[CONTENTID1] The Puppeteer [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Six [/CONTENTID2] 

[CONTENTID3] [/CONTENTID3] 

[CONTENTID4] 

"Thanks for driving me home." said Wonwoo, in a good mood.
"This isn't a date. Don't make it sound like we're a couple." Jisoo growled.
"I didn't mean it that way. It seems that you and Mingyu are a couple?"
Wonwoo twitched in surprise as Jisoo hit the steering wheel with his fist and stared at him deadly.
"You don't know about us mutants, and you're always blurting stuff out. It doesn't matter who we build a connection with. This can be anything from friendship to physical contact. And both of those can be relationships for us. Mingyu and I were a couple for a few decades, and it just bugs me how he suddenly takes an interest in a human."
"So you also have purely platonic love relationships? " Wonwoo asked, surprised.
"We don't make things complicated. It doesn't change the feeling if I like someone but don't want to sleep with him. Sometimes, there is an emotional attraction but not a physical one, and vice versa. We don´t think about it too much. Humans always lump everything together. We don't do that. Mingyu is NOT my boyfriend, but we can be separated for a hundred years and still care about the person as much as before. It has nothing to do with love or sympathy. It is my urge mechanism. And until I know that you will not play with him because of your damn curiosity, or he will tell me to stay out of it, I advise you to stay away from him."
"What do you mean by that? Our dynamic should be fine by now working on this case." 
"When mutants end a relationship, it has various reasons, but the feeling never changes. We are not as jumpy with our feelings as humans, but we still care. We want the former partner to be happy. If you are sincere and the connection will work out in Mingyu´s favor, I won´t interfere."
"Hyung, I am not interested in Mingyu. At all." Wonwoo looked at him, surprised.
"I'm not so sure about that, little Saver. And stop calling me Hyung. That's stupid." Jisoo growled and steered the car across the junction into the evening traffic.

Mingyu opened the door to his apartment and took a shower.
He tried to stall time but wasn't a little kid anymore. He walked to the refrigerator and took out a beer.
Mingyu slumped down on the couch in the living room and reached for his phone.
He sighed when the call connected, and a pissed mutant answered.
"Can you explain what has gotten into you?!"
Mingyu winced as Jisoo's voice nearly ripped through his phone.
"Hey. Yes, it´s me. It's good to hear from you," pestered Mingyu, offended by Jisoo´s bold statement without greeting.
"Oh really? I thought you forgot about me, you ing IDIOT! A human! Do you think I don't notice it? I can see the plasma in your eyes changing already, you connection retard! Why a human? This will get messy!" Jisoo yelled again.
Mingyu had to stifle a giggle. Jisoo could be such a child regarding things he valued, but he had to agree with him, which was a significant problem.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted, okay? I will change my behavior. He is not interested anyway."
"You know that a connection with a human is dangerous! And for you, what do you think will happen? Humans are used to physical contact in a relationship. No way in hell would he accept a platonic relationship."
"I know that. And I will accept his decision. I know a physical connection is impossible. Do you think I am stupid?"
"Mingyu, I know it's hard. But accept that you can't ask him for a connection!" Mingyu knew that Jisoo´s lead urge mechanism was running wild. Still, because he was unsure about the situation, he did not interfere for now, as Jisoo was usually right in his decisions or ways of handling things.
"I know that. And I accept it, too. But still, if I notice a change in Wonwoo´s behavior in my favor, I´ll ask you to step back." Mingyu finally muttered.
"You're asking a lot of me, Mingyu. You're one of my most important friends, genetically running to your doom. So don't question my Lum."
"Can we stop this?" Jisoo asked. After a few seconds, Mingyu did not respond to his statement.
Mingyu sighed. "Yes. This brings us nowhere."
"We're all tense about the boss's brilliant idea of putting fire and water together."
"What time are you coming into the office tomorrow?" Mingyu asked.
"I have some personal business, so I'll get to it later."
"Okay."
"Sleep well." whispered Mingyu.
"Yeah...you too." Jisoo hung up.
Mingyu wanted to shoot himself and his urge mechanism. There were always connections that were genetically predetermined but very problematic. The problem with mutants was that this mechanism was instinctive. So it was not possible to pretend not to like someone. It was impossible to convince yourself that you couldn't, wouldn't, and never would. Ultimately, the genetic predisposition of the two sides of a connection always decides whether a connection was established. Humans just tried, and a mutant would never think of leaving something as valuable as a connection to something like a chance.
Mingyu grinned and imagined how the little Saver would scold him again when he heard the mutants' not-exactly-romantic way of making connections.
A moment later, his laughter faded, and he tried to remember why Jisoo was angry with him and what he had meant. After the fifteenth situation he could remember, he stopped thinking about it.

