Chapter 129: Toma’s Memories (4)
Sirens sounded throughout the city before dawn. One police car after another zipped down the road with flashing lights of blue and red. Police officers with files entered the Metropolitan Investigation Headquarters amid nonstop phone calls inside the command center.
The disappearance of little Toma had turned into the city’s highest-priority case. Inside the investigation room, a giant digital map of the city covered the front wall.
Several officers stood around it. One detective pointed toward the timeline displayed on the screen. "Let’s go over everything again."
Another officer nodded. "The victim was last seen near the ice cream truck. We’ve already collected statements from every nearby vendor."
A third detective placed several printed photographs onto the table. "We also recovered the CCTV recordings from every nearby camera."
The room became silent. Everyone carefully watched the footage.
On the monitor...Little Toma happily walked beside Aiden.
A few moments later...Aiden walked toward the ice cream truck.
The detectives fast-forwarded.
One officer suddenly paused the video. "There."
A white delivery truck slowly entered the frame. The truck stopped for only a few seconds before driving away.
Another detective zoomed into the vehicle. "No company logo. License plate appears partially covered. Definitely planned."
The commissioner folded his arms. "Track the truck. Find every CCTV camera connected to this route."
"Yes, sir."
Soon dozens of traffic camera recordings appeared one after another. The officers followed the truck’s path through the city.
Camera One...The truck passed an intersection.
Camera Two...It crossed another traffic signal.
Camera Three... It entered a commercial road.
Everything seemed normal.
Until...One detective frowned. "...Wait. The next camera?"
An operator searched through the database. "It’s missing."
"What?"
The operator checked again. "There should be three traffic cameras covering this section. But none of them recorded anything."
The commissioner narrowed his eyes. "Show me the city map."
A digital map appeared. One detective circled the location with a red marker. "This entire road has no usable footage."
Another officer looked confused. "That’s impossible. There are cameras installed there."
The technician quickly checked the maintenance logs. "They stopped recording nearly two weeks before yesterday."
The room became quiet.
Someone finally spoke. "Someone planned this."
The commissioner nodded slowly. "They knew exactly where the blind spot was."
Another detective added, "The truck deliberately changed its route. They wanted to disappear right here." He pointed at the map. "If they continued straight, at least four cameras would’ve captured them. But instead...They entered the only CCTV blind zone."
The commissioner immediately gave another order. "Expand the search. Check every warehouse, abandoned factory and storage building within a ten-kilometer radius."
Several officers stood. "Understood!"
...
Meanwhile...
Aiden sat outside the investigation room. The pink hair clip rested quietly inside his hands. He stared at it without saying a word.
Hours had passed. Yet every minute felt longer than the last.
His father finally walked toward him. He gently placed a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. "We’re doing everything we can."
Aiden lowered his head. "I should’ve stayed with her."
His father remained silent for a moment. "No. The people responsible are the criminals. Not you."
Aiden clenched the hair clip tightly. "I just want her back."
His father nodded. "So do we."
...
Across the city...
Search teams spread into different districts. Police vehicles inspected abandoned buildings. Officers questioned warehouse owners. Traffic police reviewed toll booth records. Even nearby districts were informed. Every available lead was investigated.
One detective walked into the evidence room carrying another stack of documents. "We checked every registered delivery truck matching the description."
Another officer asked, "Any matches?"
He shook his head. "The plate was either fake or intentionally hidden."
The commissioner sighed. "They’ve prepared everything."
Another detective looked toward the map. "They’re organized. This wasn’t a random crime."
...
Nearly three hours later...
The investigation room had become unusually quiet. Everyone was exhausted. Coffee cups covered half the tables. Several officers hadn’t left their chairs since morning.
Then....
Ring!
The emergency hotline suddenly lit up. An operator answered immediately. "Metropolitan Police. How may I help you?"
A nervous voice came from the other side. "...I own a flower shop. I think...I found something strange."
The operator instantly became alert. "What did you find?"
The florist swallowed nervously. "A few hours ago...I was out of my shop for some important thing. When I returned I saw something weird. I also heard noise of a little girl. But could not see anyone."
The room immediately became silent. The operator quickly signaled another detective. "Continue."
The florist took a deep breath.
"I saw a file lying between the flowers of my shop... That file was very weird. Had many female images and each had numbers instead of names. It’s not anything serious, right officers?
"But 10 minutes ago I saw the news. And I remembered the folder."
The operator asked carefully, "Do you still have it?"
"Yes. I never threw it away."
The commissioner immediately stood. "Trace the call."
Another detective prepared a response team.
The florist continued, "Officers, is the girl in the news missing?"
The officers said to listen carefully. "There are girls disappearing... and we suspect the crime syndicate also kidnapped that girl."
