I woke up to the sound of an alarm that felt deafening to my ears. I moved my body to turn over and shut the alarm only to notice the weight and numbness of my limbs. They felt heavy, as I'm underwater. My sight became hazy; the colors seemed overly vivid. There was a metallic taste on my tongue. A tingling feeling was taking over my whole body.
I tried to remember what happened last night, but the memory line seemed blurry, and I could not recollect anything.
I stayed in bed for a little while, as my limbs weren't ready to support me. The alarm was still blasting near my ear. "Good night, detective." Then his words echoed in my mind. That powerful voice sent chills racing down the spine. I wasn't afraid at that time, nor was I shocked, but flattered. I felt his hand on my waist. It was warm and had a protective grip over my waist.
A sharp needle pierced through my skin, and that's all I remember about him. His presence was warm and familiar, but I don't remember ever meeting or hearing that voice before, or maybe I have.
I mapped out my day… dinner… walking back… alley… Men… fight… and… the voice. That's all I remember. I perched on the bed's edge to steady my spinning head before rising up.
My eyes fell on the mess in my room; my bag was on the floor, and my shoes were inside the room away from my bed. My keys were on the edge of my bed. The carpet of the room was dislocated, and the blanket was on the floor. "How the hell did I manage to get back?"
I gradually shifted my body and made my way to the bathroom, propped myself up by leaning against the sink, splashed water on my face, and gazed into the mirror. The dark brown pupils were dilated, and the light in my bathroom was irritating my eyes. My complexion was unusually pale, and my lips appeared puffier than usual. My hair looked unkempt, with long black hairs strewn everywhere. Using my moist hands, I brushed the untidy strands down.
I strolled back to my room, attempting to calm my mind and body, switched off the alarm that had been going on and off, and tossed the phone aside. "Water…" I looked at my side table and found a cold glass of water. The surface of the glass was beaded with condensation. Upon touching the glass, it felt cold against my skin. Someone… someone was here, inside this house. The glass fell from my hand and broke into tiny chunks and hit my foot as well. But the pain from the glass piece wasn't louder than the fear and voices inside my head.
I gathered all of my power and searched every area of my flat. Adrenaline flooded through me, igniting my fight-or-flight reflex. I couldn't feel my limbs but was still able to move. Kitchen, living room, storage, bathroom and beneath my bed behind curtains. Fortunately, no one was inside the house, but there's no way I could have gotten that glass of water when I couldn't walk, and how did I get back home in that condition?
I dropped back on the bed again after making sure there was no one inside the house. My alarm went off at 6am, so I still had time to recover. I dimmed the light from my phone and closed my eyes. And again I drifted into sleep.
I was pulled awake from my sleep by my ringing phone: five missed calls from Evan and Talia. They had dropped some text as well.
Evan: Mam, the chief was asking for you…
Talia: You need to hurry. The chief said he needed to talk about something important.
I threw the phone aside with an 'okay' text and stretched my body. I don't feel refreshed, but the numbness and the fatigue are somehow low. A piece of glass cut my arch as I stepped down from my bed. "Wow… anything else in my body? Any other cut or wound you want?" Well, it's not really my body that want cuts. I removed the chunk of glass from my body and looked for a bandage. "Let's freshen up, and then I'll deal with you." I talked with my foot. Crazy alone, people. I smiled to myself.
After a quick shower, I was standing in front of the mirror when I noticed a needle mark on my neck. A small red bruise, most likely from the needle that man carelessly inserted into my skin. I need to get a blood test to see what drug he gave me.
My dark circles are getting worse because of my insomnia and work. My skin is rough because of all the fieldwork. If the 16-year-old me saw me now, she would be shocked at how the career plan changed and how I changed so much. But also she will never believe what happens that causes it. Tears build up in my eyes just by the thought of that day and him.
I shook off the thought that reminded me of pain and dressed up.
...
I walked into my office with a cup of coffee, my bag on my shoulder and car keys jingling in my hands. My arch was in pain and I was limping a little. The team greeted me. I answered their greeting and went to my cabin. I sat there for almost half an hour thinking who it was and why they left me unharmed.
They knew I'm a detective, and they knew about my house, so who could they be? A person having the power to know an FBI agent's whereabouts, having the guts to inject toxins into her body, and then leaving her unharmed. Moreover, he knew my address and would unlock my door, which means he knew the passcode of my door. He put me on the bed. If I was unconscious, who made the mess in my house? Also, I couldn't sense his presence at all. If someone has entered my house, I would know; I can tell by the smell, shift in air, my house furniture… Not like they are never going to sit anywhere.
