The rain tapped gently against the PUBSEC mobile, a soft, rhythmic sound that filled the silence like a calming metronome. The morning's light filtered weakly through the cloud-covered sky, washing the streets in muted grays.

The occasional splash of passing cars through puddles added a quiet backdrop to their drive. Zhu gripped the steering wheel, her fingers flexing now and then, her gaze steady yet distant, as if her thoughts had taken the wheel instead.

Beside her, Qingyi scrolled through her tablet, the faint glow illuminating her focused expression. Her voice cut through the gentle patter of rain, soft but purposeful. "Oddly, we only found motorbike skid marks along the way, Captain."

She turned the tablet slightly, the screen displaying the grainy photos and faint trails captured on damp asphalt. "As the security staff of the hotel disclosed, the two riders were scrambled and invisible on the street cameras. Not even a blur to track."

Zhu gave a slight nod, her eyes fixed on the stoplight ahead as it glowed red, casting a faint hue on the wet pavement. Her thoughts lingered elsewhere, weaving through the morning's peculiarities—the missing footage, the insect bite, the unsettling gap in her memory. But her silence was deliberate; she was still listening, threading together the strands of information Qingyi offered.

"…And the motorbike?" Qingyi prompted, tilting the tablet toward her. The image displayed was odd—an outline that almost wasn't there, faint and hazy, as though the machine itself had been a ghost passing through. "Scrambled too," she continued, her voice thoughtful. "It seems like our suspects have access to special equipment. Something… out of reach for most."

Zhu's lips pressed into a thin line, her fingers tapping lightly on the wheel as the light turned green. The rain-soaked streets stretched out ahead, shimmering like liquid silver, reflecting the faint glow of streetlights. "I see…" she muttered softly, half to herself, as she guided the vehicle forward.

The quiet resumed, save for the rain and the hum of the engine, as Zhu's mind kept circling the unspoken questions she wasn't ready to share. For now, she let the rain be her companion, its steady rhythm oddly grounding against the chaos swirling in her head.

Arriving at Janus Quarters, Zhu parked the PUBSEC mobile with practiced precision, the soft drizzle painting the windshield in streaks of silver. Outside, the media vans huddled together like oversized beetles, their logos slick with rain, reporters inside likely waiting for any new tidbit about the Golden Eridu Heist. Zhu stepped out gracefully, pulling her coat tighter against the drizzle, her boots clicking lightly on the damp pavement.

Inside, the lobby buzzed with activity. Officers moved with purpose, some balancing steaming mugs of coffee while navigating the chaos, others absorbed in hurried conversations. The hum of voices and the occasional crackle of a radio gave the space an almost comforting rhythm of order amid the drizzle-streaked gloom outside.

Zhu slipped into her table and spotted it immediately—a small, familiar dessert box sitting innocently on her desk. She paused, staring at it intently as memories from the early days of receiving these little gifts stirred. They'd once been sweet and uncomplicated moments, little pockets of joy in a demanding life. But now, those fond recollections carried an aftertaste, bittersweet and unshakable.

She reached out and grabbed the box absentmindedly, her fingers brushing the smooth surface. This time, though, something different caught her eye—a note neatly tucked beneath the ribbon.

"Please be safe… -J.D."

Her eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face like a spark. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, warming her against the rain's chill. For a moment, her chaotic morning faded into the background. Maybe, just maybe, this was the kind of pause she needed amid the storm of her life.

But then reality came rushing back, crashing her brief reverie like an unwelcome guest. Elias's face flickered in her mind, a reminder of the strings likely attached to this small gesture. "Wait… there's a note this time?" she muttered, holding the box as though it might combust in her hands.

She set it down hastily, almost as if it were cursed. "Oh nah, not again… I feel something's wrong," she mused, her thoughts spiraling into suspicion as easily as they'd slipped into momentary delight. Even a sweet gesture couldn't just be simple in her life, could it?

Still, her gaze drifted back to the box, a curious glimmer in her eyes that refused to go unnoticed.
"Captain."

Qingyi's voice sliced through the air like a bell, sharp and startling. Zhu jolted slightly in her seat, almost knocking over the dessert box in her haste to look composed.

"Your conference room is ready," Qingyi continued, stepping closer behind her with usual calm precision.

"Ah, yes, the conference room." Zhu's reply came a bit too quickly, her voice tinged with panic as she scrambled to shuffle the dessert box behind a fortress of folders. Her movements were anything but subtle, like a child caught sneaking an extra piece of cake.

Qingyi tilted her head, eyebrows raising in suspicion. "Huh? Is something wrong, Captain?" She leaned slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever Zhu had so clumsily hidden.

Zhu cleared her throat, her expression shifting to one of forced nonchalance. "No, nothing. Just, uh… my usual ration of desserts from J.D." Her smile was thin, and the faint blush creeping across her cheeks betrayed her casual tone.

