"Dan, you couldn't have told me this earlier?"

"Everything happened so quickly within minutes of Runo calling me, Chan!"

Suddenly, Runo exited the double doors and saw the brunet with his supervisor. "There you are! After Alice screamed on air, she said she wanted to relax outside and didn't want us following her. She took her phone but isn't answering our calls. Dan, did you message Shun?"

"He said he saw the livestream at school and—wait! He's calling me right now." The brunet accepted the call and answered, "You're on speakerphone, Shun. We're on the thirteenth floor, so—"

"I hear Alice's phone ringing in the plants."

"How?! Where are you?!"

"There's a small alley between Alice's work building and other stores across the street. I see a mechanic, locksmith, construction workers..."

"I know where that is!" Runo exclaimed. "Let me get everyone inside the office first so we can search that area together."

While the entire group descended the elevator, Dan then asked, "Who's actually calling Alice? The radio staff already gave up after so many missed calls."

"Her phone's here somewhere... Found it!" The raven-haired student reached under some shrubs and pulled out a smartphone. "It's her aunt. She must've seen the livestream and got—"

"Shun? Is that you?"

He turned around and saw a tall blonde woman with a phone to her ear. "Clara? Shouldn't you be at work?"

Runo raised an eyebrow. "Alice's aunt doesn't work close enough to stop by for no reason." Then she led everyone out the elevator and around various corners to the small alley. "Shun, we're here! But what's Aunt Clara doing here? Isn't your workplace faraway?"

"I was very worried after hearing Alice speak so angrily on air. Then she called and asked between sniffles if I could eat lunch with her. I said yes, but before she could tell me where, she screamed before the call disconnected. I assumed she called from work, so I came here immediately and found you all."

Shun added, "I came here directly because she came here last time after having a nervous breakdown on air. This secluded alley avoids the main roads and has tall plants blocking most of the view."

"Is this a common place for people to go to?" Chan asked.

"No, unless you know the area well," Julie answered. "Most people don't notice this place behind the tall bushes, but almost everyone from our building knows to use shortcut to avoid the crowded front entrance."

"Then would Alice have any reason to leave the premises?"

Runo checked her work calendar. "Alice needs to return immediately after lunch because there's a conference call later."

Shun saw the missed calls and voicemails on Alice's phone screen. "I've never seen her this angry, not even toward other people that upset her. Considering that this fan went above and beyond for her, they might think that Alice is betraying their one-sided trust."

"Let's double check the surveillance cameras then," Chan suggested.

The office employees led the way to the security office, where Kato kindly complied with the police madam's request. "As you can see from today's footage, Miss Alice exited the first-floor elevator at 11:50 before walking toward the back exit that leads to our favorite shortcut alley. That should take a couple minutes."

"Alice called me at 11:55," Clara confirmed. "Is that sufficient time to walk and—"

"Hold on." Everyone stared at Shun as he pointed to today recording room's schedule on the wall. "Alice interrupted someone else's program to deliver her message, yet this fan still found her so quickly. They must've been in the building at the time. Now I really think that they at least work in this building, if not for Free BV Radio specifically."

"But no one else in the security footage walked in the same direction that Alice did," Dan complained. "Oh wait! We haven't looked at this morning's package yet because we're so busy looking for Alice!"

After everyone went upstairs to the office, Runo gave the package to Chan and Dan. "Again, Rafe said it's Gunz's phone."

"There's a notecard." Everyone stared curiously as Chan pulled out a folded note from the bubble wrap and read out loud. "This public memory is the only one worth keeping. No matter bad the scar was, at least it was for a good cause."On the back was a photo of Alice posing by a tree with a sapling in her arms. "This image looks old."

"Let me see." Clara grabbed the card and gasped. "That picture! Alice used to volunteer with an environmentalist organization after finishing college. This photo was featured in article about that organization and Alice's contributions. A stubborn tree branch caused that scar behind her left ear. Now she wears her hair down to cover it."

Shun was next to see the card and stared at the photo of a freshly graduated Alice. Will she ever be comfortable wearing her hair up again? "By 'public' memory, I think the writer is saying how this article from the past is the only thing worth remembering, compared to the recent negative news about Alice. But if Alice already wore her hair down before she met any of us, then who else would've seen or known about the scar?"

