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Morgan pulled up to the pet store, her heart pounding with anticipation. She spotted Derik waiting by the entrance, his eyes scanning the street for any signs of trouble. She jogged over to him, her FBI badge bouncing against her chest.
"Fill me in," she panted, her breaths short and sharp.
"Sam, the owner, seems pretty nervous," Derik explained, keeping his voice low. "He claims they don't have any orange-colored birds, but something tells me he's not being entirely truthful. When I asked to check the back, he told me to come back later because they just received a large shipment of animals. I thought it'd be best to call you in since that feather was your find."
Morgan nodded, her instincts telling her that Derik was right. The feather was the one thing from the crime scene that stood out to her, that made her believe they were dealing with a serial killer--someone who'd left a calling card behind, taunting Morgan to discover who they really were.
"Thanks for calling me," Morgan said, her voice steady and determined as they entered the pet store side by side. The bell above the door chimed softly, echoing through the quiet interior. Rows of pet supplies and cages lined the walls, but there was no sign of Sam or any other employees.
"Sam!" Derik called out, his voice firm yet cautious. Silence answered him, amplifying the sense of unease that crept up Morgan's spine. She could feel her pulse quicken at the prospect of confronting the man who might hold the key to solving Melissa's murder.
"Let's check the back," she whispered, gesturing towards a dimly lit hallway. Together, they moved cautiously down the narrow corridor, their eyes scanning for any signs of danger. As they neared the end of the hallway, an open door revealed an empty storage room, its shelves devoid of the expected shipment of animals.
"Looks like our guy made a run for it," Derik muttered, frustration evident in his tone.
"Come on, he can't be far," Morgan urged, her instincts pushing her forward. They stepped through the open doorway and into the back alley behind the store.
The sun beat down on the cracked asphalt as they spotted Sam, sweat pouring down his face as he frantically loaded bird cages into the back of a large white van. The screeching calls of the frightened birds filled the air, their colorful feathers a stark contrast against the dull exterior of the vehicle.
"Sam!" Derik shouted, anger lacing his voice as he strode towards the panicked man. At the sound of his name, Sam's head whipped around, his eyes wide with fear. Without a second thought, he jumped into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, gunning the engine as he pulled away from the loading dock.
"Dammit!" Morgan cursed under her breath, adrenaline surging through her veins. "Derik, follow me! My car's parked just around the corner!"
The two agents sprinted towards Morgan's vehicle, their hearts pounding in unison as they prepared to give chase. A sense of urgency gripped them both as the van disappeared from sight, knowing that catching Sam could be the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding Melissa's death.
"Let's go!" Morgan shouted as they reached her car, determination etched on her face. She slid behind the wheel with ease, Derik hopping into the passenger side.
Morgan's grip tightened on the steering wheel as she slammed her foot onto the gas pedal, her undercover car roaring to life beneath her. Beside her, Derik braced himself against the dashboard, his green eyes fixed on the van ahead. The urgency of the chase was palpable, and Morgan could feel the weight of its importance pressing down on her.
"Come on, come on," she muttered under her breath, flicking on her police lights. As they flashed blue and red, the cars in front of them moved aside, giving her a clear path to pursue her target. She whipped around a corner with precision, tires screeching against the asphalt.
"There!" Derik shouted, pointing to the white van weaving through traffic up ahead. "He's trying to lose us!"
"Like hell he will," Morgan growled, determination driving her forward.
The chase continued through the busy city streets, the white van swerving dangerously through traffic in an attempt to shake off their pursuers. Morgan's car kept close behind, the blaring sirens of the police car alerting the other drivers to get out of the way.
As they closed in on the van, it became apparent that Sam had noticed their pursuit. In a desperate attempt to shake them off, the van careened around another corner at breakneck speed. But the maneuver proved too reckless; the vehicle tipped onto its side, crashing with a cacophony of shattering glass and twisting metal.
"Got you now," Morgan whispered, her voice laced with triumph.
She brought her car to a halt just behind the toppled van, and both agents leaped out into the chaos that had erupted on the street. Broken cages lay strewn across the pavement, vibrant feathers swirling in the air as the frightened birds flapped and squawked in a frenzy of panic.
"Sam!" Derik bellowed over the cacophony, his gaze locked on the van's driver's side window. "Give it up! You're not getting away!"
Morgan's heart thundered in her chest as she surveyed the scene, her mind racing with questions. What did this man know about Melissa's murder? Why the sudden desperation to escape?
With her gun drawn, Morgan stalked towards the driver's side window of the toppled-over van, shards of glass crunched underfoot as she moved. She caught a glimpse of Sam's fearful eyes, darting around frantically through the shattered glass. She could practically smell his desperation as he tried in vain to escape from the mangled wreck.
"Hands up!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the cacophony of squawking birds and flapping wings. "Now!"
Sam froze, seemingly realizing that there was no way out. His face flushed red with anxiety, he raised his trembling hands above his head in surrender. Morgan approached cautiously, her fingers wrapping around the handcuffs clipped to her belt. She couldn't afford any surprises – not now.
"Sam," she said firmly, snapping the cuffs onto his wrists, “you're under arrest."
"Please," he stammered, his voice barely audible over the din of the escaped birds. "You've got this all wrong. I didn't do anything!"
"Save it for the interrogation room," Derik interjected, appearing at Morgan's side. He shot a glance at the chaos surrounding them – the once-captive birds now taking flight into the sky, leaving a trail of feathers in their wake. "We've got some questions for you."
