Cyan Tufala, a 23-year-old girl, was sitting in a slight coffee shop, in the town of Cesky Krumlov, finishing up her fifth cup of coffee. She was drawn to the café because of its interior. The hanging lights, the multicoloured wallpaper that strategically covered certain parts of the walls and the sizeable arcs in the room were some of the few features that mesmerised her. There was a long couch leaning against the wall portioned by wooden tables to create a space for each customer that wanted to sit in and enjoy the ambiance. It was very modern and chic with a splash of olde worlde. Retro Café, being an appropriate name for the little shop because it described the atmosphere perfectly. Cyan thought that the décor balanced itself very well and that was why she loved visiting the coffee shop. It became habitual ever since she relocated to Prague a few months ago. There was a calm air that Cyan used frequently to sort her thoughts. The coffee itself wasn’t to be underestimated. It had the ability to melt in one’s tongue and pirouette on one’s taste buds which usually kept customers coming.

  Four people including Cyan were still in the café, enjoying the smell of coffee granules and fresh cream, talking and interacting.

  She was there alone. Normally, she wouldn’t be here this late, but she wasn’t there on her own accord. She had received a phone call that had brought her here all the way from her apartment.

  A waiter, probably three years younger than her, approached her in that moment to ask if she was ready to order actual food or if she was going to sit around and get high on coffee. Cyan could see that he was frustrated, mainly because he wore a bored expression, though his feet were tapping the marbled floor rapidly. He had been serving her the entire duration she had been in the café but slowly became irritated with her when he dropped off her forth black cup. She understood why, she guessed. It was quite late and the only time he was on his feet was when he was serving Cyan. She could’ve explained to the freckled young man that she was waiting for someone, who she was actually upset with for being late and thus the only way she could wait for him in the café, their agreed meeting place, was by ordering a beverage and though she didn’t like the fact that she was still the café more than he did, she just had to stay put. The look on his face however, suggested that he didn’t really care about anything she had to say unless she was asking for the bill or she was ordering, so she decided to switch things up and ask for a glass of fresh apple juice. After he swiped up the empty cup that Cyan was drinking from, he dragged himself out of the sit-in area and she watched him retire behind the counter. Her focus shifted back to her black wristwatch. It read 9:40 p.m. She would have to leave this place in the next twenty minutes.

  Where was he?

  She had been sitting here for almost two hours just waiting and quite frankly, she had become edgy. She had little patience for people who couldn’t keep time because it meant that she had to wait. She hated waiting. Were watches not available? The thought of leaving the café occurred to her. There probably wasn’t a real reason for her to be here. The shop was about to close anyway. She could just go home and watch crime documentaries with Janine at her apartment. There was still time. Perhaps J was still awake. Maybe the phone call she received from Dave to meet up was nothing of importance. Why entertain this meeting when all it was going to do was open old wounds?

  While all these thoughts raced through her mind, she realized that the only reason she hadn’t left was because curiosity kept her feet stamped to the floor. It overruled every other emotion she was feeling. She wanted to know why he had called her two nights ago asking to see her. They hadn’t communicated in half a year so this was a big shock. A shock she wanted to explore. Whatever it was, she decided that she could spare at least eighteen minutes of her life to hear what he had to say.

  The young waiter approached her once more and placed a frosty glass of apple juice on her table. It spotted a neatly sliced piece of red apple attached to the rim of the glass and fine sugar, that resembled little crystals, decorating it. Though he was annoyed with her, he put a little effort in the presentation of her request.

  ‘’Your apple juice.’’ He said as he slid the glass towards her.

  ‘’Thank you.’’ Cyan smiled gratefully.

  ‘’We are about to close.’’ The waiter announced curtly.

  It dawned on Cyan that he was telling her that she needed to stand up and exit the building without exactly mouthing the words that she needed to stand up and exit the building. It was his first real attempt at being polite. And Cyan appreciated it enough to act on his words when she heard the bell above the café door ring as a signal that there was a new entry in the café just as she was about to leave. Both Cyan and the waiter turned to see who it was.

  A man dressed fully in black, who appeared to be in his early thirties, sauntered in. He was a towering man, almost 182cm, who moved with a certain elegance and confidence that one couldn’t fake. His sleeked brown hair was combed precisely and his green eyes searched the room until they rested on Cyan. He walked towards the table she was sitting on, pulled out the wooden chair across from hers, removed his black trench coat that had a small blue bird stitched on the top flap, wrapped it around the chair and finally sat down.

  ‘’Hello.’’ The waiter greeted the new entry with gritted teeth. He was definitely irritated that he had to serve yet another person, round up and lock up so close to the end of his shift. Cyan genuinely felt for the boy who looked almost too desperate to leave, though the urge to giggle surged through her like a bolt of electricity.

  ‘’Is there anything you’d like to drink? We have coffee, tea and fresh fruit juices.’’ he offered flatly.

  ‘’I would like a cappuccino, please.’’ Dave answered in his thick London accent. ‘’Go easy on the chocolate powder but add more cinnamon. And add a spoon of salted caramel. Yes, yes. I would like that.’’

  Just as the waiter prepared to walk away, Dave exclaimed, ‘’Oh! Can you paint a little design on the foam for me? Make it a spaceship. Or a yacht! Whichever floats your boat.’’

  Dave finished dramatically as he batted his eyelashes like a mischievous school girl attempting to slip out of trouble. The waiter subtly rolled his eyes and stalked off.

  ‘’I think you’ve annoyed him further.’’ Cyan chuckled.

  ‘’I wouldn’t have so much fun messing with him if he wasn’t so grumpy.’’ The man sitting across from Cyan replied.

  ‘’I think it has to do with the fact that he had to see my face almost six times in the last two hours.’’ Cyan guessed. ‘’Speaking of the last two hours, I had five cups of coffee waiting for you, David. Where were you?’’

  ‘’I had to wait until this establishment was a quarter to empty so that I could talk to you privately.’’ he replied.

  As if on cue, the couple sitting two tables away from them stood up from their table and exited the café. It was just them left in the café together with a man who was seriously engrossed in whatever he was reading on his mobile phone.

  ‘’Dave, why didn’t you just choose a more secluded area instead? Like an alleyway or something. Or arrange this meeting towards closing time?’’ she asked confusedly.

  ‘’I heard Retro Café cappuccinos were to die for so I came here to try them.’’ Dave expressed excitedly. ‘’Plus, would you have agreed to meet me after hours? I didn't want you to turn down this meeting.’’

  Cyan caught a glimpse of the man sitting across from her. It had been months since she had last seen him. David O’Connor still looked the same to her except for his new haircut and his face fresh from all facial hair. He looked younger than her though he was exactly seven years older than her.

  ‘’It’s very good to see you, Cy.’’ He expressed.

  ‘’Right back at you, Dave.’’ She returned. ‘’I see you dropped the goatee.’’

  ‘’I wanted more of a formidable look. The goatee didn’t really help with that.’’

  ‘’I'm sure somebody tried to tell you.’’ Cyan teased. ‘’So, what was so important that you had to fly out all the way from the United Kingdom to Czech?’’

  The mood quickly slipped from playful to grave and the knot that she was feeling in her stomach earlier came back. She couldn’t help but ask herself why she hadn’t left when she had the chance.

