When monsters meet, only one walks away unmasked.
---
7:35 A.M.
St. Gabriel's High – Front Gates
There's a police car parked near the faculty entrance.
Students slow as they walk by, their curiosity whispered like static.
"Someone else disappear?"
"Maybe they found the Hollow?"
"No way. Cops never find people like that."
Silas watches the murmurs ripple. His golden eyes flicker past the crowd, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure stepping out of the building.
Detective Naomi Kisaragi.
Civilian clothes again. Plain. Sharp. Forgettable to anyone not looking closely.
But Silas is always looking.
---
8:02 A.M.
Main Office – Temporary Interview Room
"Thank you for your time," Naomi says as another teacher exits.
She sighs and flips her notepad shut. One more useless lead. No one knows anything. Or pretends not to.
Then a knock.
The door opens, and the principal peeks in. "One of our top students volunteered to assist you. He helps the faculty sometimes. Bright young man."
Silas walks in, smiling politely. "Good morning."
Naomi blinks once.
She recognizes the face from the blurred footage.
White hair. Golden eyes. Smile like polished glass.
"Silas Creed, right?" she asks, voice smooth.
"That's me."
He sits across from her without being asked.
"I hear you're investigating the missing students."
Her expression doesn't change. "We're looking into some patterns, yes."
Silas tilts his head. "Any luck?"
She studies him. "You're awfully curious."
"I'm just concerned." He gestures toward the hall. "It's my school, too."
Naomi leans forward slightly. "You're very well-spoken for your age."
"I read a lot of crime novels," he says with a soft laugh. "Maybe too many."
She smiles faintly. "Do you believe in justice, Silas?"
The air tightens just a little.
He smiles back. "I think justice is a story people tell themselves when they want to feel right."
Her pen stills.
"That's… an interesting answer."
He shrugs. "People lie. Courts lie. Even good people do bad things. Who decides what justice is?"
She taps her pen once on the notebook, noting the shift in his tone. Calm. Casual. Detached.
"And what about The Hollow? What do you think of him?"
Silas meets her eyes directly. No blink. No flinch.
"I think he's not as invisible as he thinks he is."
She doesn't move. But inside, alarms ring.
He knows. He knows she's looking for him.
But the way he says it—almost like a joke. Like a dare.
"And what would you do," she asks slowly, "if The Hollow turned out to be someone… close?"
Silas leans forward, smiling gently.
"I'd smile, of course. Then I'd ask him what made the world so cruel."
The silence between them is sharp enough to bleed.
---
10:44 A.M.
Back Hall – Security Office
Naomi reviews the hallway footage again. This time from two days ago.
In the corner of one frame: Silas. Standing alone. Not moving. Just… staring. At a security camera.
Just one frame.
Then gone.
---
12:02 P.M.
Cafeteria – Lunchtime
Silas eats calmly. The same food, same pace, same seat. Around him, life buzzes — but he's listening to the wrong noise.
A pair of students behind him whisper:
"Detective chick's still around."
"She grilled half the teachers this morning."
"You think she suspects someone here?"
Silas taps a rhythm on the table with his fork.
He doesn't mind her presence.
He wants it.
She's a variable he can't fully control — and that makes her interesting.
He picks up his phone. Unlocks a secure channel. Sends a message.
> To: Naomi Kisaragi
"I liked our conversation. You asked me what I'd do if someone close was The Hollow. What would you do, if it was someone right in front of you?"
---
4:14 P.M.
Detective Kisaragi's Apartment
Naomi stares at the message. It's from a disposable address. Untraceable. Her own encryption reflected back at her.
He's playing now.
She closes her laptop and exhales through her nose.
Then she picks up her phone and makes a call.
"Captain? I need a warrant. I want access to student psychological records at St. Gabriel's. Priority level red. Start with one name: Silas Creed."
---
10:23 P.M.
Studio
Silas watches the screen.
Naomi's request was flagged. He intercepted the data packet before it even reached the school board.
He smiles.
"She's moving faster than I thought."
He opens a drawer. Pulls out a new file. Blank.
Labels it:
> NAOMI KISARAGI – CONTINGENCY PLAN
He places it neatly beside another:
> SCHOOL MASSACRE (PHASE ALPHA – SLEEPER TEST)
---
Final Line:
> "Let's see who draws first blood, Detective."
---