Chernobyl’s Revenge

IV

The detectives returned to the station, deeply unsettled. Three bodies in the past twenty-four hours and not a single solid lead. They had to wait a few more hours for the new cadavers to be analyzed. This time, they had two clues: a coin and the note. However, Kreves already suspected these might be distractions. The killer was too clever, and not enough time had passed for them to become careless. They were being manipulated like puppets, so they needed to tread carefully.

Three bodies, two locations, no identities, no leads. They searched through missing persons reports, but based on Miss Abbat’s findings, they knew the first victim had died about 24 hours earlier, meaning the other two were likely killed more recently. This suggested the families might not have reported the disappearances yet. They would need to wait at least 72 hours, by which time more murders could occur. It was a dead-end case, seemingly destined to fade into obscurity. But the most alarming part was that all signs pointed to the beginning of a serial killer’s spree.

The office was filled with all the evidence they could gather. They sent the coin and the note for analysis and pinned a map to the board, marking the two crime scenes: Abingdon Street, Avenue 3212, and The College Gardens. Photos of the victims highlighted the killer’s modus operandi in each case: chest and abdominal punctures forming the “nuclear” symbol, facial disfigurement through skin grafts and corrosive materials, removal of all limbs, eyes, scalps, and, in the two most recent cases, the tongue. The images were deeply disturbing, but both detectives forced themselves to examine them, searching for the smallest detail—a hint of the killer’s identity or a reason for the brutality.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing new.

Dr. Abbat’s report arrived, and Kreves and John braced themselves. Kreves skimmed the report quickly, focusing on the section of interest. The earlier details—the location, the date, and other facts—were already committed to memory. What intrigued him now was whether any new evidence had been discovered.

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April 16, 1999, 2:36 a.m.
Victim Analysis from The College Gardens

Both victims will be referred to as Jane and John Doe due to the lack of identification caused by the severe damage to their faces, absence of fingerprints, and minimal genetic material found.

John Doe:
Caucasian male, approximately 30-40 years old. Complete dismemberment of upper and lower limbs. Chest and abdominal punctures made with an unidentified bladed weapon. Wound depth: 5 cm; width: 2 cm. The pattern resembles the “radioactive material” symbol. Both eyes and tongue were removed. Facial disfigurement due to skin grafts and corrosive material identified as sulfuric acid. The blood was completely drained, and the scalp was partially removed, with the remaining portions corroded by the acid. Additionally, a radiation mask was placed on the victim’s face, and their stump was sutured to that of the victim identified as Jane Doe.

Jane Doe:
Caucasian female, approximately 25-30 years old. Complete dismemberment of upper and lower limbs. Chest and abdominal punctures made with an unidentified bladed weapon. Wound depth: 10 cm; width: 3 cm. The pattern resembles the “radioactive material” symbol. Three ribs were fractured, and the lungs punctured. Both eyes and tongue were removed. Facial disfigurement due to skin grafts and corrosive material identified as hydrochloric acid. The blood was completely drained, and the scalp entirely removed. A radiation mask was also placed on the victim’s face, and their stump was sutured to that of the victim identified as John Doe.

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After reading the report, Kreves was left with more questions than answers. The woman appeared to have suffered greater aggression. Different acids were used, and the wound depth varied. Did the killer harbor a particular hatred for women, or was this part of a specific vendetta? As the detective became lost in thought, his phone rang.

“Detective Lockwood, this is Dr. Abbat. I need you to come to the morgue urgently. I know it’s very early, but this is extremely important.”

“Don’t worry, Doctor. I’m on my way.”

Kreves informed John they needed to head to Dr. Abbat immediately. Grabbing their belongings, they quickly left the police station.