A trail of smoke snaked around a lightly stubbled chin. Deep set lines creased across thin skin, as his eyebrows lowered in concentration. Kai stood a fair distance away from him. The suit he wore was one Tully gifted him for their 3rd anniversary. After spotting that spunky receptionist last night at the local bar, he woke up this morning needing to remind himself, he had a wife. Thick fingers continued to shuffle through the pictures, until they pulled the cigarette out an aging mouth.
'Who took these?'
Kai walked around the room, and poured himself some more tea, 'A few of my guys arrived here before I did,' he felt the cup was cold.
Gavin looked through the pictures again. The air-force base seemed to be situated around what looked like the Speckle Woods Forest. But if there was a base here then he would have known about it. In fact, he was certain none of the townsfolk even had a clue. He shuffled through them again, focusing on one.
'Why does it look abandoned,' he lifted the picture.
'That's because it is,' Kai sat down and sipped on the tea. Gavin shook his head in confusion, 'They abandoned it about a month ago. Due to reasons my team and I are still unsure of.'
Gavin rubbed his chin, not understanding, 'So you're saying the national government set up a secret airforce base in our town's forest and then just abandoned it?'
'Exactly,' said Kai, 'You're aware of all the odd,' he looked outside at the pouring rain, 'weather that's been occurring in the surrounding region,' Gavin nodded, 'Well, my client, has it in good standing that none of it is a coincidence.'
'And who is this client?'
'That I do not need to disclose to you?'
'But they're interested in Speckle?'
'Mmm, something of the sort,' he grinned. Gavin's mouth turned in distaste as Kai crossed his legs on his desk table.
'Why'd you come to me?'
'Cause I heard you're the man to talk to if I want to know the inner workings of this' he waved his hand around '...quaint little place. Me and my team are new here. But you. Oh, you appear to be an old hand,' he finished his tea, 'I need your assistance in trying to locate certain information. And in exchange, you may be given the biggest story of your entire life.'
He stood up, dusting off his pants, 'You scratch my back, and I will most certainly scratch yours.'
Gavin puffed the last of the cigarette and threw the pictures on his desk, 'I still don't get it. What's in it for you?' he took a moment to reflect, 'What's in it for your client?'
Kai placed his hands in his pockets, smile coy. He underestimated how this was going to go. He looked over the rugged white button up and blue slacks the old man wore. There was a clear yellow stain on the shoulder of the shirt and the colour of the slacks were fading.
The man's back was crooked, yet despite the frail appearance he seemed to have some sense. Kai decided to give him what he wanted. It's not as if he or the others cared over what these people did or did not know about what they were doing here. That wasn't the point of this operation.
'My client was a rising military officer. He had a hand in the deliberations of whether covert Air-force base 08PG3 should be placed either in the Alpine or Spesic region. They chose Spesic. Care to take a guess as to why that it is?' Gavin remained quiet and Kai smirked, 'It's closer to the sea,' he said, 'For quite some time, the government has been aware of...strange activities occurring not only within the airs of this region but the seas as well.
'I'm sure you and your team were writing about all those dead octopus washing up on various shores awhile back?' Gavin nodded and Kai unclipped his brown briefcase, taking out another set of pictures.
'To deduce what may have been going on a decision was taken to conduct a series of naval tests, 20 kliometers east of Luan Port. Everything was done with the utmost confidential measures. For three years, the naval tests took place, taking many of the officers involved deeper and deeper into the sea,' he spread the new set of pictures and took out one, handing it to Gavin. The image depicted what looked like a deformed greenish whale, with its head concaved inwards.
'However, the deeper they delved the more disturbing things became. Increasing accounts of unidentified objects were being reported. Atleast three classified with the status of 'encounters with the third kind'. Mr Davenshore, are you aware of what that means?'
'The navy was seeing aliens?' Gavin's tone was disbelieving.
Kai chuckled, 'As you can imagine recent technology created by the military has allowed for big steps towards travelling further into the sea and high above the skies,' he pointed down then up, 'The majority of reports were not taken at face value. Many sea-creatures in the depths of the ocean are completely unclassified, in terms of species and features,' he laughed again, 'these so-called 'encounters', were merely sea-creatures that many of the navy officers had never seen before.'
'However, because of the strenuous amount of pressure involved with this type of work. The complete isolation of the submarine environment. And having to deal with the same people every day in such a small space, you can imagine some of the officers lost their senses.'
'Unfortunately, one of which, was the lead official of the entire operation. And about 16 months ago, an incident occurred during a deep dive excursion, that set off a series of unsettling events,' he gave Gavin a different picture, 'I'll spare you the details, but the result was that the lead official took the executive decision to drop four sets of radioactive bombs within the area where the tests were being conducted. Resulting in the deaths of all officers involved.'