  Dave pulled out an A4 beige file from inside his jacket and pushed it across the table. It was clasped closed with a metal clip, a black and blue eagle painted in the center, just like the blue bird designed on his coat. She stared at the file for what seemed a while and then jerked her head up. She attempted to read Dave’s expression, to get a hint of what she was about open but couldn’t get anything short of a neutral stare.

  ‘’Should I be worried?’’ Cyan asked.

  ‘’Open it.’’ he suggested.

  As reluctant as she was, she followed his instruction. She unclasped the clip and flipped the front page open.

  Her eyes were met by three pairs of bright, blue eyes looking straight at her. A family photo of three. Two middle- aged parents and a young boy. Their picture was taken in front of a great, green hedge with a big, white horse as their background. The sun was elucidating light on their smooth fair skins and their wide smiles. They looked immaculate. And very wealthy. If the stallion wasn’t an indication, then the designer clothes definitely were. She stared at the photo for a few more seconds and then looked up at Dave for an explanation.

  ‘’That man in the photo is Minister Clement James of Leicester City. That’s his family; Susan James and their little boy Lucas James.’’ Dave began. ‘’Their son was abducted around noon on the 17th of October by two Caucasian males whilst he was still at school. These men, approximately in their thirties, posed as his bodyguards and pulled him out of school early claiming that there was an emergency at home.

  Now, Lucas is eleven. He is not dense. He knows the men that escort him to and from daily. Apparently, these two posers had enough information about his family to convince Lucas to leave with them. His parents realised that he was missing when he didn’t return home the time he usually does. The escort assigned to Lucas revealed that he was under the impression that Lucas was finishing his school day at sunset. Minister James called his school and they were informed that Lucas had already left that afternoon with two other men. His parents reported him missing this morning.’’

  ‘’Are local authorities working the case?’’ Cyan asked.

  ‘’They were at first. Turn to the next page.’’

  Cyan obeyed Dave’s instruction and turned to the next page. She gasped in shock. She did not expect to see such a nauseating and disgusting photo.

  ‘’They cut one of Lucas’s fingers off?’’ she asked in barely a whisper.

  ‘’No, they didn’t. Lucas was dropped off a few blocks away from his home this morning with a note tucked in his schoolbag and a grown man’s severed finger attached to it.’’ Dave elaborated.

  Cyan didn’t have the stomach to analyse the severed finger after all that coffee she took so she focused on the photograph that was taken of the note instead. It was one word written on a piece of white paper in black ink. ‘TRUTH.’

  ‘’I want to ask if they dusted the note for prints but I’m afraid I already know the answer.’’ Cyan said.

  ‘’Negative prints on the note as well as from the finger. It’s been sent to an advanced laboratory so we’ll hear from them in a day.’’ Dave informed. ‘’These guys dropped Lucas off at his father’s house, a place swarmed with heavy security and were careful not be noticed. They are brutal but thorough which makes them very dangerous. That’s why the case has been transferred from local authorities to the SSU.’’

  Cyan blinked.

  ‘’I don’t want to be harsh here,’’ she approached slowly. ‘’But what does this have to do with me?’’

  Dave looked at her steadily.

  ‘’I came here to tell you that there is a position on the SSU Division that is in possession of this case. I want you take it.’’

  The Special Services Unit, popularly known as the SSU, was an international organisation, its Headquarters in London, that claimed highly skilled soldiers who worked tirelessly day and night to protect civilians and eradicate threats in societies and communities. It was accompanied by the Special Services Academy based in the same city where aspiring agents were trained prior to joining the Agency and dispatched to different parts of the world after graduation.

  Cyan attended the academy when she was almost nineteen years old and graduated with flying colours two years later which, looking back, was a big surprise considering the Agency wasn’t the direction she had expected her life to take.

  In truth, she had planned to attend a good college after high school that would give her a good education and earn herself a decent job. That way, she would be capable of assuming some of the responsibilities around her home and help her mother take care of her two siblings. In the meantime, she worked odd jobs here and there, babysitting and cleaning different shops, trying to save for school and contribute to the few bills she could. So, when her mother brought up the SSU topic to her, she didn’t bother hide her confusion and resistance.

  She was sprawled on the floor in their little living room in the summer of 2011, catching her breath from the hectic day that she had had when her mother dropped a piece of paper in her lap. The first thing Cyan saw when she laid her eyes on the leaflet was a huge black and blue eagle stamped in the center, whose wings were stretched out and long talons raised as if it was prepared to strike. ‘THE SPECIAL SERVICES ACADEMY’ it read below in big, blue, bold letters. A navy blue that was the same shade as the bird’s feathers. A school? That meant that the eagle must have been some kind of mascot. Possibly a logo or perhaps a spirit animal. |

  ‘’What is this, Ma?’’ she had asked.

  ‘’Take a look.’’ Her mother, Patrice, instructed.

  Cyan opened the brochure.

  A grandiose building, stretching almost over five or six miles, fell in her line of vision. Cyan couldn’t tell the exact distance from the picture.

  It was painted a dark brown with a matte finishing that if Cyan didn’t know any better, she’d have thought that the building was made from cooking chocolate. She chuckled to herself over her unfunny, internal joke and continued gawking at the structure. It was almost ten stories high, if Cyan was accurate enough, with rectangular shaped shutters decorating the exterior of the building marking every floor. Two castle like towers of the same colour stood on either side of the edifice resembling strong knights protecting royalty, all three buildings with the same black tiled roofing. She was amazed at how high the towers were that she imagined them shaking hands with the clouds. The letters ‘SS’ and ‘UA’ were painted on the towers. ‘SS’ was painted on the left tower and ‘UA’ on the right tower, all in navy blue paint. It occurred to Cyan that when one approached the school, there was a clear indication of what the school was about. Another clear identification was a towering metal statue of a man wearing military regalia near the left tower. From what she could see on the leaflet, there were a plethora of badges of different shapes and sizes running down the man’s suit jacket, a ribbon that twisted all the way from his left shoulder up to his wrist, a sash that he wore down his upper body and a military hat, similar in design to the service caps army commanders wore, that sat neatly on top of his head. Underneath were the letters, ‘SSUA 1996’ that served as a standing platform for the man with the obvious, many achievements.

  This man must have founded the place or something, Cyan thought. She could tell that the statue was a little old, a little rusty, but it looked well taken care of.

  She took a deep breath.

  She had never seen such a fancy school before. And when she thought she couldn’t be more amazed, she noticed something that should’ve stood out to her. Admiring the school infrastructure and wondering why she was admiring it in the first place occupied her that she completely missed it. The school sat on a green pasture, neatly trimmed with cobblestone pathways that led to different areas of the school. They emerged from one main pathway that spread for a full mile before reaching the main building. On either side of this pathway were giant-sized flowering trees with large barks growing upwards to give air and sunlight to the baby pink flowers resting on their branches. The trees on the left of the pathway locked branches with the trees on the right so high up in the sky as if they were butting heads to form an arch that would shield anyone who walked through the outside corridor. What a sight.

  Cyan wondered what it would look like in the night, all the lights from the buildings pouring their brilliance onto the leaves, the moon adding its natural illumination and the pink leaves drinking it all in, stepping out of their colour and turning into another just for the night. Cyan had no doubt in her mind that the sight was more precious than her imagination could fathom and in the that moment, she almost wished she could see it.