Silence filled the room.
The commissioner slowly looked toward everyone. "The folder you have may not be directly related...But we can’t ignore it."
A detective asked, "What if the folder contains any other traces or locations?"
Another replied, "Or transportation routes."
The commissioner nodded. "We’re checking it immediately."
Within minutes...
Two police vehicles headed toward the flower shop.
...
The elderly florist nervously waited outside his small shop. He looked relieved the moment he saw the police arrive.
"Thank goodness. I’ve been worried about that file for hours."
He unlocked an old wooden cabinet behind the counter.
From inside...He carefully removed a worn brown envelope. "I kept it exactly as I found it in my shop."
The commissioner accepted it carefully. "No one other than you opened this, right?"
The florist shook his head. "Yeah, only I opened it. When I found out it was suspicious, I kept it safely."
The commissioner slowly opened the envelope. Inside were several handwritten notes.
Maps, vehicle schedules, phone numbers, photographs of females and numbers connected to suspicious transport routes.
One detective quickly flipped through the pages. His expression changed. "Sir...These locations..."
He pointed toward one page. "They’re all close to the CCTV blind zone."
Another officer compared the map with the investigation board. "It’s the same industrial district."
The room suddenly became alive with activity. The commissioner spoke firmly. "We finally have something. This isn’t enough for arrests. But it’s enough to start searching the right area."
The detectives immediately divided into teams. Search warrants were prepared. Unmarked police vehicles rolled out of headquarters. Helicopter support was requested.
Aiden’s father quietly looked at the investigation board. For the first time since the search began...A genuine lead had appeared. He looked toward the city map. "Toma...Hold on just a little longer. We’re getting closer."
Outside...
Dark clouds slowly drifted across the afternoon sky. The city continued moving as if nothing had happened.
But somewhere... A rescue operation had already begun. The hunt was no longer blind.
For the first time...The police knew exactly where to look.
Meanwhile...
Deep inside the warehouse district near East Harbor Station...
A sharply dressed man in his early thirties stepped out. His expensive shoes clicked against the concrete floor as he walked inside without saying a word.
The thugs lowered their heads. Even the loud machinery seemed quieter whenever he was around.
One of his subordinates hurried over, breathing heavily. "Boss!"
The man didn’t stop walking. "What happened?"
The subordinate hesitated. "We’ve got a problem."
The man’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of problem? There was...an unexpected visitor."
He finally stopped. "What are you talking about?"
"A child somehow entered the warehouse district."
The man’s expression turned cold. "...A child?"
"Yes, Boss. We caught her before she could escape. We’ve tied her up in one of the storage rooms. We didn’t think she’d seen anything important."
The man let out a slow breath. "A child wandering in here... How careless."
He pushed open the door to his private office. The room looked almost untouched. Everything appeared normal. He walked toward his desk.
Then...He froze.
The center drawer was open. Several folders that should have been neatly stacked inside...Were missing.
His face darkened. "...Where are my files?"
The men outside exchanged nervous glances.
The boss slowly turned around. His voice became much lower. "I’m asking one last time. Where...Are...My files?"
One thug nervously stepped forward. "Boss...I think..The girl threw them somewhere while we were chasing her."
Another quickly added, "We searched the nearby warehouses...We searched outside too...But we couldn’t find them."
For several seconds...
The boss simply stared at them. Then his fist slammed onto the desk.
BANG!!
The heavy wooden desk cracked near one corner. "You idiots! Do you have any idea what you’ve lost?"
Everyone lowered their heads. No one dared speak.
He grabbed one thug by the collar. "Those weren’t ordinary documents. They contain names, transactions, routes and payments. Every shipment we’ve handled over the last several years." His grip tightened. "If those files reach the police...We’re finished." He shoved the thug backward. The thug stumbled onto the floor.
The boss pointed toward the door. "Spread out. I don’t care if you have to search every warehouse. Search every dumpster. Every rooftop. Every drainage canal. Every alley near East Harbor Station. I want those files back. And bring that child to me. If she saw anything..."
He paused.
His icy stare swept across the room. "...She knows too much."
The thugs immediately scattered in every direction.
...
Elsewhere...
The black luxury sedan continued speeding toward East Harbor Station. Aiden still held the flower-shaped hair clip tightly.
His father noticed the growing tension in his son’s face. "We’re almost there."
Aiden looked out the window. Police cars flashed past them with sirens blaring. Something deep inside him told him they were getting closer.
Closer to Toma. Closer to the truth.
Neither father nor son realized...
At that very moment...Only a few kilometres ahead...
A criminal organization was desperately hunting for the same thing they were. One side searched for a little girl. The other searched for a handful of missing files.
And somehow...
Both paths were about to collide at East Harbor Station.
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