LEAH
My friend and I's first day in Harder Biometrics started out with a pretty long briefing for the two 'newbies' Lia and I were, and ever since I step foot on the building, I had a bad feeling about all of it. We were then introduced to our huge lab, where we would synthesise human genomes to do God-knows-what, but 'everything comes at the right time', like Pernille Harder would say to us at least four times.
As soon as there's only Lia and I left alone in our new workplace, I look around to make sure nobody is looking, but Lia beat me to doing the talking:
"Are you okay? You seem pretty disturbed by our new boss..."
"Uh, disturbed is not the word I'd use... Actually, Pernille was in Marìa's class, and one of her best friends..." I let out thoughtfully, trying to hold my breath enough for me not to gasp. As Lia frowns, I add: "I don't think she liked me pretty much back then, and it still hasn't changed apparently..."
"You're making a fuss out of nothing: she hired you, Leah, this alone proves she doesn't hate you. Plus, look how amazing this job is! We're really lucky, you should enjoy it. Look: I've made some researches on Dr Harder, and apparently she has found a breakthrough solution on a serious issue she couldn't reveal just yet. What if it's the project we're working on? That may be why she hasn't told us anything just yet! And what if-"
But I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Why are you so excited all of a sudden?" I ask, suspicious.
"Why aren't you?" Lia rhetorically asks in disbelief, "we were hired by the most promising face of modern medicine, Leah! It's just amazing!"
I nod, beaten.
I need to find out what Pernille's up to, 'cause something tell me her arrival in London is no coincidence...
***
INGRID
Unknown number: stop the mind games and turn yourself in, otherwise the truth will be revealed in a more murderous manner than last night. you should not have published this article...
As I bring my phone closer to my ear after dialling Alexia's number, I wait a few seconds, staring at the view of the balcony, as the small coffee's terrasse I was seating in was offering quite the insight on big gardens and everything.
After a few seconds, Alexia answers in a whisper:
"Hey, how are you holding up?"
"Well, the bitch from the guardian is still in palliative care but her life's not in danger, and my office is totally ruined, but apart from that-"
"Ingrid, how are you doing?" she insists, suspicious.
Rolling my eyes, I just say:
"I'm... fine, don't worry. But we gotta change strategies 'cause this unknown number is starting to get on my nerves honestly..."
"Agreed" the Spanish says, setting her jaw on the other side of the phone. While I look around, defeated, she continues: "Have you heard about Leah's new job...?"
"Yeah, talk about being in a big, big shit" I comment, half-laughing, half-stressing out, "I can't believe Pernille- well, this is good, right? She must be involved in... you know."
"No doubt in my mind" Alexia says, and as there are voices behind her, she lowers hers and says: "I'm sorry I gotta go, but keep me updated, and please check on Leah before she loses her mind... we can't repeat the mistakes from the past..."
I nod.
"You're right" I say, before adding: "Well, enjoy that old Saint Ives, and I'll keep an eye on Leah. See ya."
I hang up, before leaving some money on the table and entering the waiting room where Frida's husband and kids had arrived in between, visibly worried sick. Setting my jaw, I advance toward them, and Anders stares at me with murderous eyes - what, is he feeling threatening by the hot and badass lesbian that works with his equally hot and badass bisexual wife? I would be too, honestly. Smirking, I just stand there, giving my visitor's badge back to the nurse in charge of Frida's room, before walking toward the three guys.
While Anders is about to say something dumb or mean as always, one of Frida's boys - can't even remember their names to be honest - points at me and says:
"Mommy's friend!"
Smirking - oh how I fucking hate kids - I tap into his hand to make him shut up, before walking by Anders.
After throwing him a belittling look, I just say:
"She's in room 4 - should wake up soon."
With that said, I leave the hospital after staying up all night.