Qingyi's smirk grew, her sharp gaze missing nothing. "But you look jittery. Just a moment ago, you were all doom and gloom. And now?" She leaned closer, her teasing tone practically dripping with mischief. "I know you, Captain."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zhu grabbed the stack of folders, holding them close to her chest like a shield. "Come on. Closed-door meeting."

She brushed past Qingyi, her steps brisk and purposeful, but not quick enough to mask the faint pink still dusting her cheeks. Qingyi followed with a knowing grin, clearly savoring the rare moment of catching her usually composed captain off guard.

As they walked down the hall, the tension from earlier melted away, leaving behind a lighter atmosphere. The storm outside continued, but inside, it seemed the air was just a bit brighter—thanks, in no small part, to a certain dessert box and a perfectly timed tease.

Inside the conference room, Zhu sat at the head of the table, the faint hum of the overhead lights her only company. Her hands moved methodically, sorting through notes and pinning clippings on the board, but her mind was elsewhere—adrift in a haze of unanswered questions. Elias had gone dark. Her inexplicable wake-up in her room lingered like a shadow. And then, the note from J.D.—its simple words rattling her focus.

The door clicked open, and the muffled sound of playful chatter spilled in. Seth strolled in with Jane, her sharp grin hinting at some joke she'd just delivered. Across the table, Qingyi glanced up from her cup, her ever-present hot water steaming gently. She offered a small wave but said nothing, her attention half on the scene and half on the captain's unusual quiet.

"I was worried about you last night, Cap," Jane murmured, sliding into her seat with an unusually soft tone.

Zhu didn't respond, her focus still trained on the files in front of her. Her brow furrowed slightly as she pinned a new clipping onto the board, her movements deliberate but mechanical.

"Captain's been like that since we walked in," Qingyi whispered, stealing a sidelong glance at Zhu while taking another sip of her water.

Jane raised an eyebrow, leaning closer as if the physical proximity might shake Zhu from her reverie. Before she could pry further, Zhu's voice cut through the silence.

"All right, folks," Zhu began, straightening her posture with practiced ease. "Jane and I found something crucial yesterday."

She clipped a logo onto the board with a sharp tap. MARQUELL BIKES gleamed under the room's fluorescent light.

"The getaway bike from the Golden Eridu Heist was a rare one. We're talking about the Mar-quell Type F, a model that runs on cold fusion—making the engine completely silent."

Seth leaned forward, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That explains why the security personnel said they didn't hear the vehicle."

"Exactly," Zhu continued, her tone steady but her expression tightening. "And we found this out from the Sons of Calydon." She pinned another picture to the board, though the face of the man in the photo had been deliberately obscured. "They told us this particular model belongs to a specific person."

"A specific person?" Qingyi asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Zhu confirmed, her voice lowering. "He's a talented technician who left the gang and joined a smuggling ring." Her words hung heavy in the air.

Qingyi and Seth exchanged a knowing glance before their eyes darted toward Jane, whose smirk had grown wider, as if she were savoring the moment.

"Wait—don't tell me you spoke to Caesar again yesterday?" Seth asked, his tone hovering between disbelief and admiration.

"We did," Zhu replied. "Lighter, one of Caesar's crew, disclosed that Jaxon—a former member of the Sons of Calydon—uses this bike. He's a tinkerer and technician with a reputation."

Seth blinked, the gears turning slowly in his mind. "Jaxon… Elias?"

Zhu nodded, her gaze falling slightly. "It probably connects, with the Pacifist as we talked about it, hand-made. But we can't be certain without confronting Elias directly about his involvement."

The tension in the room grew thicker, save for Jane, who leaned back casually, as if the weight of the revelation had only enhanced her amusement.

"The Pacifist?" Seth frowned, breaking the silence. "Captain, are we solving the heist or a cold case here?"

Zhu's expression darkened, her shoulders sagging ever so slightly as the weight of the truth bore down on her.

"Probably both, the cold case and the heist had a probable link." she said simply, her voice tinged with an uncharacteristic gloom that silenced the room.
Jane's playful grin widened as the conversation took a more amusing turn.

"Sheesh…" Seth muttered, pressing a palm to his forehead. "But we can't be certain he's involved, right, Captain? I mean, sure, he owns the bike, but that doesn't mean he pulled off the heist."

"Exactly my thoughts," Qingyi chimed in, nodding.

Zhu nodded, her tone serious despite her internal conflict. "That's true, which is why we need to plan a pursuit against Elias. He's the one who can answer everything."

Jane, who had been quietly leaning back with her arms crossed, suddenly straightened, her fingers tapping a slow rhythm against her bicep. "Have you tried contacting that number Lighter gave you?" she asked, her voice lilting with curiosity and just a hint of mischief.

Zhu fumbled with her phone, checking her sent messages. The lone "Hi " she'd sent stared back at her mockingly. There was no reply—not that she had expected one, but hope had lingered all the same.

