Undercover

Brother

His voice is so familiar.

He notices what I'm thinking and backs away from the door and heads to the mattress back towards me.

"Sound familiar?"

I step away from the door eyes intently on him as I hear him take his mask off and dark curly hair frames his face, like mine.

"Jasmey is fine, she's not harmed and is in the building. I can bring you to her if you listen to me."

"It's Jasmine."

He laughs. He laughs then turns around and I step back.

Tan skin, slight stubble, tall, broad and built, black wavy hair and brown eyes.

"Recall me now, Brother?"

It was my cousin. My closest cousin whom I have been best buddies with since a kid.

"Josh?"

He strikes a smile. "Told you I'm not your enemy man."

We share a look in each other's eyes as of saying "we have a lot to talk about but later."

His face gets serious. "I'm not your friend either, I still work with H.E.X.A and you are the enemies. But I respect you so I will see what I can do. I can't tell you what they are up to because, as you know they don't tell everyone everything here. They just tell you enough so you can do your job."

True.

"But I do know something big is brewing. There's a secretive high in these buildings and we all notice it. "

My eyes dart to his to see his eyes cloudy with concern.

"Something is brewing man, and it's gonna be colder than cold brew coffee."

Both of our eyes fall to our feet, in thought. I guess it's a genetic habit.

"Come on, brother let's get your girl not girl out of her room", he says arm around my shoulders leading out the room.

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H.E.X.A headquarters was big, no doubt.
Silver everywhere with the same black square tiles in the room I was temporarily confined in.

Josh leads me around the hallways into another one with similar doors and walks with a cool, composed, and confident gait.

He stops by a door similar to mine and unlocks it. When I look Jasmine meets my eyes and hers widen.

"Are u fu**ing kidding me, she passed out from monoxide and you confined her? You should have helped her out", my voice composed but full of anger.

"We did, she got her aid and then we kept her here, which is thanks to me because no one else would have done that", Joshua says heading into the room with me behind him.

Jasmine stands tall, wary with the man here.
Josh reaches right in front of her saying nothing and lends out his hand for Jasmine to shake.

"Joshua Blake."

Warily she shakes his hands.

"Your hands are so soft", he murmurs probably to himself but both of us heard.

She immediately takes her hand back and he lets out a low chuckle.

"Jasmine Cora, an agent in C.O.D.E. You two are lucky it was me orchestrating this, I actually volunteered."