The Midnight Ripper Chapter 1: The Gathering of Minds The fog rolled thick in London, wrapping the city in a shroud of secrecy. A string of gruesome murders had paralyzed the city, each victim found with a macabre grin carved into their faces and one haunting message scrawled near the bodies: "I’ve returned." At Scotland Yard, a gathering of the greatest minds in criminal investigation had convened. Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, the sharp-tongued detective known for breaking barriers and solving impossible cases, stood at the head of the table, her gaze fierce. Dr. John Watson shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyeing the strange assortment of detectives around him. "Are we sure we’re not here for some sort of… dramatic dinner theater?” Sherlock Holmes, now married and noticeably more settled (though his piercing intellect was as sharp as ever), gave his friend a rare smile. “Patience, Watson. I’m sure Lady Molly will make her intentions clear in her own… direct wa...