Chapter 1: The Handcuffs
Detective Mark adjusted his coat as he scanned the crowded airport terminal. His eyes locked onto his targets near the gate: a tall man looking around blankly and a young girl standing closely by his side. Mark had been tracking them for days, convinced they were responsible for a recent murder.
He marched forward, grabbed their wrists, and snapped a pair of heavy iron handcuffs around them, chaining the two suspects directly to his own wrist.
"Hey! What are you doing?" the girl yelled, trying to pull away. "Why are you arresting us?"
"You have a charge of murder," Mark said coldly. "We know you killed someone. You're coming with me."
Before they could argue further, Mark’s phone buzzed. He held up a finger, stepping a few feet aside to take the call while keeping the pair tightly chained to him. Taking advantage of the distraction, the man and the girl frantically checked the nearby baggage carousel for their bags, hoping to find their documents or money.
"It's gone," the girl whispered in panic. "Our bags, our money... everything was stolen."
Mark hung up the phone and pulled them toward the boarding gate. "Save the tears. You can explain it to the judge."
