Hulk : The Thunderstrike

A few minutes later, in the one-stop service hall of Chicago Police Station.

Sam led Antonio out of the director's office, followed by the civilian policewoman Shaw. They entered the bustling hall, where they encountered a distraught man speaking loudly.

"My wife has been missing for over 24 hours! I've submitted all the information and clues to you, and your response is to tell me to go home and wait for results?"

In the middle of the hall stood a middle-aged man in his forties with short hair, looking visibly agitated.

"This is your so-called service attitude? Is this how you handle cases?" he shouted, his voice quivering with anger.

"Oh, my poor wife. She's endured so much with me, and just when we thought we could finally enjoy some peace, she disappears, leaving me and my daughter behind…"

The man's emotions were spiraling out of control. Beside him stood a young woman, barely in her twenties, her face pale and eyes filled with tears.

"Officers, please don't mind my father," the girl pleaded, her voice trembling. "He's just very worried about my mother. She has never disappeared like this before. If we had other options, we wouldn't be here troubling you."

She sniffled and continued, "My mother has been with us for so many years. She's never run away from home, never stayed out overnight. She's a cleaner, and while she often comes home late, she always leaves early for work the next morning…"

As the girl, Stella, spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Shaw quickly stepped forward to comfort her. "Sir, miss, please don't worry. We—"

"Don't worry? Of course, you're not worried! It's not your family member who's missing!" the man, Mathew, slammed his hand on the table, cutting Shaw off mid-sentence.

"I'm telling you, I'm not leaving today!" he shouted. "If you don't find my wife, I'll stay here at the station until you do. Call me unreasonable if you want. I've lived long enough to not care what anyone thinks."

He continued, his voice escalating with each word.

Antonio watched from a distance, his sharp eyes fixed on Mathew. He leaned closer to Sam and whispered, "Why aren't we intervening?"

Sam chuckled. "You've got a knack for reading situations, kid. If you step in, you might scare the guy into clamming up. You've got more tact than most rookies. I like that about you."

Antonio didn't respond, his attention still locked on Mathew. His instincts told him something wasn't right.

[Name: Mathew, 47 years old, butcher by trade, murderer, no criminal record.]

Antonio's heart skipped a beat. A murderer with no criminal record?

Mathew had come to the police station to report his wife missing, but something about the man's demeanor didn't sit right with Antonio.

Antonio activated his scent recognition skill, a unique ability that had proven invaluable in his short but impactful career. Within seconds, the myriad smells of the police station—disinfectant, perfume, sweat, and smoke—rushed at him. Then, one scent stood out above all the rest.

Blood.

Antonio's eyes narrowed. The faint metallic scent of blood was emanating from Mathew.

But Mathew was a butcher. It wouldn't be unusual for him to carry the scent of blood on him. Still, this wasn't animal blood. Antonio could tell. This was human blood.

Antonio's gaze flicked to Stella, Mathew's daughter.

[Name: Stella, 22 years old, car saleswoman, no criminal record.]

Stella didn't carry the same scent of blood. Only Mathew did.

Antonio took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. He had caught thieves before, his instincts always guiding him to the truth. But this situation was far more complex.

There were no witnesses, no physical evidence, and no way to connect Mathew to a crime, at least not yet. Accusing him without proof wasn't an option.

"Sam, can I go with you to their house?" Antonio asked, interrupting Mathew mid-rant.

Mathew froze, his face darkening. "Why do you need to see my house? I've already searched it from top to bottom! There's nothing to find there!"

Antonio ignored Mathew's protests, addressing Sam instead. "If there's even a slim chance we might find something useful at his house, it's worth checking."

Mathew's fury subsided slightly, though his body remained tense. "Fine," he muttered, his tone begrudging. "You want to check my house? Let's go."

At Mathew's House

The group arrived at Mathew's modest home on Midway Street. The house was neat, though it bore the wear and tear of years of use. Mathew seemed reluctant as he unlocked the door, his hand trembling slightly.

Antonio's eyes scanned the living room as they stepped inside. His scent recognition skill picked up faint traces of the blood again.

"We've already searched everywhere," Mathew said gruffly. "You're wasting your time."

"Just let us take a look," Sam said gently, trying to keep the atmosphere calm.

Antonio moved toward the kitchen, where the scent of blood grew stronger. He noticed a small stain on the edge of the sink, partially cleaned but still visible under the right light.

"What's this?" Antonio asked, pointing to the stain.

Mathew froze. "That? That's… from my work. I butcher animals. It's nothing unusual."

Antonio nodded but made a mental note. He continued his search, following the faint trail of the scent. It led him to the basement door.

"Mind if I check down here?" Antonio asked, his hand already on the doorknob.

Mathew hesitated. "There's nothing down there but old junk. Suit yourself."

Antonio descended the stairs, the air growing cooler as he went. The scent of blood became overwhelming.

In the corner of the basement, under a pile of rags, Antonio found a blood-stained knife. The sight made his heart pound.

"Sam, you need to see this," Antonio called out.

Sam joined him, his face darkening as he saw the knife.

"What's this, Mathew?" Sam demanded.

Mathew's face turned pale. "It's nothing! Just an old knife I used for work. I forgot to clean it properly, that's all."

But Antonio wasn't convinced. The evidence was circumstantial, but it painted a damning picture.

As they returned to the station, Antonio's mind raced. He knew they were on the cusp of uncovering the truth, but they needed more to tie Mathew to his wife's disappearance—and possibly her death.

The case was far from over.

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