I felt like I was born to solve this case.

• 👉Introduction: Tuesday → Go to Page 2.

Kostya: Nikita, there's been a murder.

Nikita: Already, it's only 9:00 AM... I'll head over there.

Kostya: The woman is badly mutilated and the killer left almost no evidence other than the body.

Nikita: Everything is connected, I'll figure it out, boss.

Kostya: Head over to the murder scene at once.

Nikita: Will do, I'll update you with more information as I get it.

Murder Scene

• 🔍Find trace evidence. → Go to Page 3.
• 🔍Analyze the body. → Go to Page 4.
• 🔍Analyze the home life of the victim. → Go to Page 5.
• 🔍Analyze the letter. → Go to Page 6.
• 🔍Analyze the house. → Go to Page 7.

The body was cleaned of evidence exceptionally well. No trace evidence was found on the victim. The room and house don't show signs of a break-in. This murder was almost perfectly planned. Typically, murder scenes have a substantial amount of evidence of foreign DNA, fibers, and hair or fingerprints.

The victim is tied to a chair and was stabbed to death. There are droplets of blood on the floor that indicate a slow flow of blood from the victim's body to the floor. There is no blood spatter. The killer enjoys watching pain. Blood pooling suggests the woman has been dead for 24 hours.

She lived alone and her work informed us that she took a day off the day she died. The killer knows the schedule of his/her victims. The killer chooses victims that are vulnerable... the killer plans the murders carefully. If the killer continues to kill, we might be able to establish a pattern, because this killer probably does not pick victims at random. The killer picks easy targets.

The killer left a letter that told us if we solved a puzzle, that he left in the closet... he would turn himself in. Why is he playing games with us?

• 👉The Closet → Go to Page 8.

Nothing is broken or damaged. How did the killer control the victim and tie her to the chair? The killer may have known this woman... but I'm not entirely sure.

What's in the closet?

Blindfold, an apple, a doll's finger, and a bar of soap.

*Inspect the items with rubber gloves*

We can test for DNA evidence but the killer probably used gloves when handling these items.

Detective Alexi: Nikita, maybe this is just nothing?

Nikita: Wait, wait, one moment, I'm thinking...

*Leave the crime scene and call Pavel*

Detective Alexi: You cannot discuss the case with anyone.

Nikita: I won't, I'm just taking a break.

*Return to base and call Pavel*

Pavel: Hello?

Nikita: Brother, it's me. I want to ask you something.

Pavel: Sure, go ahead.

Nikita: Blindfold, an apple, a finger, and soap. What's the puzzle?

Pavel: Blindfold... apple... soap... finger... hmm.

Maybe the puzzle is, "What's the missing item?"

Pavel: Sight, taste, touch, and smell... Hearing is missing, and that means... deaf. Maybe the missing item is an earplug?

Nikita: I just thought of the same thing. Thanks, brother, talk later!

*Hangs up*

• 👉The Note → Go to Page 9.

There is a note in the closet.

*Read the note*

I shave several times a day, yet always have a beard.

Another puzzle... how does this connect?

Are these riddles simply red herrings?

A barber... but how does it relate to the murder?

Where is the connection? Come on, Nikita, think.

*Continue walking from room to room*

Detective Alexi: Nikita... we are wasting time, this is useless... YOU are useless.

*Stare at Alexi*

Nikita: Alexi...

Detective Alexi: The killer is out there, and you're not analyzing anything useful at all...

Nikita: Alexi, the first riddle contained a bar of soap, and yet every bathroom in this house uses a dispenser.

Detective Alexi: You're new... I guess I'm not surprised you lose your focus so easily.

Nikita: And yet, I know that this bar of soap came from outside of this house.

*Detective Alexi shows contempt on his face*

Nikita: No residue from a bar of soap exists in any bathroom... Do you understand, Alexi?

*Alexi turns away*

Nikita: There is still soap and shampoo in every dispenser, and there are no other bars of soap, new or used, in this house.

It's rather simple, Alexi... This means the bar of soap came from the killer.

Psychologically speaking, people are very resistant to change... The likelihood that this woman decided to stop using liquid soap and switch to using bars of soap is very slim, unless there is a logical reason to do so... and in this situation, I cannot find a reason.

Think... just think... for once. Why would the killer bring their own soap to set up this riddle rather than use the soap in this house?

Let me guess, Alexi, you have nothing. Don't criticize me for wasting time if you have nothing... nothing at all...

The killer brought the soap because everything was premeditated and this particular killer actually wanted us to know this was premeditated... It's a game. The riddles are just pawns in his game of chess.

Go and tell that to Kostya...

*Nikita stares intently into Alexi's eyes*

*After Alexi doesn't move...*

Nikita: You're like the sun... not because you illuminate my day, but because you are so hard to look at.

*Alexi raises his middle finger, turns around, and begins to walk away*

• 👉Present → Go to Page 10.

Jenna: Wow, that's pretty bad for a team like that to have so much tension...

Nikita: I let my emotions get the better of me, it wasn't my proudest moment... I was young and overzealous.

• 👉Past → Go to Page 11.

*Clench your fists in anger at Alexi*

Nikita: Alexi, I can only explain it to you... I cannot understand it for you. Some things you have to do yourself.

Detective Alexi: YOU ARROGANT PRICK!

*Alexi turns back to you, shoves you, and walks off*

• 👉Next Day: Wednesday → Go to Page 12.

Kostya: Everyone... come into the meeting room.

There's been another grizzly discovery, a dead man in a home.

We think the same person is responsible for killing the woman yesterday and this man today.

We need all the information we can get...

Nikita: Sir, I think I know how it's connected...