  She turned to the next page.

  This page had long paragraphs with a bunch of words detailing what the special school was all about. Before she went further down the brochure, Cyan glanced at her mother. What was the endgame here?

  ‘’Where did you get this?’’ Cyan asked.

  ‘’Yes. When I bought the paper this morning, I found this flyer tucked in the third page. I had a quick read through and thought maybe you might want to take a look.’’ responded her mother.

  Cyan knew her mother like the back of her stubby hand. Her mother always read the daily news online. She never bought papers because she thought the concept was too old-fashioned.

  ‘’Where did you really get the brochure?’’ Cyan asked again, apprehensively.

  ‘’Alright. I received it from the school’s representative.’’ Patrice gave in.

  ‘’You mean, the representative of this esteemed school came all the way here to Leicester from London to give you their school flyer? Why would they be giving it to you in the first place? You have no connections there.’’ Cyan interrogated. ‘’What are you not telling me?’’

  ‘’Ever the problem solver.’’ Her mother said to herself. ‘’Alright, Cy. I wanted it to be a surprise but-‘’

  ‘’Wanted what to be a surprise, Ma?’’ Cyan asked slowly.

  ‘’I applied to this school on your behalf and they accepted you!’’ she exclaimed excitedly. ‘’Isn’t that great news? The representative, Carl, came to drop off this brochure they give to new students and explained the little intricacies of the school to me in person. This is so fantastic because-‘’

  ‘’Mother! You signed me up for military school? Really?” Cyan asked, evidently shocked.

  ‘’Cyan, this school offers a very good education. Maybe, better than all the other tertiary schools you’ve been applying to! You’ll study human behaviour, learn all about exercising discipline and leadership. Real life values that will help you navigate the real world.’’ Patrice explained. ‘’And I think it is the perfect time to start something great in your life.’’

  ‘’But Mama, I had a plan. I was going to look for a reputable college and receive my tertiary education there. It never included being a part of some army.’’ Cyan complained. ‘’Plus, London is far away from you, Nala and Omari, Ma.’’

  ‘’It’s not your duty to worry about us, baby.’’ Her mother reassured. ‘’Think about it. After you’re done, you become a law enforcer. The cool kind that we only see on the television! I mean, come on Cy-Cy. Take another look at that school and tell me that it doesn’t appeal to you one bit.’’

  It sure was pretty but this was as crazy as it got. Cyan knew her mother wanted her out of the house to do something about her future but she didn’t think military school was how far she was willing to go. The Organisation was called-she looked down at the brochure to take another look at the name again- the ‘’Special Services Unit’’ and as far as she knew, there was nothing special about her. She was smart yes, but she didn’t believe a girl like her would be accepted into such a distinguished school without a specific skillset that differentiated her from everyone else. Besides, she had no interest in learning with spoiled, snobbish brats.

  ‘’Well, thank you for doing this for me. However, I cannot and will not be attending an institution I know nothing about.’’ Cyan declined stubbornly.

  ‘’Cyan, you haven’t even read the whole brochure. It details all that you must know.’’ her mother chastised.

  ‘’Clearly you haven’t read it either, Ma. Have you looked at the tuition? It’s thrice what you were paying at my high school.’’ Cyan countered.

  ‘’So, you were reading the brochure.’’ Patrice smiled. ‘’The school is willing to pay for your tuition in exchange for a period of service commitment. You serve four years of duty after you graduate while self-funding students only dedicate two.’’

  Cyan groaned. ‘’Seriously? I have to defend this country for four years?’’

  ‘’The whole world! This is an international organisation! Please, tell me you see the bigger picture. When you graduate from this school, your life could change forever, Cy-Cy.’’ Her mother persuaded.

  All her life, Cyan knew her mother to be daring. She lived life simply without worrying. She was a free spirit and usually, Cyan loved that about her. But in this instance, her mother’s ‘leap into the breach’ attitude had signed her up to be a soldier in the military and she wasn’t loving it very much.

  ‘’I’m not sure, Ma. I don’t know if I can attend this prestigious institute.’’ she waivered.

  ‘’And why not? You passed highest in your form and you have an excellent athletic background. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to believe in yourself and see what I see. You will only grow if you jump out of your comfort zone.’’ Patrice advised. “Only then will you realise how strong and capable you are, a young lady who can do anything she sets her mind to.’’

  Patrice Mapondina had a powerful gift. The gift of persuasion. That little pep talk was enough for Cyan to agree to her mother’s crazy idea. Plus, they were living in tough times. She knew her mother couldn’t support Cyan and her young, twin siblings on her shop teller salary. If she was going to leave for this school, then she’d do it for her mother.

  Cyan heard Patrice sigh and she knew that her mother was about to use her soft voice. One that Cyan rarely fought because it was always mushy, sincere and genuine.

  ‘’Cyan, I want you to do better than I did. I know it’s not what you had in mind, my baby but who knows? You might love it.’’ Her mother had said. ‘’In addition to all that, I’m your mother and what I say goes.’’

  And there it was. The turning point in her little life when her mother convinced her that life was all about grabbing it by the horns and taking charge. Even if it meant carrying ten-pound bricks on her back while jumping hurdles daily as part of a physical education class.

  She left for the Academy in the next three weeks, starting her journey at the SSU.

  Cyan would’ve been lying if she said learning at the Academy was a smooth sail. In the first weeks of her term, her performance was just average compared to the top Ivy League students around her. That ruined her confidence and because of that, her grades slipped further down the slope. She was behind in her schoolwork that one of her professors threatened to take her to the Directors’ office, the headmasters of the school. She was passionate about working hard and making her mother proud but she found it very difficult to juggle her academics and physical classes without neglecting the other.

  This was only until she met Aria Trey, a fellow student who later turned into friend, who didn’t mind helping her do better. It didn’t happen right away but with each week, Cyan became better and better until she passed with distinctions from the Academy.

  It taught her everything that she needed to know from mastering colossal firearms and excruciating unarmed hand to hand combat to effective interrogation methods. In short, she could fight as a soldier without disturbing a single strand of her hair.

  After she graduated, she applied to the Unit Agency to become an official Agent. She received her response twenty-eight days later and in the year 2013, she had the title ‘Agent’ against her name. Agent Cyan A. Tufala. The Agency believed that working in teams to enforce the law brought out faster results therefore just like all the other Agents, she was assigned to work in a team with seven other Agents on homicidal cases. These teams were known as Divisions and they worked under a Supervisor whom they reported to daily. Being a Supervisor meant carrying the responsibility of providing any essentials that his or her Division needed for different crime calls. Private locations where they could work the cases and vehicles for easy transportation being some of the necessities they had to supply when met with certain calls. Cyan worked professionally for the SSU for four years and it was the most exhilarating experience of her life. She hated to admit it but her mother was absolutely right. Though it took a little time, she adored being an Agent. If anyone had told her that she’d have a deep affection for the work she did, she’d have thought that they were lying. Work resembled air to her. She needed it every minute to stay alive, to have a purpose. She managed to make her mother happy and, in the process, finding her own happiness. Cyan later realised that life was full of grey areas. You could love something wholeheartedly and yet, it could still find the gall to hurt you. So, after seven years of being a part of such a prestigious Organisation and playing an important role, she decided to leave the Agency to tend to her wounds. Never in a million years would she have imagined sitting across from David, months later, having this conversation with him especially when he understood why she left to begin with.

