Part 2: The Investigation.
It's eight in the morning and the Titans are investigating a homicide that happened in the alleyway. The Jump City's police are with them.
According to the police inspector, he received a 911 call from a resident who lives near the crime scene. When they reached the place, they found money bags, firearms, and bloodstains. But they couldn't find any victim's bodies.
"Are you sure no one saw what happened last night, officer?" Robbin asked.
"I'm sorry, Titans. We tried our best to ask the civilians who live near the scene. But most of them didn't hear the gunshot. It was raining heavily, like cats and dogs. And on top of it, the thunder was strangely loud yesterday." The officer replied to the teenage leader as he shrugged his shoulders.
"I see. Cyborg. Did you find something from your scanner?" he asked as he looked back to his mechanic friend.
"Sorry, Robbin. My scanner couldn't detect anything in this area. I scanned this area twice, but it still shows 'No Detection'." Cyborg replied.
His statement provoked more questions about this case.
"That's strange. Normally the killer would have left something behind. But no footprint, no cartridge case, no bullet holes…"
"But just some money bags, lying around." The green mutant holds two money bags as he added one more fact to reinforce Robbin's statement.
"Do you think he has forgotten to bring these with him? I mean, if he killed them. He would have taken the money, right?"
"True. But why?"
Robbin rubbed his temple hard as he thought hard.
This case seems to be a unique one to solve. With no trace of the killer, we might not know where is he going to strike next. Hmm…
Then suddenly, a young officer rushed to his superior and told him everything that he has just learned.
"REALLY?! Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hmm? What is it? Did he find something?" Robbin asked.
"He went to ask the shop owners around this area. One of the shop owners recorded footage before the killing."
"Really?! Let's see it!"
And they went to look at the footage along with the police inspector.
(At the owner's office)
The owner who recorded the footage runs an electronic store. He installed four hidden cameras to look out for burglars. He placed every one of them in every corner. Two in the front entrance and two at the back door.
In the first footage, they could see a gang of robbers armoring with firearms appearing from the alleyway. One robber used a hacking device to hacked into the security system to open the door. When that happened, they went inside the bank.
The next footage was shot at the entrance. A sudden explosion erupted from the bank's front door. Broken glasses and shattered door off by the air blast. After that, the robbers took the money bag and went into another alleyway that leads to the crime scene.
"Is that all you could record?" the inspector asked.
"That's the best thing I could officer." The owner replied.
"If so, then why the footage isn't clear?"
"Well, my hidden cameras are outdated. I need to install a new one, but I don't have the money to buy it. Security cameras these days cost a lot, ya know!"
"O-Oh. Sorry."
When the inspector pointed out the footage was blurry, the owner complained that the hidden cameras are old.
"Hmm… Cyborg. Can you download the footage? We need to bring it back to the tower." Robbin asked.
Cyborg nodded. "Sure, Robin. Excuse me, sir. Can we download your footage for further analysis?"
"Sure," the owner replied. "And I hope you all to catch the killer. We don't want him to be on the loose in this neighborhood."
"Don't worry sir. We will do our best to find him. We promise. " Robbin answered as he led the Titans to head back to the tower.
(In the Titan's tower)
At the T-shaped tower, the Titans were busy discussing the crime scene that happened last night. They watched the footage repeatedly to find any clue that belongs to the killer. But nothing they could find. Cyborg used the computer to enhance the footage's quality into 4K Ultra-HD. They could only see the robbers' faces. Looking at the gangs' face carefully, Robbin could recognize them from his criminal mugshots archive.
He keeps the mugshots archive so he can learn what types of criminals the Titans are dealing with. Normally it will be very useful in plotting an ambush on them, however in this situation, not at all. The archive listed very criminal's background, occupation, and criminal record. But no information about the people who have a personal grudge to kill the criminals.
"Hmm… those soldiers committed a war crime during their service. They were sent to court-martial and sentenced for life imprisonment." Robbin explained.
"But somehow escaped from the army prison and robbed many banks," Cyborg added another information.
"It also shows they didn't kill any hostages during the bank robbery," Starfire added in.
"Then who has such hate against them?" Beast Boy asked as he threw out his arm at the big screen where it still shows the footage.
"I don't know Beast Boy. But this is the 'eleventh time' that happened this month."
Robbin clenched his fist as he felt ashamed of himself for not solving this case soon.
That's right. This was not the first case they encountered. It was their eleventh case. The same thing happened the day before yesterday, two days ago and even last week. Money bags, used firearms, bloodstains and disappearing bodies. All these cases had these things in common.
Who could have done this killing eleven times in a row? The killer must be a professional in handling with gangsters, mafia, yakuza, and formal military personal with no trace.
"Well, I don't know about this killer but don't you think he is doing us a favor?" Beast Boy said.
"What do you mean by that?" Starfire asked.
"Well, think about it. He killed some underworld people that cause nothing but trouble. Those types of people only bring havoc to Jump City, so I think he was punishing them with justice, you know."
Cyborg who is Beast Boy's beast friend was amazed at his statement. "Wow… I didn't know you can use the word 'havoc' BB. That is one big difficult word that you just used in your sentence."
Beast Boy soon got irritated when Cyborg teased him for being an idiot.
"OH COME ON CY! KNOCK IT OFF!"
He then chased after Cyborg as the half mechanic friend began to run away from him.
*Sigh* "Why can't they be serious for once?" Raven sighed.
"Well, Beast Boy has a point. But it doesn't have to be killing. Unless… the killer is a hired gun…" Robbin raised his hand to touch his chin. He gave a wondering look as he looked up the screen.