Until Time Runs Out

"Elise!" My head snapped up from my desk. I ran my hand over my eyes from the sudden large amount of light. I cursed under my breath.

"Asleep on the job again?" Ethan Brown strolled up to me with a smirk on his arrogant face. "How do I always know?" He leaned against the far corner.

"What now, Ethan?" I groaned.

Ethan Brown. Chief of the Headquarters in New York City. My one and only boss. Who also happens to be my one and only pain in the ass. He found a lead on Christian DeLeop a year ago and was promoted for his 'advancement in the case'. I really think it was just a man who happened to look like Christian.

If he wanted to disappear, no one would ever find him. He was the best in the business, trained to fall into shadows. And that's what made his case the most important, and the most difficult.

"Just checking on you weekly progress again." He held a clipboard against his hip. "If you actually have any this week." He rose an eye brow as I narrowed my eyes slightly.

I could see why he was so suspicious of the amount of results I've collected. I haven't gotten anything in the past two weeks. It's all been the same. Photographs of a shadowed face, a blurred image, or sometimes a country claiming to have him in custody for the reward. But every times we send him over for questioning, we always end up with a dead end.

I quickly looked over at the file open on my computer. Christian DeLeop. Wanted in 27 different countries, two accounts of attempted murder, millions of dollars, euros, and pounds stolen from banks and treasuries. Date of Disappearance: Friday, May 13 (2011). And here we are, three years later, still looking for him.

"Well?" Ethan cleared his throat.

I clicked the file closed and turned off my monitor. "France and Serbia claim to have him in their holding cells." I turned to face him with my arms crossed over my chest. "A plastic surgeon in Guatemala says he gave him a new face two days ago after he saw a most recent picture of him. Is that enough for you?"

He scribbled it down and sighed. "France and Serbia were both in your last report Elsie."

"Well, apparently, he's still there."

"Hey." His voice lowered in volume to a stern whisper. "People are starting to question your loyalty to us. They're starting to think you're helping him disappear."

I shrugged. Let them think then. "If he wanted to disappear, Ethan, then he's not going to be found." I hissed through my teeth. "You of all people in here should know that."

"That was a long time ago." He snapped.

"You guys were like brothers. You should know all his favorite places to go and all his little hiding places." I pointed out. "Maybe it isn't my loyalty that should be tested.

Ethan drummed his fingers on my desk as he chuckled under his breath. "But what about you? All those late nights you two spent here. All of the lunch and dinner dates you guys went on. You guys were together a long time Elise. Usually secrets aren't kept in relationships. You should know the secret project he was working on, and you should know where the hell he is!" His voice grow louder and louder with each word he spoke.

"Sorry to disappoint." I said bitterly and pushed my chair back. I got up, grabbed my jacket, and made my way to the door.

Ethan grabbed my arm and jerked me back. "Where do you think you're going?" He said through his teeth.