Gavin looked at the image and saw a large explosion occurring in the middle of the waters, sets of ships decimated in its wake, 'The photograph you are currently looking at was taken by 08PG3 pilots surveying the area. You see while the navy was conducting tests in the sea. Air-force base 08PG3 was doing the same thing within the skies. Similar reports of unidentified objects and anomalous encounters were reported by pilots. Though none are on official records.'
Gavin studied the image of the explosion and shook his head, 'If they were dropping bombs, wouldn't that mean Luan Port and Speckle would have been destroyed?'
Kai reached for the last of the pictures, 'That's where things get interesting,' Gavin couldn't believe what he just said but took the pictures from him anyway, 'You're right. Your little town should be even more of a pile of rubble than what it already is. But the explosion didn't affect the surrounding areas because something stopped it.'
In the first image, though slightly grainy, there appeared to be two human-shaped bodies hovering in the sky. In the second, the bodies are diving into the explosion. In the third, the explosion appears to be sucked down into the water. And the final image, depicted still waters, as if no submarines nor bombs ever touched the area.
'What am I looking at?' his voice was gruff.
'I do not know,' he looked up and saw that Kai's expression was serious, 'But whatever it is, it's not good,' Gavin placed the images down.
'What do you mean?'
'Similar occurrences of such -interference- have been reported around the entire country and in other parts of the world. It is the belief of a few elite high-ranking political and military officials that what you just saw is a pair of incredibly powerful -entities- who form part of a secret group, that consistently disrupts or obscures sensitive military operations in favour of their own agenda.'
Gavin chortled, 'But you just said aliens aren't a thing?'
'I didn't say that. I said that there are things that we, particularly those navy officers, have never seen before. How can you explain something you never knew?'
'But if they didn't interfere, I'd be a dead man. From what you're saying it seems like the military fucked up.'
Kai pursed his lips, 'How you view the situation is irrelevant. What matters is how those with the necessary power view it. And I can assure you, they do not see what those -things- are doing as saving lives. Especially since they cannot explain what they are.'
Gavin stared him down, 'What is in it for your client?'
Kai frowned, irritation welling at the man's stubbornness, 'Do you not understand what I just told you,' He pointed to the pictures. 'The evidence I'm providing here. You can blow the lid off this. Bring light to what the military don't want the public to know.'
'It doesn't mean shit if I don't know what's motivating you to tell me all this in the first place?'
He really did underestimate him. But what did he care? He doubts this town will even still be here by the time he and the others leave. Kai looked him over and released a deep sigh, 'The reason the air-force base was abandoned was because something spooked the officials there. They were in such a rush to leave they didn't even clear the area properly. When my client was instructed to do a proper clean up job by his superiors, they discovered that many files were missing along with certain equipment.'
'What was in them?'
'I do not know the specifics. But what I can say is that it was over 400 documents detailing the extensive operations conducted by both the air force and the navy throughout their time here in the Spesic region.'
Gavin smirked, 'You're looking for those files. What does it have to do with your client?'
'My client and his subordinates were unreasonably discharged from the military and falsely accused of destroying those documents.'
'A cover-up? Why would his superiors do that?'
'Due to recent activities conducted by military agents within this area, it is the belief of my client, that the pair of entities that intervened in the explosion may be residing somewhere in the Spesic region. They're in one these towns around here. And certain sects of the military are trying, with what can only be called terroristic means, to snuff them out.'
Kai looked out the window again, taking in the sound of the rain, 'My client is not only interested in clearing their name and reputation with the recovery of those documents. But they are also interested in ensuring that whatever these things are that have piqued the interest of powerful individuals, do not endanger any more innocent lives than they already have. Whether through faults of their own or by extension.'
He took out some papers from his briefcase and placed it on the desk, 'You can keep the pictures and these documents,' Gavin raised a surprised eyebrow, 'There you have it. I've laid all my cards on the table,' he closed the briefcase.
Looking over his desk, Gavin knew that even if most of what this man just said was a lie, there's got to be truth in some of it. He returned his attention back to him, 'What is it you want me to do?'
'I believe you are currently investigating Jeong Jaehyun?' Gavin nodded 'Good. Keep it that way. And whatever you find out, keep me informed.'
'That's all?'
Kai shrugged, 'That's all Mr Davenshore. Are we in business?' he held out his hand, huffing out some air, Gavin shook it firmly.
'I'm still surprised you even came.'
Jennie shrugged, 'I just came to get the last of my stuff,' she shifted uncomfortably on the couch. The grey walls of this apartment always gave her a feeling of foreboding. She didn't know why until the last months of her and Cassidy's relationship.
'Jen,' the blonde streaks in Cassidy's black hair looked discoloured and the edges of her fingertips were gnawed. A long-running bad habit. Sour memories flooded her as she stared at those hands, 'Is there any way we can fix this? I know, how I treated you wasn't okay...' the audacity of the words, broke her thoughts, 'I still love you. And I'm sure you still have feelings for me too. We can try again.'
