Chapter 1: The Encounter
It was a cloudy day, quite like every other day in Seattle, Washington. The wispy gusts of wind seemed not to affect the birds in the sky; they were very used to this dismal weather. As was every native in Washington. The gray clouds, extending beyond the horizon, were just part of the passing scenery. Nothing new, nothing special. The cluttering footsteps were also part of the picture. Always moving, yet never changing.
But then there was Anna Linden. She was not a native of Washington. Her root of origin belonged somewhere on the other side of the nation: Pennsylvania. She had lived in this bustling city for three years and still can't get used to the gloomy weather of Seattle. Sure, Philadelphia had their cloudy days, yet the vibe and atmosphere of Seattle never meshed well with Anna.
As usual, the medical student was sitting outside a mini coffee shop on campus, studying kidney diseases, signs, and treatments. Learning about the human body fascinated Anna. Everyone had the capacity to defeat any virus, bacteria, or prions that come their way. Yet, the immune system works too slowly to save the body in time. Anna's current research paper for her immunology class delved into the possibility of catalyzing the human body's immune response. The book she was reading meant to further her thesis.
She took a sip from her warm coffee. Anna was using the caffeine for its stimulating effects, rather than its warming effect. She barely had any sleep last night from webcamming with fellow students who asked for her to tutor them on the different medication necessary to treat blood disorders. Although it was difficult for her, Anna never turned down any favors. This made her trip to the coffee shop abundant and mechanical.
In the corner of her eye, Anna spotted an officer from the Seattle Police Department striding toward the on-campus apartment structures.
That's the fifth one in the past hour...she thought to herself. She stared back at the book and flipped the page.
There had been a few disappearances of university students the past month. The number of police officers and patrol cars on campus has nearly quadrupled in the initial handful of men and women brought to the case. Anna didn't know any of the victims, but she heard from her friends that they were all students striving to be a anesthesiologist.
Obviously there's a correlation there...What's taking the police so long to find the culprit?
Anna didn't believe that the students disappeared on their own free will. They must have been kidnapped and taken captive, or worse...murdered. She shuddered at that thought. Murder happening at her school? The idea was hard to grasp.
Although it's not like she hadn't been surrounded by crime before...
Anna wasn't studying to become an anesthesiologist, but she still was on her guard for any suspicious people on campus. Being a master in kickboxing, she knew she would be able to protect herself if anything were to happen to her. Now for the other girls, she knew that some of her friends decided to buy mace to protect themselves. Her closest friend, striving to become an anesthesiologist, also got one too. Anna knew she would be in danger, so she greatly advised her good friend in hopes to prevent anything dangerous from occurring.
Speaking of her...where is she?
Anna looked at her watch. 1:30 PM.
She and her friend Julie were supposed to meet at this very table to study at 1:00 PM sharp. Anna had not realized 30 minutes had passed since the meeting time due to the kidney book she was reading. It was strange. Julie was never late to meetings, not this late anyway.
Anna reached for her phone and looked at her text messages. There were no recent texts from Julie. Heart suddenly racing, fearing the worst, Anna quickly dialed her friend's cellphone number and placed the receiver to her ear. The line rang twice then immediately went to voicemail.
Twice? The call must have been ignored...! Julie wouldn't have...
In an instant, Anna stood up from the chair and dashed to the apartment complex, forgetting the coffee cup and book left on the table. She ran and ran and ran, hoping that Julie, also her roommate, was just asleep in her room from late-night studying. Anna was taking quick, short breaths by the time she saw the apartments in the distance. Sprinting, she dashed up the stairs, rather than taking the elevator, up to the fourth floor. Her right hand reached for her pocket, taking out her keychain and fumbling through the clutter of keys in search for the right now.
When she arrived at her and Julie's apartment, she stopped dead at her tracks.
The door was open.
The inside was trashed.
The sound of the falling keys crashing to the ground echoed in the hallway.
