Images of a woman being brutally and murdered with a shaky camera is projected onto the wall and the room is filled with sounds of terror interrupted by a random noise that sounded like a sneeze.

“Bloody, slasher, it resembles the way he chooses his victims, this is definitely our unsub.” Jonghyun confirms.

“Get this, his wife works at Bank of Korea as a financial advisor. She oversaw the banks that managed Taeyeon and Tiffany’s bank records.” Taemin says sending her profile to everyone’s tablets. “He’s the marketing manager, up high in the company, gives him a lot of leeway.”

“He was doing business in the same city when Taeyeon was killed. He also took a year trip to where Tiffany lived.” Onew reports.

“Around the same time Tiffany started a relationship with her boyfriend.” Key says nodding.

“Does his wife know that her husband is a sociopathic killer?” Minho asks and Jonghyun shakes his head.

“Most likely not, sociopaths can function very normally and can feign emotions so well that it’s possible for them to pass lie detection tests.” Jonghyun says.

“So he started a relationship with Tiffany,” Onew says, “in hopes that she’d get his submission into the festival?”

“This unsub is focused solely on obtaining the acceptance from this film festival. When Yuri rejected his submission, it must have been the most impactful since she was already a well-known star.” Jonghyun says.

“Here’s his address and his workplace.” Taemin says and maps it to their current location.

“I’ll call NIS for backup; it should be a 20 minute drive at most. Jonghyun and I will go to the workplace; Onew, you and Key go to his residence. Taemin, we’ll need you as our eyes in the sky.” Minho says. “I’ll inform the backup of our tactical operation, wheels up in 10 minutes.”

Minho feels the adrenaline run through his veins as he sits perched on the edge of his seat, gun in hand. He was talking to the captain of the NIS alpha team brought in as support. Taejoon had checked in early that morning and hadn’t checked out, which meant he was most likely at work. If they were wrong, Key and Onew would have backup by local police enforcement and they were instructed to park outside his apartment building until Minho gave the all clear signal.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Jonghyun whispers to Minho and Minho nods in agreement. They’d only spent 3 days working on this case but it already felt like a lifetime.

“Go time.” Minho says, patting Jonghyun on the back as they made their way into the building.

“NIS!” Jonghyun declares loudly, flashing his badge at all the people in the building. They cleared way for Minho and the team of 3 others brought in as support. Minho led a team of two up the stairs while Jonghyun and the other person went up the elevator. Jonghyun heard the elevator ding and he stepped into the corridor leading to Taejoon’s office. His secretary looks surprised to see them and Jonghyun flashes his badge at her, urging her to be quiet.

She nods and Jonghyun grabs his gun, gripping it tightly and holding it in front of him. Minho had made it up the stairs and stationed the others at all the possible exits incase their unsub tried to make a run for it. Jonghyun nods once at Minho and he kicks the door down.

“NIS, hands in the air!” Minho yells entering the room, pointing his gun at the man sitting at the desk. The man raises his hands slowly into the air and Minho nods at Jonghyun who goes over and puts handcuffs on Park Taejoon.

“Taejoon, you are under arrest for first degree murder of Kim Taeyeon, Hwang Mi Young and Kwon Yuri.” Jonghyun says before proceeding to read him his rights.

“Key, we have the subject in custody, desist and meet back at the base.” Minho says.

“10-4” Key replies and Minho hears Onew say something to the chief of police.

“Park Taejoon.” Key says, circling the desk to which the suspect was chained. Park Taejoon doesn’t budge from his seat, he doesn’t look up and he doesn’t say a word. “You’re a tough guy huh?” Key asks, sitting down to face him. He looks up at Key, sneers and then looks away.

“I’m innocent.” He says.

“Your alibi was never validated; I’d like to prove the contrary.” Key says, raising an eyebrow. “What’s that saying, innocent until proven guilty? Well, I think you’re guilty until proven innocent.” Key says. “However, if you’ll give us the information we’re looking for, we can tell the judge you complied with us.” Key says, striking a deal.

“What are you going to do to me?” Taejoon asks and Key leans back in his seat, eyeing Taejoon.

“Now, see, this is what gets me. Usually the questions innocent people ask are, ‘Why am I here?’ and ‘What are you talking about?’, you, on the other hand, seem to know exactly why we came to find you. Now” Key says leaning into the table, “Will you tell us why you killed those women?” Key asks.

“I want a lawyer.” Park Taejoon says, looking away.

“You kept trophies, didn’t you? You must have documented your kills somehow.” Key says, “You would’ve wanted to relive your triumph over those who dragged you down, you would’ve celebrated your kills.”

“They were pawns in my grand scheme to greatness.” Park Taejoon growls.

“And you had to show that you dominated them in every way so you dominated them physically too.” Key remarks.

“That’s right.” Taejoon boasts, “I took every piece of them and broke them down in every way possible. I wanted them to see how it felt to have everything taken from you.”

“You know what you are?” Key asks.

“What?” Taejoon replies.

“A coward.” Key answers shortly.

“How? I overpowered them; I intelligently crafted them into their own demise.” Taejoon says.

“No, that’s where you’re wrong.” Key says. “You would never have been accepted by the film community, why? You were too stubborn to fix the mistakes and too proud to take help from others. Why didn’t you approach the big leagues? You were afraid of the struggle. You, Park Taejoon are a coward.” Key says.

“I want my lawyer right now and that phone call; I get a phone call right?” Park Taejoon says, looking away and Key stands up.

“I think we’re done here.” Key says exiting the room, not bothering to take a glance at Park Taejoon sitting along in the dark interrogation room.

“So he pleaded guilty?” Minho asks, leaning back in his chair listening to the details of the legal action that proceeded soon afterwards.

“Well, even with Kim Ryeowook as his lawyer, he’s no match for the prosecutor Kim Hyoyeon, she’s probably the best in the country. Besides, there would've been no chance of getting off, it would've been life either way.” Jonghyun speculates.

“Either way, that’s one case closed. Let’s make those phone calls to those families.” Onew says closing the case file and locking it up into a file cabinet. The five men stand up and shuffle out of the room, Taemin takes one last look before shutting the lights and closing the door.

“Until next time.” He whispers to himself as he follows the four others.

“Acceptance of one's life has nothing to do with resignation; it does not mean running away from the struggle. On the contrary, it means accepting it as it comes, with all the handicaps of heredity, of suffering, of psychological complexes and injustices.”

---Paul Tournier