the judge.

Katherine started her next day by contacting many law enforcement agencies to try to find leads on Aiko Tanaka. Katherine rationalized that she would be close by because of the targets. She also surmised that Judge Bannon may be Aiko's next target. She would need to go see the judge Julie Bannon and advise her of the threat.There was no doubt she was the next potential victim. And so Julie must be protected before anything happens. She decided to call ahead to let them know she would be arriving shortly. Chief Katherine Frost met up with Julie inside a small café near the courthouse. The two women sat down facing each other across a wooden table, sipping their respective cups of steaming tea. "Thank you for meeting me here," began Chief Frost. Julie shifted uneasily in her seat, taking another sip of her drink. "We will get to the bottom of this," reassured Chief Frost confidently. She looked into Judge Bannon's worried face as she took another sip of her tea. The room seemed to grow more tense with each passing moment, the ticking clock adding pressure to their conversation. As they continued talking, the atmosphere gradually grew heavier, both women sharing concerns about what might happen if someone didn't stop Aiko Tanaka soon enough.Judge Bannon's fingers trembled slightly around her teacup, but she tried to maintain composure when addressing her fears. “Chief Frost,” she said, her voice cracking just a bit. “Is there any way to predict when or where she’ll strike again?”

“That's our primary objective right now – pinpointing her next moves.” She explained how they were analyzing past cases and patterns to figure out Aiko's strategy. "But until then, it's vital that you remain extra vigilant." Chief Frost took a deep breath, her gaze locked onto Judge Bannon's. "Your safety is my top priority. Change the times of your breaks when not in the courtroom and change the location. I will assign a team to keep watch over you. When you are at home I will have officers watching your home.There should always be someone outside." Judge Bannon nodded gratefully, grateful for the protection but still feeling uneasy. It wasn't easy being constantly watched, but she knew it was necessary. "The longer this goes on without capture, the harder it gets to feel truly secure."The waitress came over to refill their teacups, giving the pair some brief respite from their discussion. With nervous glances shared between them, both women struggled to hide their anxiety. "It's going to take all of us working together," added Chief Frost solemnly. Katherine escorted Julie back to her chambers and then carried on with her investigation. She looked around the courthouse for anyone acting strangely but saw nothing. Something was bothering her as she headed back to the police station. Aiko must have been watching her victims to get a pattern of their movements. However, why strike them in their own homes? She wanted them to be found so that they would be embarrassed by the press coverage.

After all, Aiko had already achieved most of her goals through humiliating people. What better way than making sure everyone knew? In the meantime, though, Aiko couldn't resist getting even closer to the person she wanted most: Julie Bannon. If she could just convince the judge to come out tonight... But first, she needed to take certain precautions. Aiko went to the nearest hardware store, picking up items like duct tape, rope, and several pairs of gloves - essential tools for binding, gagging, and restraining her targets. Next, she called the judge's office claiming to be a detective. She spoke with Julie and told her that Chief Frost asked her to call. She told Julie that Aiko had been captured and she could send the detectives who were protecting her back to the station. Aiko then took her van to the side of the road three blocks from Julie's house. The stretch of road was isolated with nothing around. She pulled up and waited with the hood of her van up. The sun had begun to set and it was soon dark and with no lights on the side of the road it was soon almost pitch black. Aiko saw the lights of a car approaching hoping it was Julie.Sure enough, it was the judge's vehicle pulling into the view. Feeling adrenaline pumping through her veins, Aiko got ready to execute her plan. Silently, she stepped out of her van, careful not to draw attention to herself. She moved towards the front of the van looking down at the engine. As expected Julie pulled in front of Aiko's van stopped her car and got out. She approached Aiko and asked if she could be of assistance.

Aiko pretended to stumble over her words, playing the role perfectly. She claimed to have broken down and if she could use the judge's phone to get help. Julie turned to go get her phone and then Aiko sprung into action with the chloroform rag in her hand.Swiftly moving behind Julie, she grabbed the unsuspecting woman tightly around her waist and covered her nose and mouth firmly. This caught Julie off guard, leaving her dazed, confused, and helpless against Aiko's swift attack. Slowly the powerful **** entered Julie's system causing her limbs to weaken quickly and ultimately knocking her out cold. Seeing her for successfully subdued, Aiko proceeded to drag Judge Bannon into the darkness of her van. Tying Julie in the back of the van she gagged her. She headed to Julie's car and locked it up then headed back to the van closed the hood and drove off into the night. Katherine was in her office and she contacted the officers outside Julie's house. She became worried when she was informed that the judge had not come home. Then she saw the officers who had been assigned to guard the judge at the courthouse.They reported back to Katherine that they hadn't seen or heard from Judge Bannon since she told them that Aiko had been caught and she said they could go. The news sent shivers down Katherine's spine. What happened next was crucial. Time was running out, and every second counted. Without further delay, Katherine leapt into action, dispatching search parties immediately throughout the city to scour every possible hiding spot.

She ordered these teams to work closely with local authorities to maximize resources and minimize overlap. While waiting for the search results, Katherine contacted various informants within criminal circles to gather any intelligence related to Aiko's activities. Meanwhile, in a secluded cabin in the mountains, Julie started to come round.She was groggy, disorientated, and extremely frightened. Realizing that she had been kidnapped she struggled to understand what was happening. Her panicked mind raced through possibilities wondering whether this was indeed Aiko or merely a random abductor. Despite her terror, Julie refused to give up hope. She realised she had been thrown onto teh floor hogtied with rope and gagged with what felt like nylon stockings. Trying desperately to free herself from the bondages, Julie managed to struggle halfway out of the gag only to fall flat on her face, realising she was far from escape. Frustration overwhelmed her as her wrists bled due to constant rubbing against the rough ropes. Aiko walked in smirking as she saw Julie awake."Don't worry, sweetheart," she cooed, sauntering closer. "No need to fret. We're all friends here, aren't we?" Julie squirmed beneath the bindings, struggling against her constraints, but Aiko casually swatted away her attempts with mock concern. "Relax! There's no reason to fight." Forcing Julie to look directly into her sinister smile, Aiko leaned close, whispering, "Remember, I hold your fate in my hands.

No matter what happens from now on, know that I can release you - or snuff out your life like a candle." Julie's heart thundered wildly, trying to find solace in such terrifying circumstances. 'Please,' she thought, pleading internally for Aiko to let her live. Now Judge you are the last one who disrespected me. The other four I have humiliated but you will be different as you had the chance to find in my favour but you did not.Therefore, you shall pay. I want the world to see you as nothing more than another victim," hissed Aiko, relishing in her malicious intent. Katherine went over the reports that came in. The judge's car had been found abandoned and locked up by the side of the road. Aiko had changed her method and kidnapped Julie instead of attacking her at home. She must have known there would be officers posted to the judge's home.That’s why she chose to ambush the judge en route. Thinking fast, Aiko concocted an elaborate scheme which relied heavily upon deception. Firstly, she assumed the identity of a fellow cop. Secondly, she made Julie believe she was calling to check on her well-being after hearing rumours concerning Aiko's arrest. Then it dawned on Katherine that someone in her department must be feeding Aiko information. How else could she possibly know exactly how many officers were monitoring the judge's residence? This revelation infuriated Katherine. She had put trust in those working under her and misplaced it. Unfairness simmered deep inside, a bitter taste lingering on her tongue. Without a moment to waste, she began to interrogate her staff individually. Starting with her closest allies, the ones whom she believed held no bias or grudge toward Aiko. One by one, they were questioned ruthlessly.