“Daddy, I haven't even rested, and you've already started with questions like a police station. Ahhh,” she complained to her father, feeling overwhelmed by his scrutiny, as if she were being interrogated.
“You are my daughter, and it's my responsibility to ensure your safety, so I should be the one accountable for you. If anything were to happen to you, who would I blame? Currently, the situation here is tense; the police, military, and national security forces will be deployed everywhere to ensure the perpetrators of this incident are apprehended. Even the slightest mistake could result in loss of life or imprisonment, and all secrets spilled. How would you feel if you got into trouble? Who would I blame other than myself?” her father emphasized.
“Dad, I can protect myself. Please, I think you know that very well,” she asserted.
“I didn't say you can't protect yourself, but remember, you are still a woman, so you are vulnerable no matter how much risk you're willing to take. Therefore, I need answers to my questions so we can proceed,” he replied firmly.
“No one gave me permission; I acted on my own to get your approval to come here, or did you forget?” she replied defiantly, but her father gave her a stern look.
“Give me the reasons for your sudden arrival in this country,” he demanded, his tone serious, and his demeanor changed.
“I came to look for that person,” she answered, the pastor, lowering his head and looking very saddened said
“Please, show me his picture,”
Monalisa hesitated but took out her phone and searched for a picture of her with Jason. Her father looked at the picture as if trying to close his eyes to remember something. To him, the face wasn't unfamiliar, but he struggled to recall ever meeting that person.
“What family does he come from, and what does he do?” he asked, surprising his daughter.
“Dad,” she began, “No one has told me that. I met him at Harvard University, and that's where we started getting close. I was very lonely there, so I got used to and fell in love with him. I tried to gather information about him, but it was difficult. All he told me was that he comes from Tanzi. One day, while we were sitting on the edge of the campus garden, his phone rang, and it was his brother calling for help, saying he was being killed and needed his help urgently. He seemed very distressed. I tried to ask him what the problem was, but he just told me there were problems at home and he needed to come quickly. He couldn't even say goodbye properly; he just left in a hurry. I started following him slowly, and his journey led him to one of the professors' offices.”
“I waited there for four hours, but I didn't see anyone come out of that office until much later when I saw the professor leaving alone, which was strange. So, I rushed to him to ask where my boyfriend was. He told me he had traveled back to Tanzi. I asked him how he left without me seeing him, as he was my boyfriend, and I needed to know he was safe. His response was that he left early, and I missed him. From then on, I was very worried about him and started investigating. I found out where the professor lived and planned to follow him that night to confront him about what he was hiding from me or if he had harmed my boyfriend, because if he were alive, he would have contacted me since we were deeply in love. However, when I invaded the place where I was sure was his home, the owner of the house was waiting for me outside, knowing full well that I was there. I tried to hit him, but what I encountered terrified me because a young man appeared, whom I couldn't recognize, and he hit me like a little child, telling me that if he didn't know me, he would have killed me on the spot. He warned me to leave and never come back because that was Dr. Morgan's home, and even they didn't know him.”
“I didn't want to accept that this matter would end so easily, so I contacted my colleagues and instructed them to go to that place and ensure they kidnapped Dr. Morgan, as there might be something behind it. But strangely, they arrived at the same house and claimed it was the home of an American soldier with his family in that area. I argued with them until they sent me a video, and then I believed it, but I remained confused about how these things were possible. So, because I already had plans to come to Tanzi, I decided to leave and postpone dealing with this issue until I return to the United States. There are two main reasons for coming to Tanzi: first, to find that man, and second, to provide assistance in this ongoing scandal because I have the capability to access any place needed, and no man can leave my hands. Therefore, if there's anyone we need or any secret we need to uncover, especially at this time when we need to keep all matters secret, I will provide assistance,” her story left her father in great astonishment because his daughter, a CIA agent, was displaying extreme negligence by falling in love carelessly with a man whose background she didn't know. He sensed a significant problem.
“For now, go rest. I'll return tomorrow, and then we'll start addressing your question. I'm leaving now; I'll be back tomorrow evening because I have a long service later, and I won't be back until late at night. I'll only sleep for an hour, then I have to be at headquarters. I haven't been there for a while, so I don't know how things are going, but I also want to meet Seven.”
“What? Seven is in Tanzi?”
“He's the one tasked with completing this job and resolving any issues that may arise during the operation,” the pastor answered as he stood up, ready to leave.
“No, we'll go together, Dad.”
“Where?”
“To headquarters.”
“No, not tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Seven, I think you know how possessive he can be. If he finds out you're in Tanzi, he'll disrupt everything because he won't be able to work freely. So, you need to stay away from him. You've told him yourself that you love him only as a friend and can't be with him as a husband, so there's no need to meet him now,” her father's words angered her, and she stormed out of the living room and headed upstairs. There were many questions she needed to ask Seven because it had been a long time since she had set eyes on him, but her work responsibilities didn't allow her to see him.
The pastor went outside and called Sylvester over.
“I need you to closely monitor my daughter's every move and ensure nothing goes wrong. I'm leaving for church now, and I won't be back here, even though I told her I would return at night. I might come back tomorrow evening, so make sure she's safe. Don't trust her too much to leave her alone; she's still a woman and may have weaknesses, especially when it comes to something or someone she loves. She's my world, so I'd rather lose my hand than allow anything to happen to my daughter,” he finished giving instructions as he headed to the car. That day, he didn't want to accompany anyone. His guard stood there, bowing his head in respect for his boss until he exited the gate of the house.