She gripped her box of belongings. Those words shouldn't affect her. But it still hurt to hear them. How can someone be so convinced of their own lies? The way Cassidy loved her couldn't be love. Love shouldn't constantly hurt. Love should be warm...or something better than warm. She stood up, blinking any emotions away, 'This is why I don't want to talk to you. It's never just a simple conversation. You always have to turn it into something it's not,' Cassidy shrunk into herself.
'The only feelings I have for you are ones of pain,' she flinched as Cassidy tried to come closer. Thankfully the other woman noticed and remained where she was, 'Goodbye Cass, I hope you get yourself some help. Because it's not coming from me.'
When she was safely within her car, she closed her eyes, forcing the tears away. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the heaving coming from her mouth and saw the way her hands trembled. Taking some moments, she recollected herself. She decided to call it a day. Texting Lesly, she told her she could go home early, she'd head back and lock up. A ping quickly came back, and she frowned:
Sure, thing boss, I'll see you tomorrow. P.S got a little surprise waiting for you when you come back ;P
She was in no mood for one of Lesly's crazy ideas. Sighing, she started the car and made her way back to the town centre. The drive was mostly still, except for the periodical flashes of gnawed fingertips. Turning on to the main road, she saw it was slightly busy. She checked the time. It was nearing the end of the school day. If she wanted to skip the rush, she'd need to hurry.
Parking in front of her building, she made her way inside. Shockingly, there was no Lesly at the front reception. Shoulders dropping in relief, she placed her bag down and headed to her office.
'Hey there, I was wondering when you'd come,' Chaeyoung smiled broadly as she stood up. Transfixed, Jennie wondered if this was a dream. 'Sorry, Lesly let me in' she shook her head and found her voice.
'No, it's okay, I'm just surprised,' she noticed the bouquet of purple star-shaped flowers in the blonde's one hand and a sparkling pink bottle in the other.
'These are for you,' she handed her the flowers and bottle, 'Gemstone, right? Hopefully that'll make the chocolates taste even better. And the flowers...well this is going to sound corny but every time I seem them, they remind me of you. You both have a way of brightening up a room. It's a gift really.'
A thick pause settled between them while Jennie stared at the flowers and wine. There were a few reactions she imagined when she came up with this idea. Jennie would politely say thank you and invite her out for a coffee. Jennie would pop open the bottle of Gemstone and ask her if she wanted to share a drink. Jennie would laugh happily at seeing her in her office and look away shyly as she accepted the gifts. And the one she thought of most was that Jennie would accept the gifts, place them down on the desk and pull her into a searing kiss.
None of it involved what she was currently seeing. Which was usually beaming brown eyes, well up with tears, knuckles white at how tight they gripped the wine bottle. Chaeyoung's heart fell, feeling she'd over-stepped some sort of boundary. Carefully, she walked over to her, and took the items out of her hands.
Placing them on the floor, she gently lifted her hands to Jennie's face, turning it towards her, 'I...' the tears fell on their own and Chaeyoung wondered what the appropriate words were to address the bereavement hiding deep within the other woman's eyes. Unable to come up with anything, she just pulled her into her arms and held her.
Jennie's fingers clawed up her back as her shoulders shook and shook. She couldn't stop herself. The tears kept streaming. But Chaeyoung didn't let go. When the blindness of her weeping faded, she realized strong arms were still holding her tight.
'I-I'm sorry,' she sniffled, 'I had a bad day and,' her sight was blurring again, 'what you did was the sweetest thing anyone's done for me in a while, and' she buried her face back into the secure warmth of their embrace. Tenderly, Chaeyoung thread her fingers through Jennie's hair, and placed soft kisses over her head.
'There's no need to apologise. Take as long as you want and let it out. I got you,' she whispered, and Jennie's arms tightened around her. Moments later she felt the shorter woman move but she wasn't ready to let go. She wanted to protect her. Take all the pain away. If needs be, she'd hold her like this forever. Realizing how irrational that was, and that she didn't want to smother her to death she released her.
But Jennie held on to her hand, wiping at her own eyes, smile tentative, 'Sorry.'
She reached out and placed a strand of dark hair out her face, 'Are you feeling better?'
'Yes, thank you for being so patient,' Chaeyoung knew she shouldn't be thinking this way right now, but the puffiness of Jennie's eyelids was making it very difficult for her not to kiss her.
'Sorry, what did you say?'
Jennie's lips spread into a toothy smile and flung her arms around Chaeyoung's shoulders, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek, 'I said thank you for the flowers and the wine. I love it!'
Instantly she hugged her back, face dipping into the crook of the brunette's neck, 'It's a pleasure,' she mumbled and sneaked a short kiss against Jennie's neck, 'So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?'
'I-I was hoping I could spend it with you,' said Jennie.
'Then let's do that. Spend the day together.'
'Okay,' Jennie shyly agreed and found her pulse skip a beat at the happy smile on Chaeyoung's face.