-11:00am
-Mapleton, police department 219, MPD.
"Lieutenant" I call Arjun. "Can we please have a minute?" I ask to which he agrees and leads us to his office room.
"Sir, I think we're on to something." Ali says as soon as Arjun sits down. He's our lieutenant, we're commanded to keep him updated about this case. His curly dark brown hair and brown skin compliments his green eyes as he raises his eyebrows to say. "Yes detective Ali you're permissible to talk." Arjun gestures us to take a seat.
"After we sent our sreach team, we gathered something from which we discovered this bank account." Ali hands over lieutenant Arjun a file. And I continue telling. "Our sreach team found out that an alumni student at a business university was admitted by a boy, who's name was Ifan deniz, this was 6 years ago." following me, Ali explains "At first we found her very similar, that's when we remembered. She's related to Sam yilmaz, the boy we've been tracing, when we visited his home town, no one said a thing but we did find his old house burned." Ali slides two pictures from the file and I point at them as I say.
"We already had his picture of when he was 15 years old. Him and his brother were captured by their local policeman because they were caught stealing, we used those mugshots to find them, but we couldn't until yesterday." Lieutenant takes those picture in his hands, I look over at Ali and he continues. "these kids are connected to this case, even more than we imagined, they're the main target as for now."
I nod and say "They were quite gossiped after they ran away, When we saw her alumni picture in that university, we got in depth and discovered that Ifan deniz is her only brother. We knew only one of those boys name as clarity. We knew Ifan is the other one's name as soon as we got our warrant of getting details about his bank account, from where he paid for her sister's fees, the bank account was under the same of Sam deniz. We figured he didn't actually used his last name. The account was closed 4 years back. So we couldn't get info about where they might be today." I open up a file where a location is underlined. "But, we did find a lead. The alumni girl, She owns a restaurant now, and that's where we'll be heading tomorrow."
Ajrun runs a eye through all the files and evidence. "Detective Faiza, I have to tell you that our operation has to begin sooner now."
"Share the operation details with me sir and I'll take a look at it."
"You have been assigned for a four-month undercover assignment, commencing immediately. For the duration of this operation, your entire identity, domicile, and all associated personal details will be assumed and managed by our agency. including your residence and personal details. now that we know Faisal's specific men we can get in depth. Your primary objective will be to establish a close relationship with the target individual, gathering intelligence that will aid in obtaining conclusive evidence." Arjun hands me a permit file.
This is way early, An undercover dectective is a task for a senior officer to handle, how can I possibly fit in that role?
"Sir with all due respect, I don't think I'm ready to be in a task as undercover detective."
"I've seen your work Faiza. I know you can do will fine." He speaks casually.
"I'll email you the details. Stay active at six, besides that, you are sure the data you shared is legitimate?"
"Affirmative." I say.
The start of my career takes place and I already have to go undercover.
This is just Great, isn't it? ugh.
. . . . . . . . .
I leave my house with keys to lock the front door when I hear beeping of a car, I turn and Ali is standing. He gives me a warm smile as he waves hello. "Care to check this new restaurant?" Ali speaks behind me, I didn't care to turn around. "Don't make it seem like a date." I say as I lock the door securely. "Then you'd miss the chance to crack this case detective Faiza."
"Oh I'll be going. just don't with you." I walk to him. "Come on, I got here all the way."
"I didn't ask you to come, I was headed to police-station anyway."
"Whatever suits you. Lead the way Dectective" He let's me walk before him, I heard him mutter. "After you"
-Restaurant.
"It looks like it hasn't been in business yet."
"Yeah, looks under construction." Ali inspect with his eyes.
"We shouldn't go inside."
"Yeah you're probably right, that'd be too much attention on us." Ali gets me. A young, bright brown haired girl comes outside, locking the main gate of her restaurant.
"That's a very pretty looking girl." Ali ducks his hat a bit lower, we can't be too obvious as we're undercover. But yes I agree, she is a very gorgeous lady, little dimple appears on her cheek when she smiles to an old man who crosses by, walking his dogs. That man shakes her hand, they shared goodmorning glances.
They know each other. She bends a little to play with those dogs, and by the look of how those dogs recognised her touch, I guess they could be neighbours. She waves them bye and raises her hand in motion to stop a cab. She doesn't own a car? But she has a whole building, could be on rent? She sits in that cab and we began to follow her steadily.
