“Two-faced, caught in the middle
Caught in the middle
Too late, countin’ to zero
Countin’ to zero
You should have recognized
It’s too late for choosing sides”
Linkin Park – Two Faced
The snowstorm from the previous day has finally let up some. We find Detective Taylor in his thoughts while walking in Willowreach Park. Not only were there multiple Polaroids, but random text messages from someone. Taunting him. Who and why, what do they really want…and the mysterious key, what does it belong to?
If you missed previous chapters of the story, check them out here!
The next day, the snowstorm had slowed, leaving the city in a frozen hush. Alex trudged along the pedestrian bridge that arched over the river, his boots crunching softly on the snow-covered path. The icy wind sliced through his jacket, but he barely noticed. His thoughts were too loud, his focus too fractured.
The Polaroid in his pocket felt heavier than it should; a picture of Detective Pullman, leaning against a cruiser, taken at some unknown moment. Pullman was alive, but Alex hadn’t shown her the photo yet. How could he? It wasn’t just that the picture felt wrong; it was the way it had been left for him, another breadcrumb in a game that seemed designed to rattle him.
Alex paused at the center of the bridge, gripping the icy railing with gloved hands. Below, the river was a slow-moving expanse of ice, the surface reflecting faint glimmers from the streetlights. Each breath hung in the air, drifting into the quiet night.
Pullman was his partner, his closest ally in the department, and the woman Alex trusted most. But lately, things felt off. Pullman had been avoiding him in subtle ways: deflecting questions, brushing off conversations about the case. It could’ve been nothing, stress, a bad week, but combined with the photo, Alex couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was happening.
His instincts told him to confront Pullman directly, but another part of him hesitated. If Pullman was somehow involved in whatever this was, Alex needed to be sure before making a move. If he wasn’t, showing her the photo could make her a target.
“What are you hiding?” Alex muttered, his voice carried away by the wind.
The envelope from the night before was still tucked into his coat pocket. It held the Polaroid of himself in the alley, the words “You’re closer, Detective” scrawled in blood-red ink. Closer to what? The thought circled endlessly in his mind. Whoever was behind this was watching his every move, anticipating him at every turn. It wasn’t just a game; it was a performance, and Alex was both audience and actor.
The sound of a text alert broke his thoughts. He pulled his phone from his pocket, the screen glowing faintly in the dark. Another message, this time just three words: “Trust is fragile.”
His grip tightened on the phone as he scanned the bridge and the area beyond. It was empty, nothing but snow-covered streets and the faint outlines of buildings in the distance. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was out there, watching.
He glanced back at the city skyline, his breath steadying. If Pullman was part of this, or even if she wasn’t, Alex needed to know. The only way forward was to confront the woman who had been at his side for years, the one person who knew him better than anyone else.
Alex turned away from the railing and started walking, the bridge behind him fading into the night. His decision was made. Pullman would have answers, one way or another. And if the game was going to keep pushing him toward the edge, Alex was ready to push back.
To Be Continued…
More questions, less answers. Confusion reigns supreme. Is Detective Pullman involved? Is the risk of bring all of this to her worth it? Surely there will be answers to come, whether good, bad, or indifferent. On top of it all, where is Christopher Nixon and what, if any, is his involvement? Until next time…
Credits for everything can be found below as always. Stay tuned for more soon.
“Last time, you told me it wasn’t true
And pointin’ every finger at things that you didn’t do
So that’s why I kept missin’ the clues
And never realized that the one that did it was you”
Linkin Park – Two Faced
Credits:
Head: LeLUTKA.Head.NOA.4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Head Applier: VELOUR: OMAR Skin for Evo X (TAN-NB) ~ Kiria Mama
Hair: Stealthic – Baron (Brown) ~ Stealthic Resident
Hairbase: LeLUTKA.EvoX.Hairbase.044 (BOM) ~ Jaden Nova (Comes with the LeLUTKA NOA Head)
Eyes: Avi-Glam. Delirium Eyes – 5 ~ Eye Daddy
Ears: ^^Swallow^^ Gauged S Ears ~ Luciayes Magic
Ear Tattoo: RichB. Ears Tattoo #08 ~ Salvy Hexem
Beard: [MAGNIFICENT] Ducky Skunk Beard & Stache – LeBarbier Alpha
Beard Layer: [MR] Jimmi Facial Hair for EvoX Heads Style 1 ~ Daniel Whiskers
Body: [LEGACY] Athletic Edition (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Skin: VELOUR: PICASSO HOMME Skin for Legacy (FIT/TAN) Picasso Neck ~ Kiria Mama
Hand BOM: K.O.K.O.S SHOP – SEXI MAN HANDS-BOM ALL BODY. ~ Aleric Dallas
Nails: Pare.Cure Mesh Nails Both Hands [Short] – Legacy ~ Flazedo Resident
Torso Tattoo: DAPPA – Zebani Tattoo. [FADED] Lelutka EvoX. ~ Devil Fae
Jacket: [Deadwool] Polar coat ~ Masa Plympton
Pants: [Deadwool] Hart trousers ~ Masa Plympton
Glasses: :: DS :: Heath Glasses ~ Deep Static
Earrings: = DAE = SXD1 ~ Naomi Darkheart
Backdrop: MINIMAL – Snow Bridge Backdrop ~ MINIMALgroup Resident ~ NEW @ Uber (Dec 23-Jan 22)
Pose: AD POSES* Phone Poses Male Box ~ AlexDuquee Resident