Selene's position in NIA is unclassified. She doesn't know if the term for her work is called an agent or a spy, but she doesn't like to think of herself as one.
She is happy to be a non designated member. It reminds her now and then that she doesn't belong to anyone. Not even to her parents.
NIA took Selene under their wing when she was around sixteen. She was recruited from a juvenile detection center in Cansas for the charges of an attempted murder.
She never regretted it. Stabbing a half broken beer bottle into that pudgy belly of her foster dad, David was the first best thing she did in her life.
She was sent to juvie for that stunt and Selene couldn't be more relieved. Hell is even better than staying in that foster home.
Back then, NIA was in search of young teens with a fire in them that was enough to bring the hell down on the Earth. They came looking for them in the juvies, so that they could train them into a more pro government way and put them to good use.
Though it was a great initiative, Selene wasn't interested in any of that. She joined only when Shana insisted on it. Shana and Selene first met in juvie, it was a surprise to see a sweet girl like her was sent to juvie. But then again, justice in this world is overrated. Especially to girls.
Shana day dreamed about both of them fighting off the bad boys in the world when she heard about NIA. Selene still remembers how she put it, "It's like power puff girls but with only two."
So Selene agreed and enrolled as a trainee in NIA for her best friend's happiness. Ten years from now, she didn't think that she'd be working in a criminal town helping to catch two criminals that she works with.
Downtown was just like her, dark and unmoving which made her easy to blend in. After being trained for three years and taking up petty projects, Selene's first big assignment was Richard, the mastermind behind the Reyes illegal merchandise and Haden's father.
It was just leaking information to NIA at first and that continued for three years. She worked at the Hudson bar as a bartender while being an informer to both Reyes and NIA.
It was tough times for her, juggling life between two different worlds. But the times got even tougher when Richard was encountered by Spain's counter investigative agency. Haden stepped up along with his brother, Brent on his side.
NIA found out about that and knowing about Haden's interests in Selene they forced her into joining his empire. She still didn't know if that was the right thing in her life or wrong but she never regretted it.
Now working with Haden for almost three years and six years for NIA, she still had mixed feelings about what she does. She never truly dedicated herself to NIA nor she was a trustworthy member of Haden.
She understands it now why it's so befitting for her, it's Unclassified, just like her.
***
"I didn't hear from you all day." Keir pushed a plate of chocolate marshmallow cookies to her, urging her to take one.
After much deliberation she gave into her crave and took one from the plate.
She took a bite into the cookie and talked to him with a full mouth, "Lest you forget I work for Haden too and actually get paid," She remarked sarcastically.
Keir gave a loud villainous laugh and muttered under his breath, "That son of a bitch!"
She glanced at him sideways, while munching on her second cookie. They were utterly delicious, one more skill to add on Keir's hidden talents list, baking.
"You like them?" He asked as he admired her devotedly munching on the cookies he baked.
Selene continued ruminating for a minute before answering, "Don't brag but they are delicious," She complimented.
Keir looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Selene scrunched her eyebrows and pointed a finger at him, "No! Don't!"
He smirked flirtatiously and opened his pretty mouth.
"I told you I have good skills in the kitchen," He boasted.
Selene groaned and when his smirk wouldn't fade, it continued to bother her like the joker's smile from the dark knight. She rolled her eyes at him, "What a creep!"
He pouted in response and turned away biting into the cookie silently.
Much better, Selene thought.
"So? What did you do while I was busy?" Selene asked.
Keir pursed his lips and shook his head, "Nothing, just baked."
"Oh! You don't answer the door when you're baking?" Selene bit her lip, giving him a skeptical look.
"Uh-" Keir paused, giving her a confused look.
"I was here at five o'clock," She spoke.
Keir reacted with an, "Oh!"
She narrowed his eyes at him, "Yeah, so where were you?"
"I don't have to tell you anything," He answered with a no answer.
"Oh I think you do," She beat him to it, "If this has anything to do with your jaunt to your shed-" She snapped.
"Were you stalking me?!" Keir gave an incredulous look making her question her sanity.
"What?!" She shrieked in confusion before realising, "So you do admit that you went to that shed!"
Keir shut his mouth, he was caught red handed but soon started defending, "It's my shed. I can go there whenever I want."
"Yeah but only to kill people." She said after him, a silence fell between them. Selene had no idea why she was suddenly bothered that he didn't call her when he went to that shed. She was angry that he probably would have killed someone and didn't think to tell her.
