Annie sat alone in the room, the case file open in front of her.
Her eyes moved slowly across the pages, but something didn't sit right.
She flipped it once.
Then again.
Long silence.
Her fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the paper.
"…Shibal."
The curse came out under her breath.
She shut the file immediately, stood up, grabbed her coat, and walked out.
No hesitation.
No thinking twice.
Just movement.
By the time she arrived at the station, something already felt wrong.
Too many people moving fast.
Too many voices at once.
Tension everywhere.
Then she saw it.
A body had been found.
Covered.
Still.
For a brief second, she paused.
Like she was a little too late.
But her face didn't change.
She simply looked away and walked forward.
Mi Na spotted her the moment she entered.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
A silent question formed on her face.
How did she know?
But Annie didn't look at her.
Not even once.
She walked straight inside like she already knew where she was going.
Do Hwan noticed too but said nothing.
Something about Annie today felt heavier.
Inside the Chief's office, the atmosphere was already tense.
Before anyone could speak, Annie said calmly,
"I remember this case."
Silence.
"I was fourteen," she continued. "I was in San Francisco."
A few officers shifted uncomfortably.
Annie didn't stop.
"I came across something like this before. I assisted the female detective in charge."
Her voice stayed steady.
"I worked with Secret Service agents for five years before I came here to start fresh."
That made the room go completely quiet.
Even the Chief didn't interrupt her.
Annie exhaled slowly.
"I don't like talking too much… but something was missed."
She turned slightly toward the board and then back.
"I know I left something behind in that case. And now it's happening again."
A pause.
"Or someone is repeating it on purpose."
Her eyes flicked briefly toward Mi Na.
"How well do you know the law?"
Mi Na opened her mouth—
But Annie didn't give her space to answer.
"Because whoever is doing this… knows it 100% better than you."
Beat.
"They will either avoid it… or use it against you when you catch them."
Silence again.
Annie looked at the Chief.
"I need to see the crime scene."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"So I can know my next step."
"I have to make it."
The Chief nodded after a moment.
"Get ready. We're going."
And just like that—
they moved.