It's all so baffling, and another person has added it to the list of people I wanted to find. I brought out the notebook from my drawer and wrote stuff I know about this person.
I haven't accomplished or even come close to the reason why I choose to be a detective. It's all so frustrating that more and more people are ending up and I haven't gotten a lead on that person in years. Every time I try to work on finding him, the chief assigns me a new task.
I walked out of my cabin, and all my team members stood up. It's a habit; they get up as soon as they see me and think I have some sort of task for them.
"Relax until we get our new assignment," I uttered. "The chief was looking for you," Evan spoke. "I'll see him in a while. There is something urgent, and he will understand." I placed my order and walked out. I got late today because of my condition, and I couldn't sit still without knowing what happened.
My phone buzzed. I had no desire to look, as I wanted to go to that place and look for any traces available. Maybe I'll get some CCTV footage. I ignored the text and continued towards my car, but it buzzed again. I paused to look at it.
"Mam..." Evan shouted. I turned to meet his eyes only to hear bad news. "The chief is calling a meeting." I cast a look at my screen and read a text from the chief.
"Meeting in 5 min"
"Don't be late."
I gave Evan a thank-you look and paced to the meeting room. He sent a text himself, meaning he got a new mission. Evan has been with me the longest, and he knows me very well; maybe that's why he came running after me, knowing I'll ignore the text.
…
I entered the meeting room. A large conference table was surrounded by chairs. Fairy lights drape across the ceiling beams. Large glass windows were mounted on one side of the room. The projector lay at the end of the room along the wall. The air conditioners were working, and a faint smell of dusty air was all over the place mixed with disinfectants, coffee, and papers. The strongest smell was someone's cologne; instead of applying it, it seems like the person has taken a bath in it.
The meeting started when all the high-level agents took their respective seats. I sat right next to the chief on the left side. Firstly, the chief talked about how different teams succeeded in pulling off their missions. He encouraged those who failed, as there are times when you learn from your mistakes. The chief doesn't call out those who fail; he does that privately, and I guess that's the reason there are very few traitors among us. He respects every agent.
The room went quiet and dark, and a lady in her early thirties turned the projector on. Due to darkness, I couldn't see clearly, but the lady must be Elise Marlone. She works under the chief as her assistant. She has a charming personality, but she can get super rough when the time is needed. She is also one of the best agents among us. She had worked on more cases than me and solved all of them. She is such a diva. The way she works and the way she looks are so mesmerising.
The Chief got up from his chair and grabbed our attention. "We have assigned another task. It's more dangerous than the previous ones. The orders are from higher up. The government and the president himself came forward regarding this case." A few slides moved as he talked about the most dangerous Mafia in the country right now. Honestly, there wasn't much we knew about this person, as he had his work under tight wraps, and not a single word got out.
The chief gave us one name, "Kairo", with a picture.
And that's all we know. The picture shows a man, about 30, sitting on a chair. There must be some meeting, and the picture is clicked without consent, so it's a bit blurry. What we can see clearly are his eyes that seem to be looking directly at us like he can see us and is watching us, ready to strike. Maybe the cameraman knew that he was spotted and made a run for his life; that could explain the blurry picture. However, it does focus on his eyes.
"Mira…" I was brought back from thoughts by the chief. "Yes?"
"Your team is assigned with the task to get as much information as soon and as much as you can. This guy is notorious for being merciless, and none of our agents have gotten back alive yet." He took a deep breath and dismissed the meeting. Just like that. That's very unlike him. He called all the agents just to assign me the work.
The chief left the meeting room in a hurry, and I sat there thinking, 'Who was the man in the picture?' I'm sure I haven't met or seen him, but something inside me is telling me that this is going to be the end of me. Once again my phone buzzed with a text from my chief.
"Meet me in my office."
So there is something more to it. Before going to the chief's office, I went to mine first. "Congrats, we got a new task." I informed my team with sarcasm. "What do we have?" Zara popped out of the cubicle divider. "Just a name and a picture. Before we get further information, I want you guys to go to a location and get CCTV footage." I grabbed a pen and wrote down the address where I was attacked last night and handed it over to Evan. "This is..." He looked surprised.
"Yeah, I was attacked last night, but nothing happened to me. That's why I want you guys to go and collect CCTV footage around this area while we get any leads on the main case." They became worried, so before they could say something, I walked out of the office.
I met Caleb outside my chief office. We both walked in after a light knock on the door. He gestured to us to take a seat.
"I didn't address your question earlier because I believe there is a traitor among us." He said with a concerning tone. I am not surprised. Of course, it's possible. Lately many agents disappeared; some got killed during missions, and some were found as traitors.