Was this about their deal or something else, she didn't know. Her own confusion was similar to Keir's expression.
She cleared her throat and explained slowly, "Which is when you were supposed to call me."
"I didn't because you were already shaken up by yesterday. I thought I would give you time to relax," Keir answered in a slow, self confused voice but his eyes were clear with concern.
"Like I said multiple times, I'm fine! And it doesn't matter, a deal's a deal," She said, sighing to herself.
"Right!" Keir nodded, gritting his teeth. "The deal, of course!" He scoffed, "Don't worry, your lil' boy Haden is safe from me," He patted her hand, feigning sympathy and stood up from the couch.
He took the plate of cookies and made his way to the kitchen counter.
"That's not what I meant!" Selene said behind him.
"No?" He turned around, challenging her to contradict him but when there was no response from her, "That's what I thought." He had the last say in the conversation and disappeared into the kitchen.
Selene stood up huffing in frustration, clearly it was a mistake coming here. She should have left the first time she came here. But no, she came back at nine in the night and ate his stupid chocolate cookies and wasted time for another hour, just to be tossed off like a trash.
She opened the front door and made her way to her car in the driveway. Keir came rushing from the kitchen when he heard his door open and found the couch empty.
He came out and saw Selene making her way to the car. He took slow steps forward, with no intention to stop her. She looked back at him as he looked at her with his hands in his pockets.
They gave each other a look that said 'later'.
Selene turned around and was about to get in her car when a man approached her, looking right at her.
He stopped a feet away from her and leaned casually on her car with an arrogant look.
Keir tried not to run over there and beat the shit out of that man when he ever so lightly checked her out and smirked at her. He held himself back when he saw the cop badge hanging around his waist.
"Can I help you?" She asked the man who was staring at her like he knows her.
He looked at the Keir and then back to Selene, "So you two uh-," He pointed between them, "friends, huh?" His voice dripped with a southern accent.
"And you are?" Selene gave him an irritated look.
"Deputy sergeant, Yates," He introduced himself and pulled out his hand for a handshake.
Selene took a moment to accept his hand and gave it a light shake. Keir watched as they addressed each other. He stood there listening to them talk, the neighbourhood was silent so their conversation could be heard clearly.
Selene glanced at the legit cop badge hung at the belt that she missed before.
"I'm assigned to the dead and missing clients of yours," Yates informed, making her look up from his badge.
"Oh! Right." Selene nodded trying to look normal and not like she could throw a fit now. "Any leads?" She asked.
"Not yet," He answered and gave a quick glance to Keir and turned to her with the same arrogant smile.
"You know him well?" He asked about Keir again.
Selene gritted her teeth controlling the urge to slam his head into the car's window. She would've if not for his profession.
She forced a smile at him, "I'm happy to help you with whatever this case needs, let me know if you do. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Yates," She said and opened the car door indicating that this conversation is over.
"Talk to you soon, Miss Sherman," He gave a nod and smirked at her, as she got inside.
Selene gave a half smile, "I'd rather prefer that official and in a proper way." She gave him a pointed look and started her car.
As she drove by she glanced one last time at Keir and left.
She sighed, thinking about the talk with the detective. As much as she respects him being a cop, his way of interrogation seemed off to her.
How come her day gets worse to worser? She wondered.
As Selene drove off, Keir approached the leaving cop.
"Detective Yates?" He called behind him.
The man wordlessly turned to him with a smirk as if expecting Keir to come after him.
"I overheard you asking her about her business with me," Keir spoke.
"I did," Yates admitted.
"I can tell you all about it," He gave him a brief smile, "-Over a cup of tea, I suppose?" He asked, silently waiting for him to take the offer.
"Meh-" Yates gave a half shrug and nodded, "A cup of hot tea couldn't harm me on this cold night, I think."
"Magnificent!" Keir smiled and gestured him towards the foyer. Yates spit out the chewing gum into the bushes and walked in.
You don't know what a hot tea is capable of, Keir mused to himself and closed the door behind him and Yates.
*****
Uh oh! Something is cooking up in Keir's smart mind. We'll find out what's that in the next chapter.
What's Selene's problem if Keir didn't call her when he went to shed? Is it about their deal or NIA or something else? 🤨
Oh! And how many of you are counting days? One week is all they've got and it's day two already! Tik tok tik tok! Time's ticking, Selene has a job to catch Keir and Keir, well let's just say he has his own plans. 😉
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~Aurora.