𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 (𝟏𝟖+) 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✓

Chapter 17

I feel a weight settle against my side as I continue typing on the laptop I found. I see Nash from the corner of my eye lean over to see the slow but steady progress I'm making in decrypting the laptop. Both of us are at the hospital right now with Jade while she visits her mom and surprisingly she's quickly warmed up to Haruto who's currently sitting with the mom and daughter duo.

"How long have you been working on this?" Nash murmurs and I move my glasses to rub my eyes, the constant staring at the screen is definitely making my eyes feel tired.

"From the time you left with Jade this morning," I answered turning to face him.

"Your eyes are red, you even switched to your glasses which means your eyes must have gotten uncomfortable with your contacts," he says softly as his thumb brushes underneath it. "Have you eaten?"

"I maybe, kind of forgot?" I reply turning away from him and I hear him let out a sigh. 

"Save whatever you're doing and let's go get you something to eat so you can take a break. No reason for you to work on an empty stomach," he tells me as he stands up holding my bag open to put the laptop inside. I open my mouth to protest but instead I snap it shut when I feel my stomach growl from not eating since yesterday evening.

"Alright," I say to him as I save whatever I've done so far before handing it to him to put in my bag. "Julia, Jade, we're just going to grab something to eat, if you need anything tell Haruto to call me," I say to them as I pop my head through the doorway. 

"Okay Natalia," Jade says in a cheerful voice. 

"Alright, let's go," I tell Nash and he holds his hand out for me and I link my fingers with his. "I didn't get to ask but what did you do today?" 

"Was called to deal with a robbery around nine in the morning. Who goes to steal from the bank at nine in the morning?" he says in exasperation while rolling his eyes.

"No casualties right?" I ask him as we reach the elevator and I press the button.

"None at all, it was a small group that went and from what I know it was their first time trying to case a bank and it wasn't successful. I just wish that people didn't try stupid things because now it just makes their lives challenging," he says solemnly and I have to agree. Whenever we arrest someone, the first thing that always crosses my mind is why do it? The result can hurt a lot of people and I'm pretty sure the person that's arrested is hurt too because they know that they're a lot of consequences that they have to face.  "But anyways, the results for the fingerprints on the note you found this morning should be getting back to you soon right?"

"Yeah, I went straight to Georgia since I know she usually goes to work around seven," I answer as we walk into the elevator.

《 Flashback

"Now this is the day, you here at my workplace at this godly hour of the day?" Georgia says as she looks at me in surprise.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I've been working since four this morning," I answer as I sit in her office. "This right here is currently the love of my life," I tell her as I hold up my coffee.

"Did you guys find anything new for the case?" she questions, glancing up at me from her computer.

"I can't go into details but it's progressing," I answer vaguely while she lets out a non-committal hum.

"And how's it going with the girl staying with you and Nash? Any word on how her mom is doing?" she questions and I nod my head, placing my coffee on the table. 

"She woke up but it's still going to be some time before she's able to get home," I answer as she hands me a folder for me to look through. 

"This is everything we've been able to gather on the drug, we're calling it TSK," she tells me and I look at her in confusion at the random acronym. "Before you ask, it means The Silent Killer. Yes, the person will know when the effects become physical but it all begins from the inside without them knowing."