Once I am on the street, I can see looks on me as I walk back to my apartment, that was about 30 minutes away by foot - but I needed to eliminate my adrenaline to finally think straight. On my way there, I come across some newspapers headlines, such as: WONDER JOURNALISTIC DUO ENGEN & ROFLÖ DOES IT AGAIN - GROUNDBREAKING ARTICLE PUBLISHED AFTER EXPLOSION IN THE TIMES' HEADQUARTERS PROVOKE MEDIATISATION OF SAINT IVES' MYSTERY, or even some stuff like: STAR JOURNALIST HOSPITALISED AFTER EXPLOSION AND ATTACK - POLICE ARE LOOKING CLOSER TO LINK WITH STUDENT'S SUICIDE EXPLOSION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK. Setting my jaw, I just try to ignore them.
Only, once I reach my apartment and get out the elevator, I see two women standing by my door, their arms crossed, and visible badges: London P.D. I immediately recognise them from the information Alexia had given me - Section 17's Special Agents Danielle Van de Donk and Ana Crnogorcevic.
"Special Agents, how may I help you?" I ask, trying to remain as serious as I can.
"Ingrid Engen?" the Dutch asks, raising her eyebrows.
"In the flesh" I confirm, smirking.
But then, the other woman - the tallest one, and visibly strongest one - approaches me quickly, before getting her handcuffs out and putting my hands behind my back.
In the meantime, the other agent recites:
"Ingrid Engen, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Fridolina Roflö. Everything you say might and will be hold against you, ..."
I smirk: whoever that unknown number is, they've got some strings to pull - I certainly did not expect to sleep in jail tonight...
Rolling my eyes, I just cooperate completely: I had to.
***
ALEXIA
"This is a joke, right?" I exclaim, almost screaming, as my voice was so cold and annoyed that even Shelina turns around. Ignoring the people - meaning, my superior as well as my parents - around me, I just continue: "Release her. Immediately. You arrested the victim... No, I don't fucking care if there's some kind of bullshit evidence, she hasn't- No, she didn't, trust me! Go and ask Roflö if you need, but I guess she'll coo-borate... I don't care about the hierarchy, they can arrest me if they want, but release her."
I immediately hang up, deeply annoyed.
Shelina stares at me for a while, but she doesn't say anything: she knows better than to try to invade my personal and professional space, so she adjusts her dress as she grabs my hand to enter the modern ball room, where my former classmates were already drinking and dancing with smiles on their faces.
Right away, I spot Katie, who is laughing about some joke Catarina said. I recognise a few faces: Ada Hegerberg, the first of our class back in the days, who also happened to be the nicest ; Jenni Hermoso, one of my sister's best friend, who enthusiastically waves at me, all smiles ; Sam Kerr, the sportsperson of our high school, mostly known to be funny as hell ; Alex Greenwood, former star cheerleader, also kind of a bitch sometimes... All those faces from the past just give me nostalgia: like my sister would say, Saint Ives is like those haunted cities where you can't trust anyone 'cause you don't know if they're gonna turn you into some kind of fucked-up zombie in two seconds. And she was right.
Quite immediately, Shelina feels my tension and whispers into my ears:
"You know, there's not prohibition for undercover agents to get wasted as part of evacuating the pression they undergo during stressful operations"
Raising my eyebrows, I see her quickly grabbing two glasses of champagne and handing me one. Smirking, I cling our glasses together, before we slowly walk toward Cata and Katie, who both look at us in awe.
While Shelina had opted for a quite sensual red dress with openings on the sides - that was fitting her like wings would fit an angel, highlighting her already striking beauty - I, on the other hand, went for a tight black dress with glitter and nice opening on the front, making my boobs look hotter. Everybody was well-dressed, but there was no doubt to anyone that we were the hottest (fake) couple on the building. Funny enough: people are staring at me weirdly, because each and every one of them thought I'd end up alone for the rest of my life because I liked loneliness too much.
