It started out as a mild headache.
The worse it got, the harder it was for Alex to concentrate.
His focus dwindled and he grew more erratic.
And the pain seemed to originate from that word.
Loop.
But what exactly did it mean and why does it seem to be so important?
Alex struggled to keep a coherent thought long enough to solve this puzzle.
At some point, he completely abandoned anything related to Leokhares' case in a bid to resolve his own dilemma.
With a hand to his temple, he struggled out of his chair and tried to walk away from the desk only to drop to his knees as the pain became unbearable.
Instinctively, he looked down at his right hand and then he saw it.
The flesh rapidly decayed, accompanied by the muscle and the blood, leaving behind a dessicated hand before returning to normal.
Then, it happened again… and again.
Until finally… a scream of agony escaped Alex's lips.