October...
I've been training all day every day learning everything I can to prepare for this case. After over a month, I'm not quite where I want to be just yet but I'm better than before. I learned how to operate the basics of various aircraft and I learned the latest codes and operating systems of pretty much every type of technology out there. Hacking is what I excelled at, getting around different firewalls and all sorts of protection undetected.
Finally, after all my hard work, I've been called in for duty, I'm going back home and will work with the Greenwaters police department. I haven't been told anything yet, for confidential reasons of course, but I will be informed once I arrive. As for Cosen, there were no attempts to my safety by them. It would be hard since I was at base, at least they have some common sense. I also heard that everyone back at home is safe, no issues there either, I'm glad.
I can't wait to see everyone again but right now I'm ready to work.
A few hours later I arrived back in Illinois and then caught a taxi back to Greenwaters. An apartment downtown was already set up for me. After the taxi dropped me off, I made my way inside and got myself settled. I was told I could head right over to the police department after I arrived. I quickly freshened up and then changed into my other clean uniform before heading out. I was told they had a car for me, I already had the keys which were placed in the apartment.
I pulled up into a parking spot at the station and then headed on inside where I was guided to Tyler's office.
The officer knocked on the door before allowing me inside.
"Javier is here sir", he said.
Tyler looked up from what he was doing.
"Please come in."
He stood up as I approached him, shaking my hand before I took a seat on the opposite side of his desk.
"I'm glad you could make it so quickly", he said.
"Of course. I'm ready to do whatever you assign."
"Good. I hope you have some fun today, he said.
"Huh? Sir...what do you mean by fun?"
"I heard you've been training non-stop. You need a break."
"No, that's okay. I'm fine, I'm ready to work."
"It's an order", he said in a slightly commanding tone.
I knew better than to argue against authority.
"Plus, I'm sure she'll be upset if you kept her waiting."
"Her?"
"Javi!"
I turned around to that familiar voice.
"Sarina?"
I stood up as she ran over to me, hugging me tightly. I didn't respond since I was confused as to what was going on.
"You're going to go enjoy yourself for a bit. Later on, there will be dinner, make sure you're not late", he said.
"Uh...yes sir..."
"Come on Javi", Sarina said as she tugged me away.
Once we were outside I had to stop her for a moment.
"Sarina, what's going on?"
"I know you had your mind set to work but Tyler just thought that it would be nice for the two of us to spend some time together since we haven't seen each other in a while. With you being a soldier and all, he feels that I'm in good hands."
"Oh, I see. I was just caught off guard with the sudden change in plans", I said.
"I know. We don't have long before dinner so—"
"Want to come back to my place for a bit?"
"Okay", she said with a smile.
~
Sarina took a look around my apartment once inside.
"It's cute in here", she said.
"Cute?"
"Yes, and cozy."
"If you say so."
She stopped walking.
"Javi..."
"Yes?"
She turned around to look at me, she was pouting.
"You didn't hug me back."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't sure how to act in front of him. I felt like I had to remain professional."
"Still...", she then turned her back to me.
"Come on Sarina, don't be like that."
I approached her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
"I know you understand, right? You can't stay mad at me forever."
Her hands came up to mine. From the side of her face, I saw her smiling, I knew she wasn't being serious.
"So, are you going to waste your time pouting, or are you going to enjoy the little time we have alone until dinner?"
She turned around in my arms.
"You sound pretty commanding these days", she said.
"I'm an airman now, what did you expect? You're not behaving anyway so that's what you get."
She giggled.
"Okay, okay. What do you want to do now?"
"Well, first things first..."
My arms slid down, taking her hands into mine, linking our fingers together. I then tilted my head to the side, leaning in close until my lips found hers. She giggled but allowed me to keep going.
Eventually, we broke apart.
"We can keep going further with that in the bedroom or..."
She hit me playfully.
"Javi, you're such a pervert."
I laughed.
"What? Every guy is, you want me to be fake?"
"No."
"Good. We can catch up on some anime. It's been forever since I watched any."
"You're definitely missing out."
I had Sarina lay on me with popcorn in hand while we watched the shows. This takes me back to when we were in high school. I didn't want to talk about the case at all or anything related to that. I just wanted to go back to the simpler times when we can just be carefree like this. I wonder if this case will turn into the case of the century. How detrimental will it become? I trained hard, yes, but, I still worry I'm not so cut out for this. I signed up for this so there's no turning back, I don't want to turn back.
I looked down at her, smiling and eating away.
Not when her life's at stake.
~
A few hours later it was dinner time, the location was Josh's mother's house. We all sat around the table as she placed the food down, she didn't want any help, just for us to relax. Everyone was here, Grace and the other two officers of Tyler's team, Remmy and Miles.