Everyone mumbled and glanced at each other until Runo said, "Alice has been brushing her hair behind her ears lately every time she hears about another negative news report, but I've still never seen the scar even when standing next to her."

"So you'd need both Alice to actively tuck her hair away and yourself to be at a different angle to see the scar..."

Everyone looked around the office studio until Dan pointed up. "I bet there's a spy cam in the air conditioning vent. It's also directly over Alice's desk. Do we have a ladder?"

"I saw some maintenance staff outside earlier," Julie recalled. "Be right back."

After the maintenance staff lent a ladder and other tools, the brunet trainee climbed up and removed the vent cover. "Dan, you should take it slow," Rafe warned. "Our AC was fixed recently, but ever since the news of some airborne pathogen outbreak, the maintenance guy comes every day to inspect the vent."

"Especially during his lunch break..." Jack added.

"Thanks for the heads up." Dan ran his hand around the ceiling space but shook his head. "Nothing but a bunch of dust that's—"

"Julie—can you sit in Alice's chair, untie your hair, and brush it behind your ears?" Shun interrupted. "You're about the same height as Alice. Dan, what do you see?"

After the Australian sat down and followed Shun's directions, Dan reported, "I can see behind Julie's ear very clearly!"

"That means the means the maintenance guy is our next suspect," Chan concluded. "Who hires custodial staff?"

"Probably Kato," Julie guessed while retying her hair. "Anubias doesn't handle janitors and whatnot..."

After a second trip to the security office, Kato pulled out a binder from the shelf. "Here is Shadow Prove's work profile. He hasn't reported to work today, nor have I been able to reach him."

I still find it hard to believe that the maintenance technician that Alice told me about is behind all this, Shun thought.

Chan texted Shadow's address to Billy and then called him. "This is complete déjà vu. I just texted you our suspect's apartment address. Bring back up and go immediately."

"Yes, madam!"

She hung up and then gave orders. "Dan, you're coming with me. Everyone should stay put until we have more information."

During the car ride to their destination, Dan commented, "First, we thought Gunz was the perpetrator until he mysteriously died. If Shadow also ends up dead, then—"

"Dan, stop jinxing the investigation!" After parking and entering Shadow's residence, Chan gasped at the sight of everything posted on the walls. "Talk about 'obsessive behavior'. From photographs of Alice posing solo or with others, to that giant promotional standup cardboard of her... What do you have, Billy?"

"Luckily, no one broke into Shadow's residence. Everything is cold and untouched. There's an instant noodle cup in the trash. You should read these sticky notes on the corkboard above his computer."

Dan approached the computer first. "Look at this group picture! Alice is standing at center front, while Shadow is in the back row. Do they know each other?"

Chan unpinned the photo for a closer look. "She's wearing the same clothes from the photo in the notecard..." On the corkboard again was an old article clipping. "Both photos were taken in another town. Alice visited there for volunteering. Shadow used to live there before moving to Bayview."

"That could explain how he knew those specific details when none of us did." On the corkboard, Dan pointed to a piece of map with notes written in marker and pencil, plus a big circle and star on a specific location. "He has plans to visit his hometown. Do you think he's there?"

"We can try. This seems too methodically planned out, though. Everyone, I need you to input this town's location into your GPS devices and go there immediately."

On the way back to Chan's car, Dan answered an incoming call. "Shun, what's up?"

"The rest of us looked deeper into the article that featured Alice's photo. She only did volunteer work in that town—whose name I can't pronounce—for one day."

"We figured it too. Shadow used to live there before moving here. We found a huge group photo featuring the organization people, Alice, and Shadow."

"The article didn't mention Shadow being a member of the environmentalist organization. If Shadow was in the group photo, then maybe he lived in that specific area featured in the article. It's also secluded near a lake. Satellite map imaging now reveals only abandoned small buildings."

"Send me those specific coordinates, so that—"

"I'm coming as well."

"Shun, that's dangerous! I know you care about Alice's safety, but this has nothing to do with solving your mom's—" Unfortunately, Shun hung up, and Dan stared at his phone in shock. "Chan, did you hear what he just said?!"

"Dan, can you please input the coordinates so I can drive?"

"FINE."

-x-x-x-x-x-

Meanwhile, Shun returned home to switch his car out for the motorcycle before leaving to the exact location where Alice used to volunteer. Why am I so certain that Shadow might take her to that spot? Because that's where he first met Alice? Because he had a memorable time there?