We all, the department heads, have been very careful and don't leak any information out. Things have been quite rough on our hands. The FBI is keeping an eye on everyone. We, who watch people's steps, are being watched as well. I know because sometimes they asked me to keep juniors on my team. Ah... it's frustrating… sometimes I feel like nobody here. They have to give orders in accordance with that; that's why I am going to quit.
"So, what's the plan?" I posed the question seriously.
"I need both of you." He paused for a moment. "You both have to fake being siblings." He looked directly into my eyes, as he knew I might be against it, and well, he is right. I know working with a hacking team is important, but being a fake sibling, living under the same roof with Caleb –no way I am doing it.
"What do you mean?" Caleb enquired bewilderedly, and I offered Chief an explanation. I don't like his way of working. He makes reckless moves and endangers the whole plan. I hope the chief knows what he is doing and into what shit he is dragging me.
"I'll fabricate your data. You'll be criminals." Your record will indicate that you have been incarcerated for nearly four years," he added, "and you, Caleb, had a criminal record spanning five years. Nobody will question your ability to work for the FBI or the police in this manner."
I tried to digest his plan slowly, and I got exactly what he was saying. Sam has been a very good coworker, but I don't like him. He has no idea about how I do my work, and I prefer doing it alone with my team. He may listen to me or may not.
"And you think this is going to work and we will be able to fool the biggest Mafia in the country?" I hinted at rejecting the plan.
"This will work. Trust me. I have been sitting on this chair for decades, and I know what I am doing. So you both better follow the plan." He resisted my rejection of this proposal; therefore, I shall go ahead with it. "If you go alone, that would be highly suspicious. Alone people are always the number one suspect for anything, and I don't want them to be suspicious."
There was a case that I got for someone's lack of focus, Caleb; he got injured badly, and I had to take over. I have never failed in any task, and I don't want to fail now as well. But this plan sucks. Honestly it does... even a fool can come up with a better plan than this. I don't understand how he became the chief. No one with the right mind will believe that we are siblings and with a criminal record. If he thinks he can outsmart the mafia, particularly one as clever as that, he must be the biggest fool.
"I don't think this plan is going to work." I put forward my thoughts only to get rejected. He is the chief, and he has this big ego. He will never ever let anyone put him down, and he never admits his faults. Both Sam and I look at each other, knowing we both are doomed. The plan is nonsense, yet we cannot challenge it, so I will watch it fail.
"You guys are dismissed." He placed his orders, and I have to blindly follow them. "I get what you are saying, chief, so I think you will tell us soon how and where we are going." I requested further details. "Yes, Mira." He pulled out our country map with a grin and spread it on his table.
"The capital of Ravska is Zena; criminals tend to avoid this place due to its high security and prominence. Located in the southeast, Zena is also a coastal region, and if we head northwest, we find Oured, rumoured to be the home of the old blood mafia family." He paused and looked at me. "This area is cold with mountains and snowfall. The claim that he resides there is not entirely accurate. That's why we will lay low and stay here."
He circled a place named Varneth. It is located in southern Oured, near the base of the frostline ridge. Away from mountains but near the forest that lies in the north. "Okay." I struggled to recognize my own voice as it broke through. With a deep breath, I walked out of his office. I think he was talking, but his voice got numbed under the loud sound of my thoughts. I left his office in a hurry.
Varneth is the place I never wanted to go. But fate is cruel. The voices inside my head got louder and louder… screaming, crying, begging… Why are you treating me this way? Help me… You were my best friend, and you let it happen… My heart was beating so loud, I felt like anyone around me or walking past me could hear it.
The oxygen seemed limited; my breathing got shallow and fast. Sweat accumulated over my hands. My heart was trying its best to supply oxygen to my brain. My body started shivering.
I somehow made it to my cabin. You weren't supposed to do it, Mira… It's your fault. The voice echoed inside my brain again and again.
"Mam… Mam" Zara jolted me back into reality. I looked at her, confused. "You don't seem ok… Should I take you to Dr Serena?" She seemed worried; her eyes showed concern, and her hands held my arm. It was slightly painful as she applied some pressure to my injury. "No, I'll see her in a while anyway." I said and walked into my cabin. I could barely walk and see things around me.
'Your fault… it was all your fault, Mira…' Again his voice echoed. Deep breaths, not shallow… I reminded myself to calm down. My body leaned on the table, and with its support, I walked over to my chair. Just the name of that place shouldn't scare me like this. I have grown enough to handle all this. 10 years have passed already, and I need to get better at dealing with the ghosts of my past.
