Shadows of the Savannah

The air in the Lagos police station was thick with tension. Detective Ayo Daramola leaned over the evidence board, his eyes scanning every photo, every clue, and every victim's face as if sheer willpower could unravel the Ribbon Reaper's web of death. Beside him, Sergeant Bimpe Olawale shuffled through their notes, her frustration palpable.

Bimpe slammed a file shut. "We're missing something."

"You think I don't know that?" Ayo snapped, rubbing his temples. "He's playing us, and I'm tired of dancing to his tune."

Bimpe's eyes narrowed. "We found the attic. We've rattled him."

Ayo turned sharply. "Rattled? No, Bimpe. He wanted us to find that place. He's escalating, and we're running out of time."

The sharp buzz of Ayo's phone interrupted their exchange. He picked it up, the screen glowing with an unknown number. Bimpe's gaze met his tense and questioning.

"Detective Daramola," Ayo said, his voice steady.

A low chuckle echoed through the line. "Detective," the Ribbon Reaper's voice is drawled, smooth and menacing. "Enjoying my little surprises?"

Ayo's jaw tightened. "Your games won't last forever. We'll find you."

"Oh, but I'm counting on that," the Reaper replied. "Let's make it interesting. I've left you another gift. Third floor of the old textile factory on Ikorodu Road. Tick-tock, Detective."

The line went dead.

"Ikorodu Road," Ayo repeated, grabbing his coat. "Let's move."

The factory loomed against the night sky, a crumbling giant silhouetted by flickering streetlights. Ayo and Bimpe approached cautiously, their weapons drawn.

"Creepy as hell," Bimpe muttered, glancing around. "You feel that?"

Ayo nodded, his flashlight cutting through the darkness. "Let's stay sharp."

Inside, the vast expanse of the factory floor stretched before them, littered with debris. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the sound of their footsteps.

"Third floor," Ayo said, nodding toward a stairwell at the far end.

The climb was slow, each step creaking ominously. Reaching the third floor, a sickly sweet smell hit them.

Bimpe grimaced. "God, what is that?"

Ayo didn't answer, his flashlight revealing the source: a man slumped in a chair in the center of the room. A red ribbon was tied neatly around his neck.

Bimpe cursed under her breath. "We're too late."

"Clear the room," Ayo ordered, moving cautiously toward the body. Bimpe checked every corner while Ayo examined the man. He was middle-aged, his face pale and lifeless. A note was pinned to his chest with a small dagger.

Ayo pulled the note free, unfolding it to reveal a single line: "He deserved it. Do you?"

Bimpe returned, shaking her head. "No sign of him. But this… this was recent."

Ayo's jaw clenched. "He's close. Let's secure the scene and call it in."

Back at the station, the autopsy report confirmed what they suspected. The victim, identified as Tunde Ajayi, had been dead for less than two hours. Cause of death: strangulation. The ribbon wasn't just a calling card; it was the murder weapon.

"Tunde Ajayi," Bimpe read aloud. "Former banker. Fired six months ago for embezzlement. No known connections to the other victims."

Ayo paced the room. "He's sending us a message. This wasn't random."

"What about the note?" Bimpe asked. "'He deserved it. Do you?' What's he trying to say?"

Ayo stopped pacing. "It's personal. He's fixated on me, but I don't know why. We need to dig deeper into Ajayi's past. There's something we're missing."

That night, Ayo sat alone in his apartment, the Ribbon Reaper's voice playing in his mind. "Do you deserve it?" His phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Another unknown number.

"Detective," the familiar voice drawled. "Did you enjoy my latest masterpiece?"

"You're slipping," Ayo said, his voice steady. "We're getting closer."

The Reaper chuckled. "Oh, Ayo. You're exactly where I want you. Shall we raise the stakes?"

"Enough games," Ayo snapped. "What do you want?"

"Justice," the Reaper replied, his tone cold. "For those who deserve it. And you, Detective, will deliver it."

The line went dead, leaving Ayo in the suffocating silence. The trap was tightening, and he was running out of time to break free.

The following morning, Ayo called a meeting with his team. The conference room buzzed with activity as officers filed in, each carrying grim expressions.

"We've got a pattern," Bimpe began, pulling up a map on the screen. "The murder sites form a rough circle, all within a ten-kilometer radius of Lagos Island."

"What's at the center?" Ayo asked, stepping closer.

"That's the thing," Bimpe said. "It's the old General Hospital. Abandoned for years."

The room fell silent. The hospital was notorious for its eerie reputation, a place where urban legends thrived.

"He's taunting us," Ayo said, his voice firm. "But we're not waiting for his next move. Bimpe, get a team together. We're going to the hospital tonight."

The hospital stood like a ghostly sentinel in the fading light, its broken windows and peeling walls whispering of forgotten horrors. Ayo and his team approached cautiously, their flashlights cutting through the gloom.

"Stay alert," Ayo ordered. "He's been ahead of us every step, but not this time."

Inside, the air was damp and stale, the floor littered with debris. The team moved in pairs, their radios crackling with occasional updates.

"First floor clear," Bimpe's voice came through. "Heading to the east wing."

Ayo and another officer, Corporal Tunde, took the west wing. The corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, their shadows shifting with each step.

"Sir," Tunde whispered, pointing ahead. A faint light flickered at the end of the hall.

Ayo nodded, signaling for silence. They approached the source cautiously, their weapons drawn. The light led them to a small room, its walls covered in newspaper clippings and photographs. At the center stood a single chair, empty but ominous.

"It's another setup," Ayo muttered, scanning the room. His eyes fell on a recorder placed on the chair. He pressed play, the Ribbon Reaper's voice filling the space.

"Welcome, Detective. You're getting warmer. But are you ready to face the truth?"

The recorder clicked off, leaving the room in silence.

"Sir, we need to regroup," Tunde said, his voice uneasy.

Ayo nodded, but his mind raced. The Reaper wasn't just a killer, he was orchestrating something far more sinister. And Ayo knew the endgame was drawing closer.