He braked abruptly just before reaching a red light and lifted the visor to catch his breath. Why does Shadow remotely remind me of Lync? Lync probably stayed sane enough before snapping because Alice refused to bully him like her friends did. Shadow probably began working at the building after hearing that Alice works there.

Shun closed his visor and accelerated again at the green light. Shadow may be borderline obsessed with Alice, but Lync? Little did he know that he was speeding while deep in thought, although he corrected took the exit that led to Shadow's hometown and was later surrounded by practically no one. I need to talk to Lync again once this obsessed fan case finally closes.

After for a few more minutes, the raven-haired student parked to the side of the road and approached a small, suspicious bungalow. He opened the door and saw mess inside—primary fallen table and chairs with half-eaten take-out in the corner. There was definitely a struggle here, but whose blood is this? He quickly captured a few photos quickly before sending them and his location to Dan. "Weak reception. Come here ASAP. GTG" With that said, he continued driving down the dirt path.

Dan received the message somewhat later and exclaimed. "Chan, slow down! We're almost there!"

"Where is 'there'?!"

The police madam decelerated as the brunet pointed to a small bungalow in the distance. "Shun already saw this place and sent me pictures. We should check this out." The two of them went inside and saw the same thing that Shun did. "That's a lot of blood on the floor."

"We don't know whose blood this is, but it's not that much. The average healthy adult won't go into organ failure or shock yet. Where's Shun now?"

"He sent me pictures and left immediately. Probably went forward, since going backward wouldn't make sense."

"I'm telling Billy's team to search and secure this place while you and I follow Shun. How's your reception?"

"Very slow..." The two got back inside Chan's car and travelled a few more minutes before seeing Shun's motorcycle. "I hope Shun made the right decision in deciding to wander off from here. Let me call him."

While Chan intermittently called Alice's name in the background, Shun finally picked up after many seconds. "I told...reception...bad..."

"Where...you? We saw...motorcycle...can't be...far way..."

"I can't hear you. I'm hanging up." The raven-haired student stopped walking to observe a pair of medium heels on the grass. Alice probably removed her shoes to run faster, meaning Shadow was chasing her. He sent his location to Dan again and kept walking. "Alice! Where are you?! I saw your shoes!" Another five-minute walk led him to a blood-stained lavender cardigan, which he kept with him during the search. Alice was wearing that on the livestream, but which one of them was bleeding?

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

"Alice?!" A flash of orange zoomed through some foliage ahead. Shun followed immediately but stopped to hear the surroundings. The rustling stopped. She stopped moving. "It's me, Shun! Dan and the others are also here. Is Shadow with you?!"

No response.

She's probably still too scared to answer. "None of us have seen him at all since we arrived here. Trust me...it's safe now." After exiting the thick foliage, he saw the radio host hugging herself tightly under a tree, with red stains on her hands and dirt spots on her dress. "Alice, what happened to—"

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

She screamed a second time and shoved the raven-haired student, but he grabbed her wrist before she could run off. "Alice, look at me! I'm the only one here."

The redhead brushed her hair aside and stared into Shun's amber eyes while breathing slowly. He stared back into her chocolate-brown irises, unsure of what she would do next. "Shun...it is you!"

Alice gasped loudly before collapsing, with Shun catching her just in time. She squirmed in his arms with accelerated breaths. Her hands clutched onto his shirt as her head buried into his chest. The raven-haired student touched the redhead's forehead and retracted quickly. "You're burning up! You need medical attention before—"

"Is he gone...?" she asked softly.

"I know you're scared, but—"

Suddenly, Shun's phone beeped once, and he opened a message from Dan. "Shadow is DEAD."

He dropped his phone immediately.

The phone screen lit up again after receiving another message from Dan. "Please delete all the pics that we've sent each other ASAP."

Shun scrolled and saw photos of Shadow's body on the grass, covered in cuts, blood, and inexplicable debris. He looked over Alice's body and frowned. She has some shallow cuts and scrapes, but barely any blood compared to her cardigan and Shadow's body. "Hey Alice... Shadow won't come after you ever again. It's over."

"Are you sure?"

