he was dealing with a madman and that he would not let him go. Ackermann's only hope was the police. But did she even know where he was? Did she already have a lead? Or did they not even suspect something of his disappearance?

"Do you want to live? Or do you want to die?" Came the hoarse voice of the madman. The mask made her look dull, but no less threatening. Ackermann did not recognize the voice.

"Please let me live!" He almost barked at him. He thought he saw a brief nod from the man. He put his knife back in his pocket and began to walk.

“Oh God!” Uttered Ackermann. Just before he disappeared, the masked man turned around. "No." he threw at him. "Mephisto.", He seemed to want to correct him. Ackermann stared at him thoughtlessly. The next day 'Mephisto' came again. This time he cut open both Ackermann's arms lengthways. Just deep enough not to damage any vital veins. At the end he asked Ackermann again.

"Do you want to live? Or do you want to die?"

Ackermann gave him a shocking look.

"Please stop!" He wailed. The masked man repeated his question.

"I damn well want to live!" Shouted Ackermann at him with his last strength. The masked man nodded and left the room. He returned on the third day. This time he slowly began to detach Ackermann's fingertips.First on the left hand, then on the right hand. Ackermann wailed and pleaded. When his hand was soon nothing more than something bloody, the masked man held Ackermann's head with his black hand. His piercing eyes looked directly into Ackermann's. Again he asked the question.

"Do you want to live? Or do you want to die?" When Ackermann was reluctant to answer, he pressed his chin firmly so that he could finally say something.

"Please," croaked the businessman.

"Please stop. Please stop." The masked man narrowed his eyes.

"Then you want to, so die?" He asked. Ackermann let out a hum.

"Yes. Please let it end," he begged. The masked man nodded. Ackermann finally felt the redeeming stab in his heart. His eyes got an almost happy and happy expression. At least that's what the masked man imagined. He cleaned Ackermann's chest again so that his number could be read clearly.

"Twelve more," he muttered.
Chapter 2

Time does not exist, only the now exists.
"End of the day.", Chris pointedly pushed his chair to the right. "Almost.", Damir held back his joy and pointed in the direction of the door. "This Reimer, Reiner, or whatever has announced himself for today," he explained. Chris shook his head.

"Without me. Call him and put him off until tomorrow.", He asked his colleague for a favor, which Damir had to refuse.

"It's already there, just coming up the stairs. He announced himself over the intercom a few seconds ago," he stated. Chris threw his head back.

"Goodbye closing time.", He sighed and shortly afterwards heard the expected ringing. "I'll leave you alone then. I want to enjoy my evening too." Damir rubbed his hands. Chris glanced at him furtively.

"You go and I can still sharpen pencils?" He felt abandoned. Damir smiled.

"Your case. What is it actually about?" He asked. Chris waved it off.

"You can guess what it's always about," he replied. Damir nodded.

"Shall we see you at the shelter later? I'll give you one for it," he offered. Chris even insisted and Damir walked to the door. He tore his coat off the clothes rack and opened the door. He greeted the client and invited him in. Shortly afterwards he left the detective agency. Chris looked through the window. It hadn't snowed yet, but winter had definitely come. He would probably have to get thicker clothes soon. He decided to get a cozy jacket soon.

"Mr. Hartmann, talk like that!", Chris had completely missed the fact that the client had already sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

"Oh yes, Mr. Reiner!" He greeted him. The client coughed. "Reimer." He corrected. Chris had to smile.

"And? How does it look? Did the whore dare to ruffle me?", Reimer asked sharply. Chris asked him to take a calmer tone first.

"Mr. Reimer, I really have to inform you that your feeling has been confirmed.", Chris replied in time. He didn't know how many times he'd slumped that sentence this month.

"I took a close look at your wife's private life and came to the conclusion that she is currently having an affair with her employer, Kurt Ritter," he said callously and handed Reimer an envelope. This was open, but Reimer still seemed to find it necessary to tear it open. Several photos tumbled out. Reimer only had to look at one thing to pronounce some ugly words again.

"I told you, Herr Hartmann! Didn't I?" He snapped at Chris. This tried to shift his facial features so that it looked like sympathy.

