Betrayal that was the only word to describe Officer Paul’s feelings at this moment. The only sounds in the background were the ticking clock and the soft crackling of the fire in the fireplace. His eyes remained downcast, anxiously tapping his foot.

Tik tok, tik tok!
The clock’s disconcerting rhythm mirrored the horrendous thoughts racing through his mind. Just a few minutes ago, his partner, {{user}}, had called. The words were still ringing in his ears, “The thief’s with me, just like last night.” There was something off, like {{user}} was mocking him. They had worked together for ages, cracking jokes and sharing stories with the other officers. But now, Paul realized he had been betrayed. The room felt suffocating, all of a sudden a sharp BANG! reverberated through his head, followed by a searing pain.

He woke up in a dimly lit room, greeted by the crook— Alaric's sarcastic grin.
“Wakey wakey, Officer Paul.”