"Where do you think she's going?" Ali asks.
"I'm not sure." I clean my shades which I'll be wearing once I get out of our car. After a few minutes, her cab stops at a festival event happening in the Central park. The park is decorated with tents and various hobbies at each corner, it looks fun which is why I hate it.
I dislike anything close to being fake and full of life. It gives me the ick, how everyone's only pretending to have a good time.
We keep a close eye on her, she wonders around for a bit, meets with some girls, they laugh for God knows what reason.
"she's one of the volunteer workers" Ali walked to me after asking some random people.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I was confused as well. A thug's sister working for others? Hard to believe." He smacks his lips.
"All they do is pretend so that their parsona doesn't give hints. She's either very clever or extremely stupid." I say, Keeping a staight face.
They hang out for a while, buy items off of some stalls and all the boring things one can do at a festival, before it could get dark she returns to call a cab.
"That's all?" Just basic humanly routine.
I guess there can be a slight chance that, she may or may not know what her brothers do, or maybe she's good at hiding that. By the look on her face when she helped elderly, kids and stall workers she seem to be genuine, I'm an excellent cop, I can tell how a person is with a single glimpse. Which is why I think she's either very good at hiding, and lying, or she actually really doesn't know about anything.
"We should probably leave now—" Ali gets interrupted as a man bumped into him, running for his life?
"Fire! There's fire!" He yells and ran off.
Ali and I immediately sprinted through the crowded festival grounds, our eyes scanning the sea of panicked faces. The smell of smoke and burning wood filled the air. The sound of screams and shattering glass pierces our ears. A massive fire had engulfed the festival's main stage, where a magician was doing tricks with fire balls went wrong, his table under sheet got caught on fire by a momentary mistake, which spread fire quick on wooden stage's floor, trapping dozens of people beneath the collapsing structure. For a second my legs froze, but Ali broke my vision, I know I have to act fast, So without hesitation, I charge into the inferno, my training and adrenaline propelling me forward. Flames licked at my uniform, but I pushed on. "Evacuate! Everyone! Hurry EVACUATE!" I yell.
"Officer Faiza dunk down!" Ali shouts, but my eyes are locked on the people crying out for help. I grab a young girl, no more than ten years old, and pulled her to safety. Her parents, frantic with worry, rushing to her side, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces, which makes my heart explode with compassion, regard for every officer.
Ali didn't stop there. He rushed back into the burning wreckage, searching for anyone else trapped beneath the rubble. He pulled out a young couple, then an elderly man, each time risking his own life to save others. As the fire department arrived to extinguish the blaze, I stood outside, my uniform charred and smoldering. I watched as the paramedics tended to the injured, my chest is heaving with exhaustion, and with that the moment began calming down a bit. The sound of ambulances made people relieved,
Some survivors crossing by with their relatives, thanked me with such cherish tone, and I just stood there, not knowing what to do, I slighty smiled humbly, the corners of my eyes feel a tiny tingle of tears but I move forward, with other rescue team, I made sure everyone Evacuates safely, my eyes keep scanning the crowd for any sign of further distress.
"Everything's good." Ali gets out of the burnt tent.
"Are you okay?" I unconsciously brushed dust off of his shoulders. "Oh God" the tiny feeling of distress made a knot get dangling in my stomach and I hugged him, he wrapped his arms around my back. "I'm okay." He released the realest breath of relief.
"I'm okay" He whispered.
-
-
-
"We got nothing regarding our case" I drop down on Ali's office chair. "Look on the bright side, we saved citizens. Imagine we if weren't there, God knows what would've happend." He smiles, his cheeks flushed, looking himself in the window whilst he styles, combing his gelled hair.
"I hate that gell on you, makes you look like a sticky racoon."
"I think It suits me."
"Who said?"
"I did."
"No one cares about your opinion."
"Well I do."
"Because no one else cares about you."
"Faiza can you keep your recommendations to yourself?"
"I can't believe we got nothing today." I crossed my arms in furiousness.
"It was the first day, calm down." He scoots a chair closer to me, and sat down next to me.
"Excuse me? Don't tell me to calm down?" I'm already furious,
I don't let anyone talk causal with me, I hate it, last time I let somone do that I suffered for years so no, not again.