Look at that: the prodigal cop that helped solve her sister's case as well as thousand of others returns home with a Canadian model as a wife-to-be - the irony. Smirking, as we finally arrive to Cata and Katie, I just take a quick stare at Shelina.
"Well, you two raised the game over there" the youngest girl comments, making a sign with her arm as big as she could to symbolise the scale of hotness she thought we were on. As Shelina and I both smirk, she adds: "Drinks?"
"With pleasure" Shelina says, drinking hers bottoms up as I do the same, "thank you very much!"
The night advances quite smoothly, as I was actually having a good time: Shelina and I were dancing between two drinks, saying hello to most of my former classmates that made the trip, introducing them to my fake-ass fiancé. Then, after a while, we would just even forget we are on a mission, making jokes and laughing our asses off, with alcohol starting to get to our heads. This is good: we are mending with the rest, I think to myself.
Suddenly, as we were dancing, Shelina grabs my arm and discretely points at one of the doors at the end of the ball room: I realise two muscular guys were guarding it until seconds ago, when Ada and a curly-haired, tall blonde came up to them and told them something. Then, the four of them entered by the door.
From Shelina's look in her eyes, I immediately get her point: we excuse herself from the people we were hanging out with, and rush toward the door in the most discrete way possible. Quite immediately, we enter and realise the halls are empty.
"Something is definitely going on" I comment, frowning.
"See?" Shelina lets out, amused, "told you high school reunions were always full of drama."
Rolling my eyes at her, I follow her as we remove our heels, carrying it inside our hands, ready to turn them into weapons if we get attacked. Shelina makes me a sign to stay behind her as we slowly advance.
Suddenly, voices occur and we are too far from the door to escape.
Shit, I think to myself, thinking that it might be the beginning of a lot of trouble for both Shelina and I's covers.
Only, the blonde suddenly turns around and pushes me against the wall, her lips attacking my neck with a sense of urgency. I moan (not on purpose, obviously...?) as another door opens at the end of the corridor, and the two muscular guys, as well as Ada Hegerberg, appear in a rush, until they see us engage in some... unholy activity?
We immediately separate ourselves - while my whole body was shivering as a reaction to her neck kisses - as Shelina plays the drunken woman perfectly, wrapping her arm around my shoulders:
"O-oh, this is awkward... oops, we've had too many champagne classes to drink, my love!"
We both 'drunkily' laugh, as Ada says:
"Of course Alexia Putellas is making out with the hottest girl in a secret place - some things never change. Nevertheless, you two shouldn't be here: this is restricted area."
"Oh, sorry, we didn't see any sign so-" Shelina continues, but she is cut short:
"You two should really go back to the party: it's ending very soon anyway" Ada insists, before literally walking us back to the party.
Realising that there was no chance we could get any closer to what happened at the end of that corridor because the two security guards were back into their places, we commonly agree that it was time for us to call it a night. After calling a cab, we would both sit in silence, staring at the empty streets of Saint Ives.
Once we reach my parents' house and get to our common room - and maybe it is alcohol still having its effect on my courage - but I lock the door behind us.
"Putellas...?" Shelina asks, confused.
But when I rapidly walk toward her, she understands immediately - I nonetheless say:
"This is just a one-night thing... But I really want to for us to fuck right now. Okay?"
Right before I kiss her and we get on the bed, she just whispers a weak "okay" - and let's say that I did not think it was possible before, but this night was even more hot and full of pleasures than the first, as we were trying our best not to make any noise at all, which was hard considering the number of times we each came...
Afterwards, as I would lie right next to Shelina on my back, and she upside down, we would just look at each other without a word, until she breaks the silence:
"That damn champagne..." she lets out, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, it's only the champagne's fault..." I add, not knowing if I was trying to convince her or me in the process.
Shelina smirks, and for the first time since we made it here in Saint Ives, we actually sleep on the same bed.
This really was not a good idea at all... If she finds out, she will fucking kill you.
***
Ada Hegerberg