Helsiniki, Finland. What is there to say about it? Low crime rates and such a peaceful area. All around this is nothing like what one would see in places like New York or certain parts of New Jersey. At times I find it hard to believe that anything bad could be here. At the same time, this is the perfect place for someone to hide. At this point, it is almost like people were purposely leaving random trails for me. I was told that someone would meet me at the convenience store outside the harbor and so I went there but But the store was almost completely empty save a few customers and the store manger. Clueless, I waited. The message was from a trusted source and so I knew I wasn’t being led astray.
While I was waiting, I decided to pick up some coffee, mainly to keep me awake from the stressful night. It was strange to see the erratic clues and inconsistent leads and just stopping in their tracks leaving me with nothing but a cup of coffee. Then I saw it. There was a word on my coffee cup. I looked over to see if the same word was on the other cups I could see near the coffee machine. It said on the cups, “in this case you may need a cracker’, and I knew exactly what it meant. About a year ago, I was set up with a case. It was a case of very specific building heists. What made it consistent was they were all stealing from electronic stores like Brookstone or Apple or Verizon. Cell phones, headphones, speakers, wires and all kinds of different gadget that these stores had. It seems like that they had always gotten out safely and left a noticeable crack on the wall or the ceiling. That case was labeled ‘Case Cracker.’ We never found out why the culprits took the items. They were not selling them either. And although we did eventually confront and take down the original thieves, it turns out they were part of a much larger system. A system that people had already been working on. We had to let the case go. It was way too big of a system for one detective to solve and got passed on to the police force. This was my most recent and memorable case. I could easily see that whoever put those messages was trying to get to me. Finally, a man walked in, wearing a dark coat, deep black hat and a pair of sun glasses. The man slowly approached the register. After some incoherent mumbling, the manager who he was talking to pointed in my direction.
The man who approached me said,
“I have been looking for you. I have been asked to give you this” and handed me an envelope.
“You will have a meeting with another detective at a certain location specified in the envelope.”
I opened the envelope and saw a message, “You will meet me at Cafe Ursula for further discussion – Agent 163.”
I rushed out, grabbed a cab and headed for Cafe Urusla. I made sure that the envelope was scratched out and torn into pieces so nobody else will get hold of it. In about forty minutes, I reached Cafe Ursula. The cafe was in a beautiful location overlooking the Baltic Sea. There were sail boats and all kinds of vessels on the sea. As I entered the cafe, I saw a cream colored area with rows of different sea foods. After picking up a shrimp sandwich and coffee, I walked to the patio and scanned the people there. It only took me a few seconds to see the man wearing the coat with a small badge that said, ‘163.’ I approached without hesitation and he didn’t seem too surprised as I pulled up a chair, put down my food and drink, and sat down.
“I assume you are the one on the kidnapping case?” he asked.
I replied, “Yes. I am the one on the case, but right now, less about me and more about you. Why did you call me here?”
“To the point. I like that. I was recently put on the case, but I have still been a lot longer than you have. The family kidnapping case is only the tip of the iceberg to get other detectives on their tail. It is just not giving them the attention they want. “
“Them?” I asked.
“The people behind the kidnapping case. I am here to tell you to quit this case right now. It is for your own good.”
The world is a strange place 