  ‘’You want me to go back?’’ Cyan asked incredulously.

  ‘’We need an experienced soldier to be the eighth member of our team. So, yes. I am asking you to come back. I want you to find the guy who did this.’’ Dave responded.

  ‘’Dave, there are hundreds of other Agents to choose from. Worldwide. I don’t understand why you’re here.’’ Cyan said.

  ‘’I know. The criminals we are dealing with are highly intelligent and by the looks of it, experienced. I need someone who is willing to go above and beyond. You have proven to be that passionate in the past. And I need all hands-on deck for this one because of how high profile this case is. Only the best, Cyan. You’ve proven to be that too. That’s why I’m here.’’ Dave replied.

  ‘’I appreciate that you came all this way, Dave.’’ she responded. ‘’And I understand that this is a critical case but I don’t think I can do what you’re asking of me.’’

  ‘’I know that you left SSU for a reason and I’m not trying to dismiss that. But I talked to the Directors and they gave me the green light to recruit you for this operation.’’ He informed.

  ‘’Dave, I hear you. But no. I’m not going back to the Organisation.’’ Cyan turned down finally.

  As a response, Dave leaned back in his chair. The little hope that burnt behind his eyes had been extinguished by Cyan’s refusal and she could only wonder if there was more to the offer that he was letting on. In that moment, the young, freckled waiter approached their table with a glass brimming of brown and creamy-steamy goodness in a black tray and set it down right in front of Dave. Cyan noticed that the waiter, whose badge read ‘Freddie’, made a very poor attempt at designing the spaceship that had been asked for on Dave’s beverage but he didn’t seem to care. Freddie left once again and Dave took a sip of his drink. He closed his eyes and made a moaning noise at the back of his throat. For a second, that glass of cappuccino transported David O’Connor to another dimension.

  ‘’I almost forgot to tell you,’’ he said once he opened his eyes. ‘’Joel Müller has taken over as DEC of Division 38 and it has become a weather storm of a unit.’’

  Cyan’s eyes widened. ‘’Joel is Division leader? What happened to Thomas?’’

  ‘’He abdicated shortly after you left. He moved to Division 24. He says he likes it better there because he doesn’t have to carry the weight of dumb jocks anymore.’’ Dave reported.

  ‘’I can’t say I’m surprised. That Division was full of smart alecks. Especially Joel.’’ she said. ‘’What took Thomas so long?’’

  ‘’He was always attached to the 38th. Even with that big-mouthed cockroach Joel, he saw the bigger picture. He was an SSU Agent before anything else, you know.’’ He answered.

  ‘’That is what the Agency is all about. We prioritize making this world safer. And that is why Thomas Wyss is ten times the leader Joel Müller will ever be.’’ she declared.

  ‘’You’ve always had the guts to put Joel in his place.’’ Dave smiled.

  ‘’Joel loved to criticize other Divisions on every single thing, which was strange considering his own Division was in shambles.’’ Cyan pointed out. ‘’I had to speak up. I wasn’t scared of Joel. In fact, I think he was intimidated by me.’’

  ‘’He hates being challenged. Especially by wom-‘’

  ‘’Nope.’’ Cyan interrupted. ‘’That is a can of worms that could send me in a spiral if opened.’’ Cyan thought that they had talked about Joel enough for one night. She refocused her attention to a different topic.

  ’So, I know you’re a Supervisor and asking you this would be wrong but I can’t help it.’’ she said slowly.

  Dave furrowed his eyebrows in interest.

  ‘’What is it?’’ he asked.

  ‘’Is Jermaine still sneaking out during work hours to binge on romantic movies in the company truck?’’ Cyan asked.

  Dave guffawed loudly. ‘’Do you think he is strong enough to stop? His Supervisor had to install measures to control his obsession.’’

  ‘’He can’t resist the power of clichéd romance.’’ Cyan laughed. ‘’And Shannon? Is she still coming up with cool ideas for new gadgets?’’

  ‘’She’s a talented bird.’’ Dave answered. ‘’All the advanced tech and equipment we use is all because of her.’’

  ‘’And do the Divisions still do that thing, uhm, takeout and movies in the woods every fortnight?’’

  Dave did not answer this question immediately but set his coffee down and stared at Cyan instead. It was an intense gaze. Cyan wondered if Dave’s silence was a no. Was Fortnight Takeout not a thing anymore within the Divisions? No, that wasn’t it. Cyan knew in her heart that all the Divisions based in London and occasionally those from other cities, met in the woods near the Headquarters on a Friday night to spend time together and unwind from the job, laugh uncontrollably like seals until the air in their lungs was no more, watch the cheesy and corny movies that Jermaine loved, sometimes the action movies that Yua loved, sitting around the bonfires that Okoye loved to make and eat marshmallows while stargazing.

  A few moments passed and Dave finally spoke. ‘’You said ‘we’.’’

  ‘’What?’’ Cyan asked confusedly as she snapped back to reality.

  ‘’You said ‘we’.’’ He pointed out again. He repeated Cyan’s words. ‘’’We prioritize making the world safer.’ I know that you miss the Organization. I see you.’’

  Dave had never been more right. After Cyan left the Agency, she moved to the Czech Republic. She wanted a fresh start and she figured a new environment would give her that. She fell in love with the complex designs of the churches, the parks and the gardens with their healthy roses, the bridges and the rivers that looked surreal as if they were plucked straight from a fairy-tale book. And yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about what she had left behind. She wondered many nights if she had made the right decision by leaving the one thing that gave her reason and strength. Being an SSU Agent. The one thing she loved freely without bounds.

  Dave continued, ‘’Look, I understand that I may be asking for too much. And that I may be disturbing the life that you’ve built away from the destruction. I just want you to know that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.’’

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  Cyan couldn’t find the words. She couldn’t say no. But she couldn’t say yes either. A tragedy was the catalyst to her departure. She wasn’t sure if she was fully healed to go back. What if she wasn’t strong enough? What if the Organisation was just one big painful reminder of what had happened? What if she wasn’t the same Agent she was six months ago? The one with the accolades. The smooth talker. The one who only needed body language to learn about a person. The one who could handle firearms of any size skillfully just like a baker who knew how to handle their dough.

  Cyan knew that there was only one way to get answers to all these questions. And she had to admit to herself that she had missed the adrenaline and the mystery solving. This was the truth she couldn’t escape. Perhaps this was what she needed to do to get her blood running again. This could be her ticket to face her problems head on and try by all means to move forward with her life.

  And, there was no time like the present.

  ‘’This one job.’’ Dave pleaded. ‘’And if you still decide that you don’t want to be a part of the SSU then you’ll be free to leave without any conditions.’’

  ‘’Okay. Count me in.’’ she accepted.

  Dave let out a breath of relief.

  ‘’Trust me.’’ he said. ‘’There is more to this than the child. You will see why I asked you to do this.’’

  ‘’When do we leave?’’

  His lip curled upward.

  ‘’At dawn.’’

  *****

  A growling sound woke Cyan from her satisfying unconsciousness. It must have been her phone vibrating against her wooden headboard where she had left it before she fell asleep a few hours ago. Nothing else could make such a loud, disturbing noise like the friction between her phone and the wooden headboard.

