The volatile temperature that morning was the first sign of misfortune. It was just the beginning of January, yet temperature had skyrocketed. As if the heavens grieved for the poor girl’s brutal death, the skies watching over Amestris rained. The droplets were like tears of the heavens. It poured heavily. Weather was an extremely uncertain element humans will never be able to overcome. It is unpredictable and temperamental, just like a child.

Drenched, soaked and cold. People who were important to the victim wept and grieved at her side. Officials worked to keep reporters and spectators away from the crime scene. Scarlett and Amara watched as Ellie’s parents and group of friends burst into tears. Their wails were cries of despair.

“Amara!!” Rowan sobbed, running into Amara’s arms without a hint of hesitation. Seeing a classmate of theirs turning up dead on the courtyard was like a nightmare coming true. “What should we do? We’re probably next!”

“It’s so sad.” Amara wiped her tears with a pink handkerchief, her gaze locked on Ellie’s parents. “She was a nice person. It must’ve broken their hearts when Ellie turns up dead one morning.”

Scarlett silently observed the crime scene with a solemn expression. She could see the desperation visible in Rowan’s cries. Scarlett’s eyeballs had darted sideways. All her efforts to maintain peace at school just went down the drain. Students at Ridgeway Institute experience brilliant campus life for the past three years since Scarlett enrolled. Ridgeway owed their peace to Scarlett, their shadow protector.

“It is sad, but you can help us find who did this.” The officer who sneaked behind Scarlett spoke. He had a discerning eye for exceptional individuals, and Scarlett was not an exception. “Come with us, Scarlett.”

Scarlett frowned at the officer. A single golden stripe on his uniform, and an old scar near his temple. He was the officer stationed at the entrance. And he was the one who had been watching here since her arrival. He was an officer of major general rank.

“Are you a stalker?” Scarlett questioned instead.

The officer’s chuckle turned into a laugh. Scarlett had frowned. Cat-slit like golden irises and raven black hair, just like hers. It’s too much of a coincidence. She recalled her mother’s favourite phrase: There are no coincidences. Only the inevitable prevails.

“Scarlett, stop being so difficult. Ellie was killed!” Nina whimpered through intermittent hiccups. Anyone could see she had been bawling her eyes out. It was the saddest moment of their lives.

Julian and his pudgy followers trotted onto the site despite the officials’ protests. They had charged and knocked Scarlett onto the ground. The books and bag she was holding fell onto the wet grass, her possessions scattered. The small company gathered at the site fumed when Julian and his power-hungry enthusiasts had come to cause more trouble.

“How dare you frame me for murder! You killed Ellie!” He screeched.

“Hey! Who said you’re allowed to trespass the crime scene?” the major general grabbed Julian by the collar. “Stop making fake accusations before you’re arrested for felony, bud.”

“She did it! She did it!” Julian bellowed. He threw fits of tantrums like a child. “You must arrest her! We saw her training Ellie at the dojo last night!”

“Julian, look!” one of his buddies picked up something among Scarlett’s fallen belongings. It was made of a combination of plastic and steel. It felt heavy in Isaiah’s fat fingers. His guts told him this was not a toy. Julian’s followers were pale white. It was a handgun.

A Beretta 92X.

“See?! A gun! She has guns in addition with two swords! She must be the killer!” The major general was unamused. The company was astounded by both Scarlett’s possession and Julian’s accusations. They didn’t have a clue who was right and who was wrong. The fact that Scarlett had weapons in possession was evidence that arisen suspicions.

Scarlett, however, was unaffected and indifferent. It appears that Julian’s provocations were a failure. The vice-principal watched the scene from afar with gritted teeth and clenched fists. Although it seems things were at Scarlett’s disadvantage, he couldn’t believe his eyes when the officials found no concrete evidence to arrest Scarlett Ko. Instead, his dear nephew he sent to do his bidding was arrested instead. Shiver quivers down his spine when Scarlett’s piercing stare was seen right through his weak disguise.

Her lips curled.

“You want to talk about law? Let’s talk.” Scarlett’s right hand crept into the right pocket of her black blazer. What comes next was a familiar leather flip case. Amara had seen it among Scarlett's belongings.

Scarlett had never answered her questions, instead, had become panicky and fidgety when she dropped the case or when someone happened to pick it up by accident. Amara also remembered the days when she and the gang had sleepovers at Scarlett’s place. No one was allowed to enter the third unused bedroom. She once sneaked a small peek, found an old photo on top of the closet. A drawer slightly ajar, filled with tools she had no clue what they were. It was a mystery. Scarlett Ko was a mystery.

It left Amara and the girl’s piqued curiosity unquenched. Today, things were different. They were one step closer to their goal. To get hold of Scarlett’s secret.

Their eyes widened when Scarlett showed them the contents inside the leather case. It turns out to be a common card holder. But the contents were astonishing. A golden badge shone in their faces. Scarlett Ko is a law enforcement official. Julian and his pals paled. Isaiah panicked.

“Don’t come near me!” he clicked Scarlett’s gun. He aimed at Scarlett. The major general looked slightly worried. He relaxed when he saw Scarlett’s undisturbed demeanour. She must have something up her sleeve.

“You want to shoot me? With my gun? Go ahead.” Scarlett taunted. “Shoot. Then feel free to get arrested.”

Isaisah, lost control of his reasoning and emotions, pulled the trigger. When nothing came, they opened their eyes. The gun was locked, and there were no magazines in the gun. The major general sighed. “I almost lost five years of my life.”