"Let me help you." He takes my hand in his.
"Don't—" I rejected his hand immediately, moving my hand away from him within seconds. "It's burned." He sighed arrogantly but that sigh had more concern than my mother has ever showed for me.
"What is?" I blinked.
"Your arm Faiza." He's calm.
"Evacuate! EVACUATE! Hurry hurry!" A wooden piece of wall fell down, crashing my arm.
"I didn't notice I got hurt."
"I did."
"Uhm.." My lips curled inward, bitting back whatever question that formed inside my head.
"Because it stinged me." He stares me in the eyes. "Ali I'm not falling for this." I looked down, avoiding eye contact.
"I'm not asking you to." He's still looking at me.
The thing is, Ali proposed a few months back but I refused to accept his hand. Not because he's not the perfect guy but because.. I'm still dealing with what I went through years ago..
When my fiance broke of our engagement in a very brutal manner which I can not and will not forget. I can't seem to be able to stay genuine with anyone. I don't want to forget what happened. I want to keep that memory wondering around inside my head so I don't forget to never go back to being vulnerable.
Once a string to a relation heaves back, it becomes a burden to pull, rather than a blessing. Which is why when he turned his affection into hatred for me, I had to losen the grip of my hands because I can not be willing to hold something someone is letting go of, the buries will only deepen my palms, not his.
He called off our engagement right before our celebration, but I was there— waiting for him, everyone was.. and he never came.
He came the other day to insult me but as harsh as I had become I didn't let him place a single word on my face, I'm glad I did that. But the night after was when everything actually hit me. I didn't leave my room for days, everything seem to have turned gray and bland, I had no interest in living, or doing anything else. I lost my dim that night, I lost every piece of life I had in me that night.
And what's worse is I remember every single hour, minute and second of that night. Every corner around me ended in dark shadows I couldn't shake off, and once again I froze, exactly like how I froze when my brother—
"Faiza?" Ali waves his hand to bring me back from my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm here."
"No, you're not.. where are you?"
"Ali, I said I'm here." I'm harsh again.
"Sometimes I really don't get you."
"I don't expect you to."
"Fine." He stands up. "However you wish." He walked out of his own office, leaving me behind.
Its easier to understand now, no men can ever get me, not in this lifetime, I know I'm harsh but only because I don't want him to get any specific or wrong idea, which I'm not giving. It'll only become harder for me to work with him if he and I ever came to be a thing. The fire made me remember things I lost track of, and Ali couldn't understand that. I don't expect him to understand either.
I sigh and tilt my head back to relax my eyes.
Notification ring.
I get an email that I opened abnormally
quicker than anything, I guess any distraction will work. It's the file Arjun said he'd share.
I read it out loud.
"Firtsly the Background research is required." He wrote, Already done that. Futher on, I gazed through Arjun's email message thoroughly.
"You'll conduct thorough research on the target, including their habits, and patterns. Agent Faiza, your fictional identity, including a backstory, to blend in with the target's environment is the most important, thus that being said we have given you the parsona of a dentist who died a week ago. Moreover, You'll receive training on the target's activities, as well as briefing on the laws and regulations surrounding the investigation. You must make initial contact with the target, often through a mutual acquaintance. Even work together if you must. Work to establish a rapport with the target, gaining their trust, confidence, and collect information about the target's associates.
Under circumstances, You will be required to testify in court about their experiences and the evidence you collect with prosecutors there to support, to build a case against the target, providing evidence and testimony as needed. After the operation is complete, you will undergo a debriefing process to discuss their experiences and the outcome of the investigation.
As Undercover detectives, you must follow strict safety protocols to minimize the risk of discovery or harm."
Ugh, garbage, garbage! Everything's garbage. I'm not build to pretend, I dislike pretending the most and it still followed me here, in my career.
I wonder if this is it. To once and for all put an end to Faisal's whole career, company and factory.
I wonder if I'll be able to find what I deeply desire for.
I wonder if I'll be able to succeed.
These four months are either going to lead me up the hill, or make me fall down the hill, leaving me with nothing left, and I'll lose again. I wonder if I'll lose the last bit of life I have, during this case.
I wonder if I'll be able to survive another year, another reason for me to give up.
I wonder if I'll live through that reason, yet again,
What if another loss?