ms. Bourn," Officer Fredrick Wood said before I left. He is in his forties most probably with a huge cut on the right side of his face. I do not think he can see in his right eye.

Now I am lying down on the bed of my two-room apartment. I live alone, so I do not need more space than this. I love small spaces because they require less effort and time to clean. I do not like cleaning, to be honest, but I do because I have to.

I go through all the things that happened as I lay down. I could still hear Lloyd asking me, "How did you survive, Tasha?" The implication was clear there. If no one else could survive, how could you? What did you do to survive? Did you seduce him, Tasha?

Of course, he did not ask any of those three questions and he also perhaps did not even mean the last one. But he would not be wrong to imply that. However, it was not true. Seduction is a skill that I do not possess. I am not ugly. I am normal-looking with normal features. A plain white girl, you might say. Still, people with plain looks can be seductive; I just am not. I do not know how to bat my lashes so a man would notice me. I do not know how to say something coyly to flatter someone's heart.

"I kicked him," I told him, "in the groin. He lost balance and I got enough time to get up and run."

"Then you lost consciousness in front of the Fit And Live gym?"

"I suppose so. I don't remember that well."

"The doctor said you lost consciousness because of a sudden drop in your blood pressure," he said.

"It happens sometimes. I am on medication. When I am stressed, it still happens, despite taking the prescribed medication," I said.

"Were you stressed, Tasha?"

"Terrified," I said. He watched my face as if not believing me. What was there not to believe? Everyone else believed me. Then, why did he only look so suspicious?

I sit up and touch my left arm. A small price to pay for hunting the Bug Man.

I lied to Lloyd. I had to. I needed to find the Bug Man. 

The Bug Man. I had not been so crazy about him until now. He attacked me after he chose me. He chose me because I made him. He thought he was the one playing the game. But really, two can play a game. I made him choose me, I made him attack me, I made a mark on him, and all because I wanted to find him. I could kill him if I wanted to. I told Lloyd that I perhaps shot him in the stomach. But I did not. I fired twice and missed both times. On purpose.

The Bug Man fired at me, but I moved. It was a close call, I admit. But I am a little manic about my job. I want to find criminals just to live up to my potential, not because I am righteous and all that crap.

You know, I am intrigued by the FBI agent. Lloyd Wagner. Handsome and smart. He knows I am lying even when others do not. I am pretty sure he will keep a close eye on me. Well, in a way, the FBI is keeping a close eye on me anyway by assigning police officers around the complex where I live.

I know how to find the Bug Man. I attracted his attention. He will find me now. But I want to find him first. I want to take him by surprise. For that, I need to get the police off my back.

When I made the plan of being the Bug Man's victim, I knew it would gain unnecessary attention of the police and the FBI . But I had to do it anyway, so the Bug Man would seek me. I could kill him when he attacked me if I wanted to. But that would make me a survivor. I wanted to be more than that. Being a survivor was not fun when I can be the one to catch him.

My head is throbbing. But I have a plan ready. Getting attacked by the Bug Man was only the first phase. The second phase is yet to begin.