  Cyan wondered who was texting her before the sun made an appearance. She felt for her phone near the bed end and tapped the screen to open it.

  Dave.

  “06:30’’, his message read.

  Her brain cells began to generate memories from the night before reminding her that she had accepted Dave’s proposal and that she was officially employed again. The text was to let her know that they would be leaving for Leicester in the next hour at 06:30a.m. She understood the urgency of the situation and the need to travel as soon as possible to find the perpetrators who abducted the boy, but waking up at the crack of dawn was something she found criminal and difficult to get used to. It was 05:40a.m already so she willed herself to get out of bed, dragged herself into her small modern bathroom, took a hot shower and put on a pair of jeans, a high neck top and a windbreaker since it was nine degrees outside. Her little carrier bag sat on her made bed with some of the items she had packed after she returned from the café. Exhaustion claimed her before she could do anything significant so she decided to continue her tasks in the last thirty minutes before it was time to leave. Packing was the part of travelling she hated the most. It was so easy to forget what was necessary. But as an Agent, she travelled often meaning that she had no choice. With time in the years, packing became less of a frustration as she learnt a small routine to help her remember keep her luggage light but with all the essentials she needed. ‘CTT’. Clothes, Toiletries, and Travel documents. Clothes were always first since they occupied the most space, and they usually consisted of denim jeans, cargo pants, compressed shirts and tank tops, puffer jackets and two pairs of black boots. Next were her toiletries, body products and hair products. She had amassed a collection over the years because she was obsessed with different scents and textures. Plus, she loved catering to her warm, tawny skin and her dense coils and curls. To make sure that her hair always looked gorgeous amidst operations, she always carried all that she needed. Lastly, all her travel documents and her reading glasses. She memorized her routine, and what she considered the worst task in the world became bearable.

  She was in the middle of an intense search for her phone charger when she heard a knock at the door. The clock on top of her dresser displayed that it was only 06:00a.m. It wasn’t 06:30a.am yet so what was Dave doing here so early? He chose today to be punctual? Before Cyan could approach the door, she heard a key twisting in the doorknob. The door was opened from the other side shortly after. Only two people held keys to her apartment and judging from the heavy dragging of feet she was hearing, it could only be her friend, Janine.

  ‘’Cy?’’ Janine called.

  ‘’In here!’’ Cyan shouted back.

  A pale girl with long blonde hair, about the same age as Cyan, entered her room. She wore bright red pants accompanied by a grey buttoned-down shirt striped with red, blue and yellow coloured lines. A grey cap sat on her head and knitted on the center was a colourful and cheerful burger. Underneath the burger was a small text that read, ’Happy Meals! Where the food dances happiLY in your beLY!’

  ‘’I’m assuming you got the job because of that awful uniform you’re wearing.’’ Cyan laughed.

  Janine rolled her eyes and plopped on Cyan’s bed.

  ‘’Give me a break. I need the money.’’ She replied.

  ‘’You look like an unmotivated rainbow.’’ Cyan said breathlessly from laughter.

  ‘’You know, maybe quitting my boutique job wasn’t the smartest move. It paid very well, you know?’’

  ‘’No, Janine.’’ Cyan said as she composed herself. ‘’They overworked you and treated you poorly over there. It was the right decision. You will find a better job in no time.’’

  ‘’I guess you’re right.’’ Janine agreed. She sat up. ‘’This monkey suit is depressing me. I’m going to make myself some cereal.’’ |

  She stood up from the bed and dragged her feet all the way to Cyan’s refrigerator. Cyan knew that Janine loved to have oats and pieces of dried fruit with strawberry yoghurt whenever she came over, motivating her to always purchase that combination whenever she shopped for her own groceries.

  ‘’So, Janine.’’ Cyan began.

  ‘’Yeah?’’ she answered from the kitchen.

  ‘’What’s going on between you and Matthew?’’

  Janine slammed one of the units that Cyan stored her bowls in.

  ‘’Why do you think there’s something going on between Matthew and I?’’ she asked aggressively.

  ‘’He was all you talked about a few days ago and now I can’t bring him up without you morphing into the hulk. What’s going on? Tell me.’’ Cyan prodded.

  ‘’Ughh. Okay. I like Matt. I really do. A lot. But I think he is a little clingy.’’ Janine confided.

  Cyan left her room and made her way to the kitchen to be closer to Janine.

  ‘’Clingy?’’ she repeated. ‘’Why do you say that?’’

  ‘’I don’t know, Cy. He’s always calling me, visiting my apartment, bringing me bouquets of my favourite flowers with a box of my favourite chocolates. Like, how does he even know my favourite chocolates? The guy is stalking me!’’ Janine complained.

  ‘’Janine, you sound ridiculous. Matt came to me and asked me what you liked and I gave him all that information. He’s not a stalker.’’ Cyan clarified.

  ‘’Fine. How about the constant calling and texting in the name of checking in? How do you explain that?’’ Janine interrogated.

  Cyan sighed. ‘’Oh, Janine. My poor, oblivious Janine.’’

  ‘’What?’’ Janine questioned.

  ‘’Matthew is in love with you. That’s why he does all those things for you.’’

  ‘’I think it’s a bit much.’’

  ‘’Oh? Okay. I think I know what’s going on here, Hays. You’re not used to the good treatment.’’ Cyan surmised.

  ‘’’The good treatment?’’’

  ‘’Yes.’’ Cyan answered. ‘’You, my girl, are not used to good guys like Matthew who shower you with gifts and call you just to find out how you are. You are familiar with the evil boys who occasionally see you as a priority and treat you like a piece of gum stuck on a garbage truck.’’

  ‘’Is it my fault that I find bad boys cute? And I hate it when you psycho-analyse me.’’

  ‘’Well, you need an injection of truth, Janine. I’m just saying. You have something good going with Matt. Don’t ruin it. You’re a beautiful girl who deserves to be treated like the princess you already are. Let Matt do that.’’ Cyan advised.

  ‘’Cy.’’ Janine pouted. ‘’I don't know. Maybe you’re right. I don't know.’’

  ‘’I know I’m right.’’ Cyan bragged. ‘’They don’t call me Doctor Love for nothing.’’

  Janine choked on her cereal. ‘’Dr. Love? I don’t think anyone calls you that.’’

  ‘’Whatever, hater. Tons of people call me that.’’ Cyan tried to convince.

  Janine giggled. ‘’Anyway, Dr. Love. On that note, we should definitely go on a double date then.’’

  Cyan hesitated. ‘’I’m not so sure. A double date?’’

  ‘’Yes! You, me, Matthew and Jason!’’ Janine suggested excitedly.

  ‘’Jason, Matthew’s friend, Jason?” Cyan refused. “No.”

  ‘’Why ‘no’? It’ll be fun! We’ll go watch a movie and get some Mexican food afterwards. Please, say yes.’’ Janine implored.

  ‘’No.’’ Cyan refused. ‘’I don’t like Jason in that way. Or even as a person. And I’m not in the mood for any romantic setups right now. So, no.’’

  ‘’Well, I guess you’ll be dying alone then.’’ Janine mumbled.

  ‘’Alright. First of all, I heard you.’’ Cyan rebuffed. ‘’Secondly, I’d rather die alone than breathe the same air as Jason, thank you very much. And thirdly, I’m fresh out of a relationship so forgive me if romance is buried deeply underneath the dead heap that is my heart.’’