It took me thirty minutes to calm my trembling hands, return my heart to a steady rhythm, and silence the monologues of my past that echoed in my mind. After getting back into my senses, I called Zara and asked her for any update on Evan. "He is not back yet. I'll let you know as soon as he comes." She smiled. A cheerful person in the FBI is a unique thing to see.
"I will be heading to the hospital; please text me the details if he returns before I do." I picked up my keys, phone, and bag before stepping outside. As I approached my car, it struck me how I was feeling and that driving was not a wise choice. I called Noah, and he came down within minutes.
"I don't think I can drive. Can you drive me to the hospital?" I put in a formal request. "Sure, Mam." He carefully took the keys and brought the car around. I sat in the passenger seat, and he quickly drove off. We went to RCMI (Ravaska Central Medical Institute). It is the closest to the headquarters and serves our interests most effectively. "Mam, why didn't you go to the medical centre at headquarters?" He broke the silence.
"I need to do a blood test." He nodded and drove silently.
The hospital was a few miles away from the headquarters, and we arrived in half an hour. A soft wind was blowing, carrying a flower scent with it. It's refreshing to be out in such an atmosphere. Noah dropped me in front of the entrance and went to park the car. My brain was still foggy. I didn't notice anything regarding the hospital. I have been here before, but it's the same. Reception… reception… I looked around, and it seems like they have had some changes in the interior. I finally spotted the reception.
"Hello," I spoke. There was a man in his 30s entering some data from the sheets into the computer. Black hair, brown eyes, pale skin. He looked up, and I noticed dark circles under his eyes. "How can I help you?" He enquired. "I want a blood test regarding some drug, and I need to change the bandage on my arm." I explained. "Your name and age, please." He didn't look up. "Mira Keene, 26 years old…" He wrote down the information. "Your info is in the system." He paused and printed out two slips. "Here, you need to pay 450 Zentars." I brought out my wallet and handed over the card to the receptionist.
I walked into the blood testing lab and showed the slip. A nurse stepped out, glanced at my slip, and directed me into the room. She was wearing scrubs and had a scrub cap and a face mask on. The room had a strong medicinal smell. "Bring out your arm, please." I put my hand on the table; she tried the tourniquet about 3 to 4 inches above my elbow. "Make a fist, please." She ordered. I followed. They hit the median cubital vein lightly and inserted the needle. While the blood was drawn, she removed the tourniquet. Moments later, she took out the injection. The needle did not hurt, as I am used to pain.
"When can I get the results?" I enquired, unfolding my sleeve. "As we need to run tests on all legal and non-legal drugs that were injected into your body, I would likely take 3 or 4 days." I nodded and walked out of the room.
I head to OPD for a bandage change. OPD was full of patients. The nurses were busy, and it was very noisy. I walked over to the counter and handed over the slip. "Sit on that bed, and a nurse will come." I followed her finger and walked towards the empty bed.
After a brief wait of 5 minutes, a nurse arrived. She brought with her a tray filled with bandages, scissors, and some antiseptics. She was quick in changing the bandage. "The wound is still fresh; you might have used this arm forcefully. Stitches could open if you are not being careful." She advised me. "Okay."
After yesterday's events, I think the stitches must have loosened or the skin opened up underneath them, which is why she asked me to be careful. The beeping and humming sound of appliances, the clicking of a mouse, and the chatting of people were irritating me.
I got a weird condition in my morning, cut my foot and then that damn place name. I really wish I could remove that place and the memories associated with it. "You can leave now."
I nodded and grabbed my bag. Walking out of the hospital made me realise Noah isn't with me; he must be waiting in the parking lot. Noah is young, around 24 years old; he doesn't have much experience but learns very fast.
"Can you bring the car? I'm done here." I texted him. In five minutes, he was in front of me. I hopped in the car. "Thank you, Noah." I gave him a smile. "No need, Mam." He drove off.
I think I should talk about the mission with Chief. I am not going to do it. He knows I don't reject missions, so I hope he would understand that I am really unable to do this. I haven't been to that place for a decade and am going now for a mission with Caleb… I don't think I can do it.
…
"I was waiting for you," Evan declared as soon as I walked into the office. "What have you got?" I questioned. "I'll show you." He walked behind me into my cabin. I sat down on the chair, and he pushed the tablet towards me. In the CCTV, I could clearly see the event I witnessed yesterday: some men beating a boy.
"The footage was deleted." I looked up at him. "There is nothing after you walked in." He continued. "I asked the shop owners, who had cameras in that area, and they all said they had nothing to do with
the footage. " Of course, they don't know anything. I wasn't them. That man must have deleted all the footage. The same could be with my building, but I need to check just in case.