"No reply from the technician yet," she said, her tone a mixture of disappointment and forced professionalism.

"What exactly did you ask?" Jane pressed, leaning forward with the air of someone who already knew the punchline to a joke.

"Uhmm…" Zhu hesitated, caught off guard by the question. Her lips parted, but the words refused to form. She should have thought this through. Truthfully, she'd been too eager to reach out to Elias and had barely considered how to phrase her inquiry to the so-called "technician."

Jane tilted her head, her grin bordering on devilish. "Don't tell me you messed up, Captain…"

"I just said 'Hi'—with a smiley," Zhu admitted, her face flushing as she buried it in her hand. "I didn't know what else to say, okay?"

The room went silent for a moment before Jane let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "I thought we were asking about bikes! What were you thinking, Cap? That he'd see your emoji and immediately spill all his secrets?"

Zhu's cheeks grew impossibly warmer, her fingers tightening on the edge of her phone. "It's not like I sent a heart emoji or something! Cut me some slack!"

Jane clutched her stomach dramatically, pretending to wipe away a tear of laughter. "Captain Zhu Yuan, the emoji whisperer. Who knew PUBSEC's interrogation strategy included smileys? No wonder we're so advanced."

Even Qingyi cracked a rare smirk over her cup of hot water. Seth, meanwhile, looked as if he was trying to decide whether he should laugh or stay serious, his expression hovering somewhere between amusement and bewilderment.

Zhu's voice cut through the lingering humor in the room, her tone steady and professional. "Okay, enough with the teasing. My mind's been clouded, so I apologize. Let's focus and review the evidence we've gathered so far."

She straightened her posture and gestured towards the board, her gaze sweeping across her team. "Here's what we know:
The suspects' visibility on security footage is scrambled. One of them is confirmed to be a skilled fighter, while the other employs chemical rounds for a taser. Not ordinary ones, but a tinkerer's craft, likely getaway vehicle? Probably A Marquell Type F. This bike was also scrambled on all security footage."

Zhu paced slightly as she continued, her voice calm but firm. "As for what was stolen, it's a catalyst called Etherflux, a cutting-edge technology developed by Imperial Industries under the NEDF. Its purpose? To absorb etheric matter inside the Hollows and convert it into energy, functioning like a compact Shiyu reactor."
This means, more ethereals; more energy. Sound's dangerous to me.

She paused briefly, her fingers brushing the edge of her notes. "This might seem absurd at first glance, but it brings us back to a suspect from our cold case: The Pacifist. As we've discussed, he's known for his nonviolent methods, including the use of chemical darts, and for targeting NEDF technology. However, we don't have enough information to confirm his identity yet."

Her gaze hardened slightly, her expression serious. "That's where Jaxon comes in. He used to work on the Marquell Type F. In fact, he's probably the only technician in the city specializing in this bike. While we could try locating a Marquell Type F technician, broadcasting that kind of search would almost certainly alert the suspects."

Zhu's voice dropped slightly as she reached the crux of the matter. "And now, the critical connection: Jaxon has been confirmed to be Elias based on Lighter's provided contact information." She let that statement hang in the air for a moment, allowing the weight of it to settle.

She took a breath, her professional demeanor unwavering. "This means Elias is be our key to solving both the heist and our cold case. We need to approach this carefully—every step matters."

"He might not be the suspect, but let's just say he's for sure involved in this." Her words were concise and clear, each piece of evidence carefully laid out. The atmosphere in the room shifted, the humor replaced with a sharper focus as her team took in the gravity of the situation.

The room's tension was palpable. Seth sat diligently taking notes, his pen scratching against the paper the only consistent sound amid the silence. Qingyi, usually composed, was visibly uneasy—her calm demeanor betrayed by the occasional dart of her eyes.

It was no secret that Elias had gone dark, leaving her with an unshakable sense of unease. Across the table, Jane sat fidgeting, her fingers tugging at her sleeve, her teeth worrying at her lower lip. She didn't look directly at Zhu, her concern evident in the way she avoided eye contact.

Finally, Jane broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. "Here it is, the best of NEPS Janus Quarters, unraveling mysteries like pros. I'm impressed, Cap. But…" She hesitated, her words hanging in the air like a fragile thread. "How are we supposed to find him if, well… you were ghosted?"

Zhu exhaled sharply, leaning her chin against her hand. Her brow furrowed as if trying to untangle a knotted thread of thoughts. "That… I don't know. We need a new clue." Her gaze drifted to the table, her mind replaying the cryptic advice from Lighter.

"But if you're really that desperate to find him," Lighter's voice echoed in her memory,"there's an old garage near the Chasm, right at the far edge of Blazewood. He's been spotted there a few times, working late."

Straightening in her chair, Zhu's voice gained a subtle edge of determination. "Looks like we're headed to Blazewood again."

The room fell silent once more, her words settling over the team like the soft patter of rain on the windows, carrying both the weight of uncertainty and a faint spark of hope.