  ‘’Dramatic.’’ Janine scowled. ‘’But I won’t push. I’m going to focus all my energy on enjoying this delicious cereal. I made you a plate by the way.’’

  Janine pointed to floral plate on the kitchen counter as she threw herself on the couch in the sitting room.

  ‘’I’m not sure if you have noticed but I love having breakfast in your home. I feel very comfortable. And very welcomed too. Not to mention that you purchase very tasty cere-.’’

  Janine stopped talking.

  ‘’What?’’ Cyan asked as she added more yogurt into her cereal.

  ‘’What’s with the bag on your bed?’’ Janine finally noticed. ‘’Are you going somewhere?’’

  Janine had sat on the right side of the little sitting room, diagonal to Cyan’s bedroom that gave her the full view of what was inside. She had spotted Cyan’s little carrier bag perched on top of her bed. This was the moment Cyan was dreading. She wondered how Janine was going to react to what she was going to tell her. They were so used to doing almost everything together that this was going to be a big schedule shift for the both of them. Was she going to be mad? Hurt? Upset? Cyan didn’t know.

  ‘’Yes, I am. J, I’ve been asked to go back to work.’’ Cyan informed quietly.

  ‘’Work? As in that spy stuff that you used to do?’’ Janine asked.

  ‘’We are not spies,’’ Cyan sighed. ‘’But I guess you have a rough idea.’’

  ‘’When did this happen and what did you say?’’ Janine questioned.

  ‘’Last night. I can’t give you all the details at the moment but it’s important that I go back. I hope you’re not mad that I didn’t tell you sooner.’’

  ‘’Of course not, honey. How could I be?’’ Janine said softly. ‘’Are you sure about this though? You’re ready to go back after...?’’

  ‘’It’s been six months, J. If Nala found out that I stopped working, she would kill me. I plan to do what she wanted me to do.’’ Cyan settled.

  Janine reached out and embraced Cyan tightly. ‘’She would be so proud of you, Cy. Even if you counted leaves on trees for a living. No matter what you do, you’ll always be her rock. She loves you just like I love you.’’

  Cyan was always sensitive when it came to her sister, Nala and because of that, she rarely talked about her. But to hear Janine say that, it reminded her why they became friends in the first place.

  Cyan thought back to the first time she met Janine. It was within the first few days she arrived in Cesky Krumlov. She dedicated them to finding out more about the city she had blindly escaped to. She would walk up and down the cobblestone streets and admire the tall, picturesque edifices, the vintage restaurants, hotels that were painted in bright colours and the old residential buildings that had been scathed by the weather throughout the years. It was on her sixth day in Cesky that she decided that she liked the sound of living in Prague so the smartest thing she could do was find a very comfortable place to lay her head every night. The apartment complex she had chosen was minutes away from the city where Cyan felt it was the most convenient. She didn’t know much about Cesky so residing in the city where everything was easily available appealed to her. The apartment she was renting was on the third floor with four rooms; a sitting room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. Upon entering the apartment, the living room, was to the right and the kitchen to the left with an island separating the two. There was another room to the far right beyond the living room that was the bedroom. It was spacious enough to accommodate a couch on one side, a queen-sized bed in the center of the room on a wooden platform, a wooden dresser and a walk-in closet on the other side. She couldn’t stop salivating over the place when Gregory Novek, the property manager of the complex, gave her a tour of the rooms.

  ‘’You like?’’ Gregory asked expectantly. ‘’Small and homey like you asked.’’

  ‘’Very much Mr. Novek. The view of the town is amazing from up here.’’ she replied.

  ‘’I aim to please, Miss Tufala. So,’’ he said as he led Cyan through the front door and stepped into the hallway, ‘’We will lock the front door until you have gathered all your belongings from your motel to move in.’’

  Before Cyan could reply to that, she heard heavy footsteps and multiple keys jingle to the left of her. She turned to the direction of the noise and saw a tall girl with long blonde hair, tied into a ponytail, unlocking her door that was two apartments away from hers.

  ‘’Janine.’’ Gregory called from behind Cyan. His voice caught her attention and Janine turned towards his direction. She smiled at him.

  ‘’Oh. Hi, Greg. I hadn’t seen you there.’’ Janine greeted.

  ‘’You couldn’t have. You were so focused on your keys. Are you alright?’’ Gregory asked as he locked Cyan’s new apartment door.

  ‘’I’m well. I miss seeing you around here.’’ she pouted.

  ‘’Of course, you do.’’ Gregory responded dryly. ‘’You just miss the food I bring for you.’’

  Janine cackled. ‘’It’s not my fault that your wife loves me and loves cooking for me.’’

  She nodded towards Cyan. ‘’Who’s the girl?’’

  ‘’Janine, this is Cyan, your new neighbour.’’ he introduced. ‘’Cyan, that’s Janine Hays.’’

  ’Hey.’’ They both said simultaneously. They both snickered.

  ‘’Greg, did you manage to get the spare?’’ Janine asked.

  ‘’I did. But I can’t have you losing keys like this Janine. It inconveniences me.’’ Gregory complained. He reached into his suede jacket pocket, took out a small silver key and handed it to Janine.

  ‘’My refrigerator keys!’’ the blonde-haired girl exclaimed in relief. ‘’I don’t know what it is but I’m so clumsy when it comes to my keys. Thanks, Greg.’’

  ‘’That’s because you have way too many unnecessary keys, Janine.’’ Gregory pointed out.

  ‘’A refrigerator key?’’ Cyan asked no one in particular.

  ‘’Yes. A refrigerator key.’’ Gregory answered. ‘’Miss Hays over here, has a lock on every piece of her property. Her refrigerator being one of them. She says it’s in case hungry thieves break in and all they want is food. She calls them grocery grabbers.’’

  ‘’Greg! What's with the skepticism in your voice? It’s real!’’ Janine protested.

  ‘’Is the lock on your front door not enough?’’ Cyan asked curiously.

  ‘’Look, I tried to give you a good deal on the apartment.’’ Gregory explained to Cyan. ‘’Everything you asked for. Unfortunately, the package comes with a weird neighbour and I’m not paid enough to do something about it.’’

  And after two months of living in the same apartment complex with said weird neighbour, Cyan and Janine became close. They found out that they had a lot in common such as music taste and food so they decided to hang out more. They would spend nights at each other’s apartments watching chick flicks and crime documentaries whilst immersing themselves in greasy goods. They would go sight-seeing in the town and when it was nightfall, sit on the park benches and gaze at the crystal jewels in the night sky. They exchanged stories about their lives. Janine told Cyan about her tyrannical, overbearing parents and how she couldn’t stay at home any longer leading to her finding her own place in the city. Cyan told her about her SSU history and why she left. Because of that, Prague had become her home because Janine was there. Janine didn’t know it but just her presence alone made Cyan forget everything she was running from.

  Looking at Janine now, dressed up in her burger suit, sitting across from her on the couch, Cyan couldn’t help but feel emotional. Would it be the same for Janine without Cyan around? Would Cyan herself cope without Janine? Would the amour and shield that had protected her from her own thoughts and miseries these past few months crumble?