Alexi: Kostya, I believe the riddles in the previous scene were telling us which target the killer would pick next.

*Stare at Alexi in shock...*

Alexi: I found out that the entire thing was elaborately planned... the dead man we found today was a barber, correct?

Kostya: Yes, Alexi... He was a barber, and he was deaf.

Alexi: The riddles I solved yesterday, they described a deaf barber... So now we know the killer is playing games with us.

*Speak under your breath*

Nikita: I should have known he'd take credit. Alexi... pure dead weight.

Kostya: Very good, Alexi, very good. Alright team, move. There's no time to lose. Figure out the next set of riddles.

Second Murder Scene

• 🔍Find trace evidence. → Go to Page 13.
• 🔍Analyze the body. → Go to Page 14.
• 🔍Analyze the home life of the victim. → Go to Page 15.
• 🔍Analyze the house. → Go to Page 16.
• 🔍Analyze the letter. → Go to Page 17.

Once again, the body was cleaned of evidence exceptionally well. The room and house don't show signs of a break-in. The previous murder, I assumed the killer charmed the woman... but now, because this is a man, I'm not so sure that charming the victim was the method of entering the house... I suppose the killer could have charmed this man as well, but maybe there's a different way the killer got inside.

The victim is taped to a chair and was stabbed to death. Once again, the blood seeped from his body slowly. Blood pooling suggests the man has been dead for 7.5 hours.

This man worked at a barber shop and was deaf. The riddle answers from the previous crime scene, ear and barber, line up perfectly. This man didn't have work today because he worked part-time. So the killer always picks victims that don't have things planned at the time of the killing to give himself ample time to escape and hide evidence.

Nothing is broken or damaged. Since it's only 8:35 AM, and the man has been dead for about 7.5 hours, the killer broke into the house at night, but how did he control this man and place him in the chair without leaving any physical evidence? Maybe chloroform was used?

The killer left a letter saying: "Time... is running out."

• 👉Investigate the House → Go to Page 18.

*Check all of the closets*

If this killer is playing a game like I think he is, then I should find more riddles... somewhere.

Exactly what I thought...

There are two notes in this closet.

"Who buys it doesn't need it, who makes it doesn't want it, and who uses it can neither see nor feel it."

Coffin... coffin... coffin. I'm not sure what to make of that.

Maybe if I solve the second riddle, coffin will mean something more.

"What always runs but never walks, often murmurs but never talks, has a bed but never sleeps, and has a mouth but never eats?"

My best guess is that this riddle is describing a river.

River and coffin... Does this mean the next victim will drown in a river?

Coffin? River? Coffin... River...

Something with death and a river, but what exactly? I just... don't know.

• 👉Go Home → Go to Page 19.

*Open the door to your apartment*

*1:05 AM*

Pavel: Late night again? Same case as before?

Nikita: So much blood... So much death... This job is... rough.

*Pavel puts his arm on your shoulder*

*Take a deep breath*

Pavel: Let's talk, you'll feel better. Talking always helps.

Nikita: I just... can't figure this out... Stupid riddle, it's so stressful.

Pavel: What's the riddle?

Nikita: River and a coffin. That's all I have...

Pavel: What was the last one again?

Nikita: It was deaf and barber.

*Pavel scratches his head*

*You squint your eyes*

Nikita: Any coffee left?

Pavel: At this hour?

*Pavel nods*

Pavel: Yeah, sure.

*Pavel starts brewing some coffee.*

Pavel: So it describes a type of person.

Nikita: Right... Hmm, but how does river or coffin describe a person? I guess coffin describes a dead person...

• 👉Drink Coffee → Go to Page 20.

Pavel: We'll figure it out.

Nikita: I didn't last time, Pavel... and a man died because of it.

Pavel: You didn't know what to look for.

The killer wanted this, Nikita. This game is meant to mess with your head.

It's... a challenge, it seems like. This guy is smart, but I doubt he's smarter than you.

Nikita: Earplugs... and barber. It was so vague.

*Pavel looks up*

Pavel: Waiiittt... a second.

*Take a sip of coffee*

Pavel: You know what I would do if I were making these riddles?

Nikita: You'd make them as difficult as possible.

Pavel: Exactly. So this new pair of riddles might not describe the person at all.

Nikita: Right... Assuming this pair of riddles describe the same characteristics as the previous pair... is incorrect.

Pavel: Mhmm... That's why it was so difficult, because you were wondering how river or coffin describe a person.

*Nod slowly*

Nikita: Pavel... you're a genius.

Pavel: It just helps to have a fresh mind on the problem.

Nikita: Is there any cake left?

*Pavel cuts a piece of cake for you*

Nikita: Thanks, brother, cake always helps.

• 👉Eat Cake → Go to Page 21.

Pavel: River and coffin... Do you think it's referring to the Moskva River?

*Eat a piece of cake*

Nikita: A location instead of a profession? Could be.

Pavel: It really sounds like the riddle is saying death by water, like drowning, but that's too easy.

Nikita: WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! Death... by WATER!

Pavel: Ohhhhh. The morgue! Yes! I bet that's it!

Nikita: The morgue by the Moskva River, that's where the murder will happen! YES!

*Pavel smiles*

Pavel: We are a good team!

Nikita: I love you, brother!

*Call Kostya*

• 👉Call Kostya → Go to Page 22.

Nikita: KOSTYA! It's the morgue by the Moskva, that's where the next victim works.

Kostya: The morgue? Are you sure?

Nikita: Yes, I'm sure. Call all of the employees, one of them is in danger.

Kostya: Okay, Nikita, I'll get everyone. I hope you're right.

Nikita: I hope we're in time...

Kostya: I'm on it, I'm on it. I'll keep you in the loop. Talk soon.