Laika Orlova/Main Story

## Arc of Reverie Reality

### Prologue: A Rude Awakening

On May 6th at 7:35 AM, Laika Orlova embarked on her investigation, responding to a distress call regarding a dropped kidnapping case in a nearby town. Despite her struggle with directions, she ventured to a gas station to gather her bearings. After some banter and realizing the lack of attention from the unenthused employee, Laika departed and began wandering the streets. As she walked, thoughts started invading her mind, prompting her to question desires and their impact on the world. She dismissed these thoughts and focused on finding her way, albeit with some difficulty. While navigating the town, she inspected her phone for the time, weather forecast, and reviewed the case file. Despite seeking directions from strangers, Laika's locational abilities posed a challenge, but she remained determined to solve the case at hand.

Between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, Miss Orlova continued her search in the town, questioning pedestrians and gathering information. She met a news reporter named Meryl who provided crucial details about the serial kidnapping cases that had occurred in California. According to Meryl, the kidnappings all took place between February and May, starting on the 5th of each month and ending on the 18th. This pattern suggested a potential connection to human trafficking rather than murder. Miss Orlova received documents and reports from Meryl, which she logged and analyzed for further leads.

During this time, she also reviewed potential footage from locations such as parking garages. After exchanging contacts with Meryl and debriefing the gathered information, Miss Orlova managed to piece together her surroundings and identified five key locations of interest: a grocery store specializing in imported goods, a park with a cat statue symbolizing good fortune, a movie theater showing current films, a fast food chain known for its chicken offerings, and a gas station with a busy slot machine area.

At 11:00 AM, as she planned to investigate these locations, Miss Orlova received an incoming call from *"Lieutenant Coopie"*, indicating that something urgent had come up.

After the call ended abruptly, Laika responded with a sigh, remarking on the eagerness of the police department to involve her in cases she wasn't originally investigating. She brushed off the moment with a playful comment, acknowledging that she couldn't resist coming to their aid when they needed her. As she made her way to the police department, her phone interrupted with an advertisement from one of her many viruses, causing her to roll her eyes and pocket the device.

### Richter Estate Incident

By 12:50 PM, a chaotic scene unfolded at the crime scene, with numerous police cars and trucks scattered around. The urgent case was briefed to Laika, revealing a potential homicide involving a family of four, with the prime suspect found dead alongside them. The crime had taken place at the Richter Estate, a modest family home struggling to make ends meet. While fortunate to have documented everything related to the previous case, Laika couldn't help but wish for more time.

Taking a seat in the passenger seat of another unit's car, she immersed herself in the file from the previous case, cracking her knuckles in preparation to delve deeper into this new investigation.

At 1:00 PM, Laika stepped out of Lieutenant Cooper's vehicle, her former colleague from the LAPD. As she exited the car, she couldn't help but overhear the gossip and comments from the officers at the scene, questioning the need for a private investigator like her. Ignoring the chatter, Laika retrieved an assortment of tools from her belt and made her way towards Captain Hughs, accompanied by two sergeants and another lieutenant.

Engaging in her usual banter, she teased Captain Hughs before adopting a more serious demeanor, acknowledging the need for her presence. As Captain Hughs began to brief her on the situation, Laika playfully interrupted, referring to herself as "mommy." She requested the sergeants to maintain silence, and after a sigh from Captain Hughs, she was granted entry into the crime scene.

Inside the Richter Estate, Laika encountered a gruesome sight. Four bodies were positioned in front of a staircase, with the most notable being the suspect holding a 9 mm pistol with a gunshot wound between his eyes—a deviation from the typical location of a murder homicide. Laika carefully examined the bodies, noting the order in which they fell and analyzing the damages to the house and belongings. She collected evidence, including personal belongings, and placed them in plastic bags.

Engrossed in her work, Laika began to voice her observations and suspicions out loud. Captain Hughs peered in from the doorway, observing her. Laika discovered an alias ID in the wallet of the deceased suspect, Ceryl Springer. Flipping through the wallet, she found a business card for the Goto Estate, which she believed was connected to her previous case. Realizing the involvement of the Richter family in some serious affairs, she teased Captain Hughs about the upcoming revelations.

As time passed, Laika continued her investigation, gathering items and researching the Richter family. She followed leads from the Goto business card, uncovering a trail of spoof mails and numbers that seemed to be a coded message. She considered the placement of the final gunshot wound suspicious, deviating from typical self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Knowing the eldest member of the Richter family was still at school, she decided to wait for their return and planned to question them.

Reflecting on her situation, Laika remarked on the lack of alcohol and cigarettes that were promised but not delivered. She acknowledged the difficulty of involving those who should never be a part of such investigations. With a mix of jest and seriousness, she prepared herself for the challenging task ahead and hoped the young family member would handle the news with resilience.