"Yes, you have, Mr. Reimer," he replied coolly. Some of his clients preferred to pay immediately and then furiously leave the building and call in a divorce lawyer immediately. Reimer wasn't one of those people. He was middle-aged, smartly dressed, and wealthy. That was the only reason Chris took the 'case'.

"Do you know what she told me today? She has to work longer! I could already imagine what that meant. Actually, your examinations were unnecessary from the start!", He accused Chris. This nodded obediently. "If I can interrupt you now because of the payment ...", he tried his luck, but Reimer didn't go on talking. "Do you know what I'm doing? It's going to be difficult because of the house, but there are a lot of things that can be done with the account! In any case, the divorce will come away empty-handed. Clever, from me, right?", He asked himself more, but Chris nodded again. Then the doorbell rang again. Chris guessed Damir, who else would disturb this late?

"Excuse me.", Chris got up and left Reimer alone with his frustration. Chris walked slowly so that his client had time to relax. He opened the door and expected a grinning Damir to stand outside. Nothing. He only saw blue.

"Mr. Hartmann?" He was asked immediately. Chris didn't nod but looked at the two uniformed police officers standing in front of his door.

"Could you give us some time?" Asked the older of the two. Chris waved his gaze in the direction of Reimer.

"I'm sorry, I just have a customer," he stated. But instead of leaving, the officers tried to push their way into the home. "We'll wait in the waiting room as long as you don't mind," the older one seemed to insist. Chris sighed and strolled back to Reimer. In the meantime he had got up.

"What would you do with a bitch like that?" He asked Chris angrily.

"I don't know. Are we finished then, or do you want something else?" He asked gently. Reimer thought about it."No, unless you are a lawyer too," said Reimer, but did not expect confirmation. He literally took off his hat and left the office.

"Send me the bill. But please before the divorce.", He threw back. He didn't pay any tribute to the officers, who had meanwhile made themselves comfortable in the waiting room, but simply stormed out of the detective agency. But now they looked at Chris with interest. He waved the two in reluctantly. He offered them a chair, but they refused.

"You have to come with us," the older one blurted out immediately. Chris couldn't tell whether he was Croatian like Damir or a Czech.

"Am I under arrest?" Chris asked uncertainly. Both officers immediately shook their heads.

"No, we didn't mean it that way. Our agency chief would like to talk to you for a private reason," the older one explained mysteriously. Chris pressed his lips together.

"And of course he's so busy that he can't come himself," he said confidently. To his surprise, the officials confirmed it.

"Indeed. The head of the department said that he knew you from before and that he should speak to you about an important matter. If you accept, we would drive you to the office in Penzing immediately," he explained. Chris felt taken by surprise.

"I know him from before?" He came back to this part. The older one replied in the affirmative.

"Mr. Fleischer said you both went to the police school together," he stated. The younger one still hadn't said a word.

"Are you okay, sir?" He finally asked when he saw Chris' violent reaction.

"Butcher? What does he want?", Chris asked perplexed. He hadn't seen Sebastian in five years. The last time he remembered an argument with his friend. He heard that the psychologist asked Sebastian to spend more time with his friend. Chris accused Sebastian of not being serious about the friendship and the two separated in an argument. Chris didn't expect to hear from him again. But when he thought back, Sebastian was probably the only family he had left. And that he lost too. So what did he want now? Especially after all this time? No phone call or email had come in since then.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Asked Chris. The older one shook his head.

"No, just that it is very important," he replied. Chris nodded slowly.

"Well, I'll go with you. I just have to make a call beforehand," he explained. The officers thanked him and waited in front of the door. Chris informed Damir that he couldn't come and apologized. Then he and the officers left the Hartmann & Maletic detective agency that he and Damir had founded two years ago.
Chapter 3

It is easy for devils to disguise themselves as angels because they are descended from them."Our cells are full," an officer yelled as Chris got out of the police car. The younger one who had driven waved it off.

"Just like a witness," he called back. Chris hadn't noticed anything. He stood in front of the police station and sighed. He could have been one of the uniformed men, maybe even Sebastian.

"This way.", One of the officers addressed him and Chris followed obediently. They went through a sliding door and hiked up a flight of stairs. They had arrived at the office. Chris followed the two to the end. "Head of