Zeek stared desperately at the scene before him. It was like nothing he could have ever imagined. In the center of the room were two yellow machines. Held firmly against them, spread-eagle style, were Myojin and his client’s sister, Eva. He approached the machines, but stopped cold when he saw the box beneath Myojin’s feet.
A bomb.
He examined the contraption again. The bomb was definitely connected to the machine.
So what detonates it?
He took another step forward.
“Stop right there, Zeek Randell,” blared a voice over a loudspeaker. “Don’t take another step.”
Zeek froze.
“In case you haven’t figured it out, those are bombs at their feet. Look around you; there are about four hundred pounds of C4 packed in this warehouse. And I can detonate it at any time. So if you value your life, or your friends’ lives, you’ll do as I say.”
“What do you want me to do?” Zeek shouted, unsure whether or not his voice could be heard. He got his answer immediately.
“You took everything away from me!” the speaker said harshly. “I was the best, I surpassed even our mentor, yet you and Myojin appear out of nowhere, three years later, and steal away everything that mattered to me! With this, I can get revenge against you, as well as eliminate one of the two people in my way of becoming the greatest. I set this case up specifically because I knew that this girl had a connection unknown to you. You didn’t know that she was your friend’s niece. It was that detail that would prevent you from backing out of this case once you knew. With this case, I can confront you head on, put a scar on your reputation, and get back what’s truly important to me.”
“What do you want me to do?” Zeek repeated.
“You’re going to choose.”
“What do you mean?”
“What’s more important to you—your career and reputation, or your humanity? Will you sacrifice your career to save your humanity, or will you sacrifice your humanity for your careers? I want you to choose. Before you stands a podium of sorts. On it are two buttons. Each one will release your friends. However, only one button can be activated, once done, the other becomes inactive. The button your press will release one of your two friends, but it will lock the other in place to die in the explosion.”
“How can you expect me to choose?” Zeek asked angrily.
“Not my problem. You have three minutes.”
The digital displays above the two machines lit up, each set for three minutes. Zeek stared frantically at the two victims. How could he choose? In either case, someone would die. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t choose, but he couldn’t just stand there either.
What do I do? When I choose, which is the right decision—as a detective, as a human being…as a friend?
Then it hit him. The realization struck him like a blow to the stomach, sending him to his knees. He stared with a mix of shock and fear at the display, which now read 2:14. There was no solution. There was no right answer. After all these years of solving every case, finding solutions to every problem, he was stuck. No matter what he chose, he would be wrong. He felt himself grow heavy. He doubled over, barely able to support himself on his hands and knees.
There’s no solution.
“Zeek, what the hell are you doing?” Myojin shouted angrily. However, his words didn’t register in Zeek’s ears. “Zeek, get up and save the girl!”
Zeek glanced up at Myojin, wide-eyed. He glared back at Zeek fiercely.
“Hurry up!” he shouted. “You only have a little longer! Save Eva!”
Zeek was confused. What was Myojin saying? Wasn’t he aware that he would die if Zeek saved Eva? Surely there’s no way he could want that.
“What are you—“ he started.
“Zeek, just shut the hell up and save her!”
“What about you?” Zeek cried out.
“What about me?”
“You’ll die! If I save Eva, you’ll die!”
“If you just sit there, we’ll all die! Don’t you get it? If we die, he wins! You have a job to do, so save Eva!”
“But—“
“What would our mentor have done? Think about that! He would save Eva! For the greater good, he would save her! If I die, at least you can go on! You can solve this case even if I’m dead. But if Eva dies, you can’t finish this case!”
“But I—“
“Zeek, save Eva, dammit!”
“But—“
“Zeek!” he shouted, straining against his deathbed. “Save the fucking girl!”
Zeek stared at Myojin, who still glared angrily back. Against his own will his body stood up and moved shakily to the podium. He was no longer in control of his body. When he reached the podium he gripped both sides tightly, and stared up at the display. He only had 54 seconds left.
I won’t do it.
He had to do it.
I won’t let Myojin die.
He had no choice.
He squeezed his eyes shut and hit the button.
"ZEEK!"