  She didn’t know. All she was certain of was that she was going to miss Janine. Very much. Her job always came with a sacrifice. This time, the sacrifice was a special friendship.

  A knock on the door snapped Cyan out of her memories. She guessed that it could only be Dave. It was 06:20 after all.

  ‘’I’ll get it.’’ Janine offered.

  When she strutted to open the door, Cyan heard muffled voices on the other side of the wall and instead of two feet hitting the floor, she could hear four. Janine must’ve let him in.

  Cyan smelt Dave’s exotic cologne before he walked in the living room and when he did, he came in floating. He was exquisitely dressed in a black suit and tie ensemble with a neatly pressed, black, trench coat perched on his shoulders. His Patek watch shined brighter than the pendants on her chandelier light and if her carpet had the ability to feel, it would’ve been aware of the expensive Italian shoe walking on it. One thing Cyan noted about Dave was that he didn’t need an occasion to dress well. He believed that dressing well was a lifestyle choice and that it was a part of him, a part of his identity to always present his best self. A wide-eyed Janine was tailing right behind Dave with her eyes so far out of their sockets that if she widened them one more inch, they would’ve popped out because of it. She looked like a deer that had been cornered by poachers in the pitch-black with no way to run. She must’ve been impressed by Dave, perhaps. Janine turned to Cyan with those wide eyes and she had a feeling that Janine was a few minutes away from saying or doing something that would put Cyan in a position where she’d have to explain why she was friends with Janine in the first place.

  ‘’I didn’t know you were seeing someone, Cy.’’ Janine blurted out. ‘’I mean, he is not what I would’ve chosen for you. He’s a bit older but if that’s what you want, I fully supp-‘’

  If Cyan had anything in her mouth, she would’ve choked on it.

  ‘’No, J. No. No.’’ Cyan interrupted. ‘’That’s Dave. As in David O’Connor, my boss.’’

  Janine was embarrassed.

  But only for a split second.

  ‘’Oh.’’ she giggled.

  Cyan hadn’t exchanged pleasantries with Dave and yet, Janine had already made herself comfortable on the armrest of his couch.

  ‘’Anyway Dave,’’ she purred. ‘’I hear you’re this bigshot at your agency. Do you need extra hands? An extra spy? Because I could help you.’’

  Dave measured Janine with his eyes. They squinted with careful thought as he took in Janine’s offer.

  ‘’You might be of use.’’ Dave answered. ‘’Can you operate a vehicle?’’

  ‘’Yes! Yes, I can!’’ Janine said too eagerly.

  ‘’Good. We’ll call you when we need our lunch delivered.’’ Dave grinned. ‘’We love burgers.’’

  Cyan burst into laughter as Janine gasped. She muttered something under her breath, removed herself from the armrest and plonked herself onto the neighbouring couch.

  ‘’There goes my dream.’’ she sulked.

  ‘’That was quite unnecessary, Dave.’’ Cyan laughed. ‘’Can I get you something to drink?’’

  ‘’No, I’m alright. Thank you, Cy.’’ he declined. ‘’But you can get a leash for that one. What’s her name? Jasmine? Jennifer?’’

  ‘’Janine.’’ Cyan corrected. ‘’And I apologise for her behaviour. I didn’t realise that she wanted to be a spy kid until two minutes ago.’’

  ‘’The most eventful two minutes of my day so far.’’ Dave joked.

  His brown eyes did a three-sixty sweep of Cyan’s apartment.

  “So, this is where you were staying for the past six months. Nice.’’ Dave complimented.

  ‘’If it was up to me, I’d have painted the walls blue. With a tinge of black.’’ Cyan mused.

  ‘’Like a navy? Or a royal blue?’’ Dave asked.

  ‘’Definitely a navy.’’ Cyan answered.

  ‘’Too bad Novek refused. It would’ve looked debonair.’’ Dave said.

  Janine furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. ‘’How did you know that? That she asked our property manager to paint her room?’’

  ‘’I know everything.’’ Dave replied simply.

  ‘’So, you pretended not to know my name…’’

  ‘’Just to tease you a little.’’ He smiled. ‘’Janine Tereza Hays. Daughter of Grizelda Marie Hays and Triford Hays. Twenty-three years of age and a citizen of Czech Republic by decent. You’re the last of four siblings. Bort, Frederick and Daniel Hays being the children before you. At the present moment, your mother’s last-born son, Daniel, is engaged to a Matilda Dorz, a vegan, who is disgustingly obsessed with recycling. Their small intimate union will be taking place in five weeks and they have chosen one wedding colour to decorate their setting. White. Symbolic of their purest love for one another.’’

  Cyan wasn’t surprised by Dave’s immense knowledge of almost everything and everyone but Janine on the other hand couldn’t remove her jaw off the floor.

  ‘’What...? How did you know all that? My brother hasn’t even sent out invitations to his wedding yet!’’

  ‘’Dave works for the biggest police force in the world so he knows everything.’’ Cyan chimed in. ‘’And apparently, likes to show it off.’’

  ‘’I would love to stay here and tell you all about it but I have somewhere important I have to be.’’ Dave said. ‘’It was lovely meeting you Janine Hays.’’

  ‘’Cyan?’’ he called.

  ‘’Yes. I’m ready.’’ Cyan answered, knowing what he meant.

  Suddenly, red blotches replaced the paleness of Janine’s skin. All her attention was focused on the ceiling and Cyan realised that she was willing herself not to shed any tears. Cyan sat next to her on the couch and clasped her soft hands.

  ‘’We’ll call every day. It’ll feel like you’re there with me and I’m here with you.’’ Cyan assured.

  ‘’What am I going to do without you?’’ Janine quavered.

  Cyan hugged Janine very tightly as this was the last time she was going to for a while. She pecked J on the cheek and wiped her tears away.

  ‘’I’m going to miss you so much.’’ Cyan expressed quietly. ‘’Don’t forget to ask Greg to fix the crack on your kitchen ceiling. That piece of duct tape you put won’t hold for much longer. And try to be on time for work, J. Fast food mangers hate late employees and you’re already fifteen minutes late today as we speak. And please Janine, for the love of all that’s good, throw away the bloody pineapple in your refrigerator. You know you’re allergic. You seem to forget that every time you hear your stomach growling.’’

  ‘’Yes, mother.’’ Janine mocked.

  They squeezed each other again. Janine dropped a kiss on Cyan’s cheek and finally walked towards the door. Before she completely reached the exit, she turned around and said, ‘’I’ll be emptying your refrigerator the moment I come back home.’’

  And with that, she left.

  Dave looked dumbfounded but Cyan was surprised that Janine hadn’t raided her fridge as soon as she found out that that Cyan would be out of her apartment indefinitely.

  ‘’Are you ready?’’ he asked.

  ‘’Yup.’’ She replied.

  She retrieved her bag, switched off the lights in her home and locked the door.

  They left the apartment and descended the apartment building stairs. As soon as they stepped outside, the early morning noise caused by vendors and shop owners preparing their businesses for the day, hit them like a speed train. Cyan could tell Dave was quite irritated with the hubbub but it was music to Cyan’s ears. If you lived on a volcanic island for six months, you were bound to expect the eruptions.

  They didn’t walk too far from the complex when they stopped at a black tinted Sedan across the road.

  ‘’Our ride.’’ Dave clarified.

