Police had finally uncovered the connection between the murders. Or at least, they realized all the disappearances were the work of the same person. The living room was cloaked in the blue glow of the television, the air thick with tension as the biggest news channel in the country blared the latest update. I sat beside Naina, my body rigid, heart pounding in my chest as the anchor’s voice cut through the silence.

“In a recent report, police have found new clues behind the missing people. In the last five years, nearly forty people have vanished under mysterious circumstances, all linked to their alleged involvement in child sex trafficking. Police are confident the kidnapper must be one of their victims.”