"Your mom is so nice", Sarina whispered to Josh.
"That's just an act, she's scary as f—"
Out of nowhere, a wooden spoon came over his head hard.
"Ow", Josh shouted and quickly covered his head from another attack.
"I heard what you said. You think I didn't get used to your whispering."
"Wow, all of this food looks so good! I'm sad my stomach isn't big enough", Grace said.
"May I ask ma'am, where are you from", Sarina asked.
"Puerto Rico", she said proudly.
"Wow, cool. My grandparents are from the Dominican Republic", I said.
"Really, we are neighbors then", she said with a smile.
"Yes", I said with a chuckle."
"So you're Puerto Rican Josh, I would have never thought", Sarina said.
"Only half, I get my sexiness from there."
"Josh", his mom warned.
"Has this turned into where's everyone from now", Tyler asked dryly."
"You're just jealous because you're a plain white boy", Josh teased.
"And you're so special being half German."
Josh's expression quickly changed to anger. He rose up from his seat.
"Josh sit down now! You started it", his mom shouted as she took her seat.
"I think this is a great way to get to know each other", Remmy said.
"Yeah. I'm just American too", Grace said with a pout.
"Me too", Sarina exclaimed.
"My parents are from Jordan, I'm first-born American", Remmy said.
"I guess that leaves me. My dad is from Trinidad and Tobago and my mom is South African", Miles said.
"We pretty much have the world right at this table", Grace exclaimed.
I looked around the table at everyone I will be interacting with from this day forward. We are diverse, from all different backgrounds but we have one thing in common. We want to make our community and others safe. We will bring down Cosen.
~
Night arrived but we didn't sleep. We had important things to talk about. All of us were gathered in the living room, listening tentatively to Tyler as he began our meeting.
"I guess I'll get straight to it. We have an insider for Cosen that could help us but, we don't know if we can trust him", Tyler said.
"Yes we can", Josh quickly interrupted.
"We don't know him Josh", Remmy said.
"Yes we do, Josh and I...", Tyler began to say. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees before he continued. "He's my brother, Andy."
"What", Remmy said with shock.
"Wait! Andy, he's your brother", Grace said.
"I was in denial when I saw his picture but I knew it was him. Josh knew it too. When I say we don't know if we can trust him, I mean that. He's with Cosen now so I don't know if he's the same. I so badly want to believe it but I can't be naive."
"I know I don't know Andy as your brother but, to me, I felt I could always trust him. He never seemed I don't know...like a bad person to me. He protected me from the other members", Grace said.
Josh let out a sigh.
"Tyler makes a point though. As much as I want to just jump in there and trust him, we really don't know how he is. I know he's been good to you Grace but, what if he was that way around you when he's alone with you and totally different when he's with the other members", Josh said.
"He did say he's forced to do things, bad things. So, there's a possibility he could turn his back on you guys if you ask for his help but not because he wants to", she said.
"We don't know what danger he's in. I wouldn't blame him for being loyal to Cosen. It probably means his life", Miles said.
"And I don't want to put him in a situation like that. Right now, it's not the time to go after him and save him. It's best if we encounter him, we treat him the same as the other members", Tyler said.
"But what if he does help us, or at least appears to help us", I asked.
"That'll be up to us to decide if the help he offers is trustworthy", Tyler said.
"Are you okay with all of this", Sarina asked.
Tyler sat up and looked at her. He hesitated to speak at first. His eyes went back to the rest of us.
"Listen, everyone. I'm not the type to, go into personal details about myself. I actually refuse to but...that hasn't been going well. This case...ever since it opened back up...it's affected me in a bad way. Basically, I'll be facing the man who took away my family and..."
He stopped talking, his eyes moved down to the floor.
I can only imagine how he's feeling. If my family was killed or taken away and I had to face that again, that'll be terrifying. The uncertainty he must be feeling too. I bet his brother is always close by this guy. Any move we make can mean his life. This won't be easy.
Tyler took a breath before continuing on.
"I honestly don't know if I can do it."
We all got quiet. I know we all want to be optimistic about this but that's easier said than done. None of us have ever been in his shoes.
"I think it's best to end this meeting for now and continue another time", I spoke up to say.
"I agree with Javier", Remmy said.
"Yeah, we'll all meet up again soon. Thanks for coming over", Josh said.
Everyone else stood up to leave except for Sarina and Tyler. He didn't move nor speak another word. Sarina noticed and went over to sit next to him. It wasn't any of my business to stay so I started to leave too. As I walked to the door I heard her talking to him. Before I left, I turned around to see she was hugging him, his arms came up around her waist to embrace her back.
My eyes drifted away from them as I continued on my way out, closing the door behind me.