Breathe in

Hold

Breathe out

Scent of lavenders. Burning. Invigorating

Clear thoughts

Initiating memory recall of logs concerning "Harold Winch"

Linked to gang activity and illegal drug marketing. Suspected to have played a key role in 72 accounts of murder, 41 missing persons, and 352 counts of assault. Confirmed to be in a leadership position of the Iron Wrench gang.

Pull up last known case

Processing

December 2nd , Iron District, Lowercity, direct contact with undercover officers in a brilliance deal. He discovered the ploy, gave the order to leave no survivors.

5 officer deaths, 1 critically wounded, passed away later at the hospital

3 Iron Wrench member deaths, 2 apprehended; both later committed suicide

Harold fled the scene

The case file crossed my desk a week ago, I only had enough time to briefly scan it and let the black box process the information. The Uppercity mayor insists that I spend as little time as possible on Lowercity cases; that I should focus on protecting those who matter.

"Let them fester. If they want a proper life, they should get off their lazy asses, get a job and move to the Uppercity."

He has never set foot in the Lowercity.

Pull up possible contacts with relations to Harold Winch

Processing

Top three related profiles

Michael Folly; mechanic at the Rusty Cog Automation Shop, relation; Friend of Nick, one of the gang members killed in the December 2nd brilliance deal altercation.

Rachael Dumask; Bartender at White Cross Lounge, relation; past romantic interest of Harold Winch

Vi; Enforcer of the Piltover Police Force, relation; former prominent member of rival gang; Blood Gear

Interesting

Research brilliance

Processing

Brilliance: first documented account 32 years ago in the current Copper District, Lowercity. Hallucinogenic drug that only comes in liquid form administered via eyedropper onto the dilated pupil.

Method of creation; intraocular fluid drained from human eyeballs and distilled with Hexcane Electroid fluid; most commonly harvested from Lowercity power tunnel workers who have 'cleaner eyes' due to long work hours in poorly lit tunnels.

Users are known to take the drug in a dark room to expedite absorption into the eye before stepping out where the effects are enhanced by light. Common effects consist of bright, dazzling lights, jolting pleasure from physical contact, and rapid thought succession.

Users are called "blind" for their blank staring nature

Signs of brilliance usage; swaying movement, fast yet choppy speech, unfocused stare, almost glowing eyes, short term memory loss, sensitive to outside stimulus.

Signs of long term brilliance usage; lingering scent comparative to sunflowers, clouding of the pupil, loss of sight, decaying of the eyes, and death when the brilliance can no longer be absorbed into the eye and proceeds to erode away the optic nerve; eventually entering the skull and absorbing directly into the brain. Overloads nervous tissue, leading to brain death.

I once asked father what brilliance was when I overheard the name at the academy,

"Vile sludge. Never go near that poison, it'll kill you, rot your brains out. It's only fit for the rats of the Lowercity who can't afford catalyst."

Catalyst; almost as common as tobacco in the Uppercity. Claims to promote clear and vivid imagination with minimal side effects; a staple for scientists and inventors. It costs 12 times as much as brilliance.

Pause

The ethereal scent of sunflowers

Vi

A loud thud shakes the desk beneath my hands.

Registering sudden spike in stress, increase in heart rate. Warning

Eyes snap open, Vi saunters through the door she just slammed open. There is a thick folder in her hand.

Danger?

Cocky smile, amused gaze, relaxed shoulders.

Successful crack down?

Clean uniform, lack of injuries

Folder, red tab; homicide case. Assigned to her this morning

It's thicker; papers are relatively neat, signed label of completion in the lower left corner.

Conclusion; completed given task, excited to prove me wrong, had a good day. Smear of chocolate on lip, sugar involved as always.

One and a half minutes

"Hey Cupcake, guess what?"

File hits my desk. Her nails are messily painted with a multitude of colors. Childish smiley faces. She visited the orphanage during lunch.

Smile warmly, tell her she has done well, and skim through the file. Marcus Munitions, acquitted from manslaughter charges. Crude handwriting but legible.

"I told you I'd get it done."

I gesture her to come over to which she continues to smile broadly, chest puffed out. I kiss away the smear of chocolate.

Pride

30 seconds

Pressure builds behind my nose. I have to get her out of here fast. It's a slow day; the station can survive without me. Her smile shifts into a playful one, kissing me again before heading off for my flat. The door rattles.

Tissues, pinch and hold for 3 minutes

They come away speckled with blood

A side effect from improper use of catalyst

One must keep a steady heart rate while using it.

She uses brilliance. I use catalyst.

We are all addicted to whatever makes the pain go away.

I understand that much

I still need to tell her.

I will tell her one day.

When I learn to trust