The four officers were sitting in one of the department's regular coffee bars, and Mingyu leaned back a little and beckoned the waitress over. Wonwoo ordered four coffees and then turned back to his colleagues.
"Jeonghan and I sat down yesterday and puzzled over it for a while. We didn't find any clues. We have more questions than before, but Jeonghan made a good point." Mingyu explained. He had to suppress a grin when he saw Jeonghan's surprised but excited face.
"What is it?" asked Wonwoo.
"Can I start?" Mingyu asked.
Wonwoo took a few seconds to realize that Mingyu was addressing him. He was embarrassed and quickly activated the camera to record the conversation, tapping his eyebrow.
"After we cleared up some things, we discussed the case in 2030, and some things don't fit with past crimes." Mingyu started.
"For example?" Wonwoo asked.
"In the 1980 case, none of the girls had a number. Nothing. Their eyes were removed and embedded in different parts of their bodies. But now, in 2030, for example, the recent victim's eyes were removed without being transplanted anywhere else. And she had a number cut into her chest. The other victim had a number provided to us when Jisoo read her last moments. So, it is a mix of both periods the girls were killed in. It does not match the old cases, or just partly."
"How about we get the data from past cases? Those might be more detailed. All we've gotten is some standard information and pictures.  It would help Jeonghan and me get that overall picture of the crimes." Wonwoo said.
"And that's where the problem is," Mingyu muttered.
"What do you mean?" Wonwoo asked.
"You can edit all the conversations and videos you record later when you upload them to the computer, right?"
"Yes, of course," answered Wonwoo.
"Then stop recording for a second." Mingyu mumbled.
"Why...?" he asked but touched the tattoo, blinked, and saved the file. Their conversation was interrupted for a moment when their coffee arrived. When the waitress walked away, Wonwoo smirked. "So that was a secret hint for me to stop recording? Is there something fishy going on?"
Mingyu whined angrily, and Jeonghan saved Wonwoo from another outburst of anger.
"No, you idiot. You'll learn a little longer when you're in this business. Sometimes, information or a conversation is reserved for the team in investigations. Investigations are about gathering information, finding, and putting the pieces together. But that doesn't mean all the clues must be passed on to the Chief."
Wonwoo needed clarification. "But that is our job."
"Our job is to find the killer, and all the necessary information is to be kept and discussed so that it can be filed with the cases and used as legal evidence for court, right?" Jisoo asked, and Wonwoo nodded.
"But that doesn't mean that everything that leads to the arrest of the suspect has to be recorded." added Jeonghan.
"To put it simply, if the guy's name in the official file is Mr Brown and we want to call him a ed-up bastard, then we shouldn't record it when we call him that."
"I still don't get it." Wonwoo looked around, perplexed.

Mingyu sighed and ignored the Saver completely. 
"Just listen." Mingyu grumbled, but his eyes widened when he felt something warm on his lips.
"Drink properly. It's a waste if you spill it." groaned Wonwoo, annoyed, wiping his thumb across Mingyu's upper lip to remove a slight trace of cappuccino foam. After that, he it from his finger. Jeonghan bit his fist to stifle his laughter, but Mingyu´s brain just shut down instantly when he was staring at this goddamn Saver that triggered his marking urge to the extent that he had to physically back up from him.
"These are moments that shouldn't be on tape, Wonwoo-ah." Jeonghan chuckled, and Wonwoo blushed."Ah ... sorry. Did I embarrass you?" the Saver asked.
At that moment, Mingyu's phone rang, and he reached for it almost frantically.
"I'll have to take that call." he muttered, getting up from the table and leaving the restaurant.

