The night was dark, the moon hidden behind thick clouds. Detective Johnson arrived at the scene, his face etched with concern. The victim lay motionless, a pool of blood surrounding her. Officer Daniels approached, his footsteps echoing in the empty alley. "We've got a real mess on our hands," he muttered. Johnson knelt beside the body, examining the deep, jagged wounds. "This was personal," he said, his voice heavy with realization. The killer had left a message, scrawled in blood nearby. "An eye for an eye," it read, sending chills down Johnson's spine. The hunt for the murderer had begun, and time was fleeting.