  He opened the backseat for her and entered in after. The chauffeur seemed to know their destination because Dave didn’t utter a word. She started the car and Cyan made herself comfortable as they left the city behind.

  They passed all the bright coloured buildings that she was used to admiring, the sophisticated clustered, orange-roofed buildings and the little lakes, reservoirs and ponds. They passed Mr. Charlie’s bakery, Dana’s outside bookshop and Ermis’ hardware shop, all of whom she knew and appreciated. They had been driving for approximately thirteen minutes when she noticed the sun rising, bringing with it different colours to dye the sky; lavender, orange and flamingo pink, whilst the clouds floated freely in the morning sky without a care in the world. The aesthetic of the mornings always consumed Cyan. She shut her eyes and felt the low temperatures competing with the timid sun for her attention. The cold temperature pricked her hands and the warmth from the sun penetrated through the car window and stroked her skin. She let the Czech morning consume her one last time, her nose tingling with the smell of fresh bread and coffee.

  What a beautiful way to say goodbye.

  They drove for another ten minutes until the car stopped.

  She opened her eyes. Her pupils adjusted and focused on where they were. The Sedan had stopped in an open field with flowers of all varieties sprouting from underneath it. A large square building, equivalent to a one-story house in size, stood a few feet from them with a wide tarred road paved from inside the building travelling for miles heading to the East. They left the car and moved closer to the building. Before they entered, Cyan saw a large, cream jet with letters ‘SSU’ painted in blue on the body of the jet, with a familiar blue bird right next to them, sitting obediently inside. She couldn’t be accurate but it looked like a 15 4.8 feet Beechcraft Beech jet. Cyan noticed that they had stopped at a hangar and the long-tarred road was in fact, a runway. Dave ushered Cyan to the lush jet and she followed him with her bag. The plug door in the center of the jet opened for them producing a set of stairs for them to climb into the aircraft. Once she was in, she immediately threw herself on the leathery seat near the window. Dave made himself comfortable in the seat across from hers.

  ‘’I had forgotten how much you SSU officials love to splurge.’’ Cyan remarked.

  ‘’Jets are a good investment. We land at the exact place we need to be.’’ he defended.

  ‘’So, are we going straight to Leicester? Or we’re stopping in London first? I know that we have to do some paperwork.’’

  ‘’No. Not the Headquarters. You’ve already been authorized to work this case so we won’t be stopping there.’’ Dave answered. ‘’We are going straight to the house. It’s on the outskirts of town.’’

  ‘’Alright. So, which Division will I be working under? You hadn’t told me that part.’’ Cyan said.

  ‘’Division 12.’’ He replied.

  Cyan’s mouth went dry.

  ‘’Division 12?’’ she repeated slowly.

  ‘’Yes, the 12th Division. What? Is there something wrong?’’ Dave asked with concern.

  ‘’No, no. Nothing at all.’’ Cyan replied. ‘’That’s one of the most impressive Divisions existing right now. They’ve added most solved homicide cases in a single year to their record, right? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I probably would’ve accepted the job a lot sooner.’’

  ‘’Huh. So, you have been following Agency news.’’

  ‘’It’s hard to avoid the exceptional work that they have been doing. They are a formidable force.’’ Cyan complimented.

  ‘’This is a high-profile case. It had to go to the extremely willing. Plus, the DEC is a force to be reckoned with.’’ Dave answered.

  Cyan was quiet for a few moments before she spoke.

  ‘’Nathan is still DEC?’’

  ‘’Oh, most definitely. One of the best guys we’ve ever had.’’

  Cyan knew Nathan. She met him when she was still at the Academy and saw him occasionally when teams met for bi-monthly assessments. He was treated as an emperor in and out of the Agency. His grandmother was one of the main SSU sponsors therefore all the Directors’ and officials felt obliged to treat Nathan in high regard seeing as that without his grandmother, SSU wouldn’t be what it was today without her. It was safe to say that Nathan was popular at the Academy. He graduated a year before her making him twenty-four years of age, a year older than she was. It didn’t help that Nathan was your typical, classical handsome boy.

  He was striking. Tall, broad shoulders, muscular frame, creamy, fair skin, perfect eyebrows, perfect cheek bones, sculpted jaw, wavy hair and blue eyes. All the girls went nuts for him and most, if not all the guys envied and wanted the attention he received. Not only was he SSU’s most eligible bachelor, he was also intelligent. He always came up with creative and innovative ways to improve the Agency and everyone paid attention. What was really impressive about him was that he didn’t let all the praise get to him. He had a mandate as a member of the Special Services Unit to serve and protect and he always remembered that.

  Now as DEC, he led one of the most promising Divisions in the whole Organisation. From the moment she met him, she knew it would happen. It was inevitable. Not because of his background but because Nathan believed that he would only become the best if he worked hard. And he did.

  Though she was thrilled to work under the 12th Division, learning that she’d be working under his leadership made her break a sweat. The air was suddenly a little stuffy. Why didn’t she ask which Division she’d be working under before she accepted Dave’s proposal? Regardless, she was already in the jet. She’d meet any situations she knew she was going to face, at the bridge.

  ‘’I mean, it doesn’t hurt that the girls think he is dreamy. They all listen to him.’’ Dave continued.

  Cyan cast a sideways glance at Dave.

  ‘’Oh, yes. I know all about it.’’ he said. ‘’I’m a Supervisor. Not oblivious.’’

  ‘’He is a natural.’’ Cyan replied shortly.

  Dave pulled a beige file from under his seat, similar to the one he had shown her back at the café with the SSU eagle plastered in the center. She opened the file just as he began to explain.

  ‘’That file contains team hierarchy. Nathan Caldwell being DEC as you know and Evan Patterson as his Second Bearing.’’

  There was a list of names in the file that contained team members of Division 12 including her own.

  ‘Nathaniel Caldwell – Division Expert Chief.’

  ‘Evan Patterson – Second Bearing’

  ‘Harper Blair’

  ‘Jordan-Bailey Ofori’

  ‘William Bradford Jr.’

  ‘Preston Davison’

  ‘Cyan A. Tufala’

  ‘Aria Trey’

  Her eyes popped out at the last name.

  ‘’Dave!’’ she shrieked. ‘’You didn’t tell me that Aria was transferred to the 12th!’’

  ‘’I wanted to surprise you.’’ He confessed. ‘’She’s pretty excited to see you too. Didn’t she tell you anything about her transfer?’’

  ‘’She didn’t give me much when we talked about it. She just said she was moving Divisions but she didn’t give me any details. I guess she kept quiet to surprise me too.’’ she surmised.

  ‘’She moved about five months ago.’’ Dave said. ‘’I figured she would help you adjust back into the SSU world again since you know, you girls always did everything together. Also, her computer skills are so rad.’’

  ‘’This is great!’’ Cyan exclaimed excitedly. ‘’And do you do that in front of the others? Attempting to rekindle the spirit from your youth by using words like ‘rad’? Who still says that?’’

  ‘’I’m the boss. I do and say whatever I want.’’ he retorted.

  The pilot stretched his head through the mediator door that connected his flying space and the cabin where Cyan and Dave were seated.

  ‘’Is everyone ready?’’ he asked.

  ‘’Always ready, Tommy.’’ he replied. ‘’Cy? Ready?’’

  ‘’Let’s do this.’’