"I—" Who could've done that to Shadow? Wouldn't he have defended himself? He wrapped the bloody cardigan around Alice's back and pulled her closer, despite her possible fever that was already heating both of them up. "You'll just have to trust me."

-x-x-x-x-x-

Alice ended her rant with a finger pointed at the camera and the coldest glare that anyone has seen. "This isn't over."

She left the recording room immediately as her colleagues followed. "Alice, where are you going?"

"I'm going on lunch break. Please don't following me." After leaving the office studio, Alice road the elevator down to the first floor and exited through the back to chill out in the back alley. She dialed her aunt's number and waited. "Aunt Clara, can I—"

"Sweetie, I was just going to call you! What happened?! Are you alright?!"

"Can we each lunch together? I really wish I don't have work later, especially with a long conference call ahead of me."

"Alice, you definitely need a break. Where do you want to go?"

"How about—mmmmmhhhhh!"

Someone's hand covered Alice's mouth firmly with a towel while the other hand ended the phone call before tossing the phone away. "Why did you treat me like that?!"

The faint sweet scent from the towel knocked out the radio host since the abduction through the entire bumpy car ride from the work building to an unknown location. Alice woke up some time later and found her hands tied to the sides of a metal folding chair. The space around her was no bigger than a small bungalow, with only two square windows, two doors, and a wooden table. The floor was full of newspapers and junk.

"You're awake."

The 'back' door opened immediately as a silver-haired visitor wearing a baseball cap pressed a knife to her throat. "Wait...you're the maintenance technician...Shadow?! What are you—"

"Why did you say those ugly words on air today?! What did I do wrong?!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about! I had to get a message through to the public today or else—"

"I got your message but don't understand why you're so mad at me! I thought you'd appreciate all that I did!"

After Shadow finally stopped waving the knife in her face, Alice turned around slowly and faced her kidnapper. "You sent me all the packages?"

"Every single one of them! The cockroaches, blades, teeth, hair—"

"Enough! Nobody asked you do illegal things to get on my good side."

"Can't you see I'd do anything for you?! I just want you to notice me for once! I'm your biggest—"

"Fan? Why does everyone keep saying that? I love my fans too, but not when they obsessively love me back. You started working at the same building to get close and send me unwanted packages. I was fed up and decided that a public service announcement was my only option."

"Please tell me that you're saying this because the police want to arrest me... Please tell me you don't mean it..."

"You're sick, and I don't want to ever see you again!"

"What did you just call me?!" In a fit, the maintenance technician waved his knife violently, conveniently cutting the rope that tied Alice's right hand. "Did I hurt you?!"

"No...but you set me free." The redhead firmly slapped the baseball cap visor down to blind Shadow and shoved him, making him toss his knife in the air. Alice caught the knife with her right hand and freed her left hand. "You made me do this."

"Alice, please don't—"

The radio host barged out the 'front' door and ran as quickly as possible with the knife still in her hand. "If only I had my phone..." she told herself. "He took it from me back in the alley..."

"Alice, come back! Just hear me out!"

The redhead tripped on a rock, but quickly rolled over quickly to remove her shoes. She continued running despite her fatigue and Shadow's endless cries. Then she screamed after something grabbed her cardigan, but calmed down to turn around. "At least it's just a crooked tree branch! Wait...where did this blood come from?" The redhead quickly transferred the stain to her cardigan before removing it as well.

After a few more minutes of running, she tripped again. "Can't...run...anymore..." Alice crawled up to a large thick tree and leaned her back against it. She placed her knees at her chest and hugged her arms. "I want to go home already..."

"Alice! Where are you?!" yelled a third voice. "I saw your shoes!"

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

The radio host popped up from supine position in cold sweat and tightly hugged the first person she saw. "Sweetie, it's okay! Take it easy..."

"Aunt Clara?!" Alice clutched her chest with one hand and stared at everyone around her. "Why's everyone here?"

In addition to Clara, other people surrounding Alice included Shun, Chan, Dan, Runo, and Julie. The bluenette soon cried, "You had us so worried!"

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, Alice. We're back in Bayview now."

"Back in Bayview? Where was I before that?"

Shun stepped forward and returned Alice's smartphone to her. "Do you remember anything at all after you screamed on air? Including a certain maintenance technician that went after you?"

Alice unlocked her phone quickly and read all the missed notifications. It wasn't a dream after all?!