Toxicology Investigation
The soft hum of fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as the three officers entered the forensic lab. A faint antiseptic scent lingered in the air, mixing with the sterile chill of the room. Dr. Paul Lim, tall and gaunt with pale skin and sharp, intelligent eyes, looked up from a cluttered desk. His dark hair was unkempt, strands curling slightly from dried sweat. The top button of his shirt was undone, and a cold cup of coffee sat forgotten by his elbow.
"Rough night?" Eldric Noor quipped, giving him a sidelong glance.
Paul gave a tired smile. "Rough week. You brought me a curious one."
He gestured toward a glass-topped table where samples and test reports were neatly arranged. Alina crossed her arms as she leaned in, her expression serious.
"We're listening," she said.
Paul tapped one of the test sheets. "Initial toxicology didn't show anything specific. But after more comprehensive screening—" he paused, lifting a small vial, "—we found traces of thallium in his bloodstream."
Leif furrowed his brow. "That's a metal, right? Industrial?"
"Correct. Used in electronics and previously in rat poison. It's tasteless, odorless, and lethal in high enough doses. But this case is tricky."
He pulled up another result on his computer screen. "What makes it odd is that the absorption rate into his bloodstream was unusually fast. I found something else — sulfide compounds consistent with methyl mercaptan or dimethyl disulfide — not dangerous alone, but when interacting with thallium... it accelerates systemic poisoning."
"So you're saying the combination killed him?" Alina asked.
Paul nodded. "Yes. The thallium must've been ingested earlier, most likely from the food. Then the sulfur compound came later — probably from water he drank."
"Damn it," Eldric muttered. "That means it wasn't random. Someone planned it to work like a two-stage bomb."
"Exactly." Paul turned back to his desk. "The stomach contents support it. The thallium was laced in a particular dish. The sulfur compound likely came from a sealed water bottle. Whoever planned this was calculating and precise."
Leif leaned against the wall. "Do we have anything left from the meal?"
Alina shook her head. "That's the problem. The trash from the holding cell was discarded with the rest. We need to find that garbage — now."
Later That Afternoon
A team of officers combed through the main garbage disposal area behind the precinct. The sun had started to dip behind the horizon, casting orange light over the parking lot.
"I think I got something!" a junior officer called out, holding up a crumpled takeaway box with the precinct's evidence gloves.
Soon, two partially crushed plastic water bottles were found under another bin. Paul personally inspected them back at the lab.
"This one," he said, pointing to the less compressed bottle, "has a faint residue of the sulfur compound. We'll need to run further tests to confirm."
Internal Briefing Room
The team reconvened. Eldric paced the floor as Alina flipped through a folder.
"The meal is from Koong Food takeaway. It's clean — popular, even. The cook's been there fifteen years, and the delivery boy is a college student with no record."
"Could someone have tampered with it there?" Leif asked.
"We're checking the security footage, but it's not promising. The food was prepped normally."
Elsewhere: A Few Days Earlier — Inside Koong Food Chinese Takeaway
The kitchen was loud and steamy, filled with the aroma of grilled meat and hot oil. Amid the bustle, a figure in a dark delivery cap moved near the storage rack. No one paid attention — too busy calling out orders or plating food.
The figure removed a small jar marked "Seasoning B," checked the label, and replaced it with an identical one, slightly lighter.
The pantry door closed with a soft click.
Day of the Delivery
The clang of ladles and hiss of woks filled the kitchen.
"Boss?" one of the junior cooks asked, holding up a spice jar. "Did we use more spice this time? This jar's almost empty again."
The head cook turned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Hmm. I thought I refilled that yesterday."
He took the jar and shook it gently, frowning. "That's odd. Either we're getting more orders or someone's got a heavy hand."
"Want me to open a new one?" the junior asked.
"Nah, use the last bit. I'll restock later."
Later in the afternoon
The head cook tossed the nearly empty container into the kitchen trash bin and returned to his station.
Elsewhere: That Same Night
Another hand — different from the first — retrieved the discarded seasoning jar from the bin behind the shop. The alley was quiet, save for the soft shuffle of footsteps. The figure slipped into the night without a sound.
Back in the Present
Alina's voice was firm. "Whoever orchestrated this went through a lot of trouble to leave no trace. But they made one mistake."
"What's that?" Eldric asked.
"They underestimated how many eyes are starting to look in their direction."