Scarlett huffed. “Of course. I’m not much of an idiot who puts magazines in an unused weapon.”

After that, Scarlett vanished from the grounds of Ridgeway Institute. That raining morning was the last day they saw Scarlett as an average student. Everyone watched silently as they took away Julian and his friends in a patrol car. That day taught students at Ridgeway Institute a lesson.

Never judge a person by its cover.

School was depressing and gloomy, uneventful for the rest of the day. News that Scarlett was gone spread like fire. The hallways were surprisingly filled with students, despite being a Friday. Everyone likes Friday. It’s the last day of the week and everyone gets off early on Fridays. But strangely, today was filled with students carrying heavy backpacks and a handful of textbooks. Discussion and conference rooms were fully booked, and the library was unusually packed.

Amara and their peers found themselves drifting into deep thoughts, which irked their instructors. As punishment, the class was sent for detention. Lined up in the hallways, they watched in silence as delinquents and ex-convicts from Class E lashed out at every student they could find. Ridgeway was returning to its asylum prison-like hell hole. Without Scarlett’s terrifying and intimidating glare and deadly killer skills, no one could stand up to the mafia.

When lunch time came around, they saw the vice-principal marching into the headmaster’s office. Sceptical and curious, the tiptoed after their vice-principal. They will never forgive this greedy man. After all, he is the reason why Scarlett had to leave! They pinned their ears against the keyhole of the headmaster’s office, straining their ears to eavesdrop.

“Our students were wrongly arrested! Principal Walker, you have to help the students!” they heard the vice-principal pleaded.

“Lewis, you cannot go against the law. If they did not do anything wrong, they’ll return safely.”

“What about Scarlett Ko? Are you telling me she’ll return safely?” Vice-principal frowned. It was no secret his dislike for the said individual. He resented her with all his being. It was a torture of three years, and the journey shall continue. Lewis didn’t like it one bit. His grudge ran deep.

Vice-principal frowned when Principal Walker showed no sign of surprise. It was as if he had been expecting Scarlett’s departure. Principal Walker just smiled at Lewis. His smile said everything. Everything was meticulously planned. Vice-principal was horrified. His nephew was arrested! How can someone be so ruthless!

Amara barged into the office with a loud bang. “You are the one that is ruthless! You don’t know how much work Scarlett had done for us! She protected us! Look what’s happening to Ridgeway!”

“Can you protect us, Vice-principal Lewis? The mafia lackeys and delinquents are lashing out at the normal students! Are you happy? Are you happy now Scarlett’s gone?!” Nina screeched. “I hope your nephew is sentenced for isolation!”

The girls were ashamed that they even suspected Scarlett was the murderer. Within just hours after she was gone, they witnessed the rapid change happening to Ridgeway. The revolution unclouded their sight, opening new doors of trust. They believed Scarlett never harmed Ellie. Instead, she must have tried to protect her.

“Now you see? Vice-principal Lewis, if Julian and his friends did not commit any crime, they’ll return safely.” The principal calmly replied. Seeing Lewis huffing darkly with a disapproving look, Amara and the gang grinned in delight. However, the problem currently faced by Ridgeway still remained unsolved.

Scarlett frowned when she found herself at the entrance of Amestris Police Headquarters the next day. Officials bowed and greeted her as she slapped her palm against the scanning device. Many wished her a blessed return as they walked past. But deep down, they knew. Her return never meant good news. The SS-rank combat specialist, codename: Dawn.

The major general’s gallant demeanour came into view when Scarlett made it to the Violent Crime Investigation Unit, First Department. He had his arms folded, and eyebrow partially arched. “I thought you weren’t going to turn up. One second later, I was about to summon the SWAT team.” He grinned.

“Sir Edward….” Scarlett grumbled. “Please refrain from making unnecessary actions. Maintain a low profile, please. Low profile…”

“I will, if you do your part,” Edward laughed as they entered the investigation office.

Scarlett was rendered stunned when the officials in the office tackled her to the ground with grins on their faces. “Welcome back, Lieutenant Scarlett Ko!”

New recruits watched the bizarre sight unfold before their eyes. Clueless and puzzled. They started to wonder who the new arrival was, to be welcomed and respected by both junior and senior recruits. They had to admit the name the crowd had blurted had a tinge of familiarity.

“Okay, okay. All of you, get off me!” Scarlett exclaimed, finally found her voice after the small surprise. Dusting specks of dust and straightening her clothes, she stared at the squadron of the First Department. Compared to yesterday’s drenched school uniform, Scarlett was now dressed according to the law enforcement dress code: white shirt, black coat, slacks, and boots.

“Autopsy report,” Scarlett glanced at Edward, perching on one of the many desks in the office. “It’s done, isn’t it?”

Edward nodded with a small smile. “I see that sharp tongue is exuberant as ever,”

Scarlett was deep in thoughts after Edward handed over the said autopsy report. The new recruits stared at the newcomer with a combination of trepidations. Some admired her as an expert, some viewed her as a trespasser. The major general’s aide stopped them. His name was Fang.

“You should stop. She’s not a threat.” He told them. Their faces screamed confusion. Fang sighed and continued, “She’s Lieutenant Ko, I’m sure you’ve heard stories of her.”

The appalling legends of the transparent officer of Special Ops Investigation Unit, Lieutenant Scarlett Ko.