“Oh. So, you were classmates?” Izwan asked, his curiosity sharpening as he leaned forward, studying Tenuk with a discerning gaze.

Tenuk nodded, his smile unwavering. “Oh, sure. We were in the same class. And dormmates, too.” He turned to Iyaan, his eyes bright with the easy familiarity of their shared past.

Iyaan forced a small smile and nodded in agreement, though a knot tightened in his chest. He didn’t want Izwan to suspect Tenuk of lying just because his own expressions betrayed too much. After all, it had been a long time since he’d been in touch with Tenuk. The memories felt distant, tangled with the guilt of unfulfilled promises. He deserved this indifferent treatment, didn’t he? For breaking his word and losing the connection that had once meant so much.

“Alright, then.” Tenuk’s voice cut through Iyaan’s thoughts, and he looked up to see Tenuk placing a recorder on the table. “Shall I start with the interview?”

Iyaan’s eyes followed the cameraman who had moved behind Tenuk, his camera poised and ready. Johan gave a slight nod, signaling his approval. Tenuk’s smile widened, and he gestured to the cameraman, who immediately switched on the camera. The red light blinked, signaling that they were live.

“Nice to meet you all,” Tenuk began, his voice professional but still carrying that infectious energy. “I am Tenuk Megat, head reporter, and I’m glad to have this opportunity to talk with you. Senior Officer Johan, is there anything you would like to say to our viewers before we begin?”

Johan straightened in his seat, his gaze steady as he looked directly into the camera lens. “The world is a dangerous place. You need to be careful and very cautious. Be aware of your surroundings and always have some kind of defense on you. Remember all your emergency numbers.”

Tenuk nodded appreciatively. “That is right. We must be vigilant.” He turned back to Johan. “That was good advice, thank you, sir. Moving on, I’d like to know a bit more about your work. When does your day usually start?”

“There is no set time, Mr. Megat. We’re on the clock twenty-four seven,” Johan replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

“Oh, the law sure does work hard for the citizens,” Tenuk remarked with a smile.

“That we have to.”

“I understand. So then, when do you get your time off?”

“Officers work on a rotating shift. To clarify, Officer Izwan here has the afternoon shift. When he’s off duty, another officer takes his role, ensuring that all roles are always covered.”

“I see. How long is each shift?”

“Each shift is five hours long, starting from five in the morning,” Johan explained.

“I see,” Tenuk nodded thoughtfully. “How many cases have you overseen so far, sir?”

“To be fair, there are more than a handful of cases I’ve handled,” Johan said cautiously. “But for the safety of the public and to avoid raising unnecessary panic, we keep the numbers confidential.”

“That makes sense,” Tenuk agreed, nodding again. “Then, can you tell us which case has been the most troubling for you?”

Johan exchanged a brief glance with Iyaan before replying, “Actually, the most troubling case is the one I’m handling together with Officer Iyaan here. The records term it as ‘The Brain’s Tendencies to Murder’ because of the information we have.”

Tenuk raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly piqued. “That name doesn’t sound like a typical criminal case.”

“And it’s not,” Iyaan interjected, his voice firm. “We can’t disclose much to the public, but what we can tell you is that the criminal is not sane. Because of their unexpected desires, many have lost their lives.”

“Can you tell us more about this case?” Tenuk pressed, his gaze fixed on Iyaan.

Iyaan hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “This case… has been ongoing for a while now. The criminal has a pattern of disappearing after committing each crime. But what we do know, from various sources, is that the criminal is a ‘her.’”

A subtle shift crossed Tenuk’s face, but he quickly recovered, nodding at Iyaan. “Do you have any information on the victims?”

“Yes,” Iyaan replied, sitting up straighter. “Some of them, we do. Melacca. Alya. Aisha. Do you know what was common about these three women? They were all university students. They died in the backroom of a building belonging to a psychological clinic—none other than the most prestigious one in Malaysia: Mind and Heart.”

Tenuk’s eyes widened slightly, his expression carefully neutral, though Iyaan caught the flicker of recognition in them. Iyaan’s voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it, a determination that resonated in each word. He knew Tenuk understood more than he let on. They had experienced this horror together, seen the lifeless bodies lying in cold, sterile rooms. And now, here they were, pretending that Tenuk didn’t know exactly what this case was about.

“…I see,” Tenuk said slowly. “Then, the hospital is a prime crime location?”

Iyaan nodded, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. “Yes. We’ve received authorization to investigate the place, including questioning the doctors there.” He turned to the camera, his gaze intense. “I vow to everyone watching: I will catch this person with my own hands and bring justice to all the victims.”

Tenuk’s expression shifted, his eyes lingering on Iyaan. There was a moment of silence before he nodded and moved on to the next question. After several more inquiries about the details of the investigation and the officers’ daily routines, the interview finally came to a close. Izwan, who had remained quiet for most of the session, offered a small smile when the camera panned toward him, but he was clearly more absorbed by Iyaan’s fierce resolve.

As the cameraman packed up his equipment, Johan and Izwan stood, shaking hands with Tenuk before making their way out of the room. The atmosphere was lighter now, the tension from earlier dissipating as the formalities ended. The cameraman followed them, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Tenuk gathered his recorder, his fingers brushing over the device thoughtfully. When he looked up, Iyaan was already heading for the door, his shoulders stiff with something unspoken. Tenuk watched him for a moment before quickly following, his mind racing.

“Iyaan!” he called, but Iyaan didn’t slow down, his strides long and purposeful. He turned the corner and paused in front of a dark alleyway next to the office building.

The shadows loomed around him as he spun on his heel, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun. It was drawn in a flash, the cold steel aimed at the figure following him.

“Tenuk?” Iyaan’s voice was breathless, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and anger.

Tenuk froze, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “It’s just me, Iyaan,” he said softly, his gaze steady on the barrel of the gun before Iyaan slowly lowered it, his expression tight with barely suppressed emotion.

*1163 words*