Jisoo took out his cell phone and dialed Mingyu´s number. 
"What?" a voice snarled into his ear.
Jisoo winced. "Bad mood?" he asked.
"Yeah, bad mood." mumbled Mingyu on the other end of the line."Sorry."
"Are you at the office?"
"No, Wonwoo made us go to Starbucks. He said something about old cop movies and how they used to do that. Seriously, Jisoo, this guy is driving me crazy."
Jisoo sighed."I'll see you at the office then, right?"
"Yes, we'll be leaving soon."
Silence.
"Don´t start it again, hyung! It´s just a coffee. Nothing more. It´s not that I am asking him out, ok? Jeonghan is with us, too."
"He is?"
"Yes."
Jisoo hesitated." Did he... come along because you forced him, or was he happy that you asked him?"
There was a brief silence.
"Are you seriously asking me if Jeonghan seems interested in the Saver or me? Are you seriously scolding me for establishing a connection towards a human, and you pick a damn Controller?" hissed Mingyu.
"I see you at the office," Jisoo mumbled and hung up.
 

Mingyu was still angry and confused. Wonwoo even bowed and apologized, and Mingyu accepted his apology. He had only wiped his lip, nothing more. He hadn't meant to, and it had just been a movement of his fingers. He desperately tried to avoid Jeonghan's gaze, which, for a mutant, gave him unmistakable vibes to calm down, as this connection would affect not just personal relations but also the dynamics of the entire case.
- Great, a species-specific scolding from a Controller. -
"Can we continue our conversation now?" Wonwoo was still curious and closed all the netbooks to switch off any microphone or camera data. Mingyu was worried about his brain. This guy was ridiculous.
"When is Jisoo coming?" asked Jeonghan.
"Soon."
Mingyu showed Jeonghan that he didn't like that he had asked about his friend. 
"So we're waiting for Jisoo?" asked Wonwoo again. He played with his pen. He often did that. It annoyed Mingyu.
"I think so."
"I've already uploaded all the data from the last victim to the computer. We can go through them if you..."
The door opened, and Jisoo entered the room.
Wow...bad mood, thought Mingyu. Jisoo's eyes weren't just black, and they were like an abyss.
"There you are." Wonwoo said, pushing a chair over for him. Jisoo put on his jacket, threw it over the back of the chair, and sat down.
"Good, then we can continue our conversation in the café. Did you have a good time?" Jisoo asked kindly.
Mingyu smirked when he saw Wonwoo's expression. The deathcatcher's eyes intimidated him, but he tried to look relaxed.

Jeonghan stood up.
He was annoyed. This team was driving him crazy.
"Jisoo, you didn't miss much when we were at Starbucks. We only talked a little about the case. " Jeonghan cleared his throat to stifle his laughter as Mingyu's head almost exploded from all the blood rushing into it. Jeonghan briefly considered mentioning the incident but knew Jisoo had an urge mechanism towards Mingyu, so he did not interfere.
"So, where should we start?" Jisoo growled.
"We should start with the old cases. There may be a connection between them that we have yet to notice. Remember the numbers we have so far?"
Jisoo nodded.
"I've asked Mingyu if the victims in 1980 also had numbers, but he said no."
"That's right. There was nothing about it in the autopsy files."
"Are you sure?" asked Wonwoo, touching the tattoo. His right eye began to glow red.
"I can read! There was none when I say there was no information about numbers." Jisoo snorted.
"We said there were no numbers." Mingyu hissed angrily as he had to agree with his partner. It made him angry that Jeonghan implied their investigation had been sloppy.
"Calm down, guys. I ask because I don't think it's the same killer if we suddenly find numbers on the bodies. I assum