Chapter 39

*Gray*

I stood at the end of the table, staring up at the illuminated map on the flat-screen. Marietta, my colleague, stood across from me. I was perplexed by what she had just shared. "I'm not quite following. So, you mean to tell me that you're keeping tabs on her credit card activity?" I asked, scrunching up my nose in confusion.

Marietta's expression was skeptical as she responded, "Boss, forgive me for saying this, but you're not seriously overestimating this girl, are you?"

As I stood in the dimly lit room with Marietta, my mind was racing with thoughts of Cayla. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were dealing with a formidable foe who was always one step ahead of us. It was crucial for Marietta to understand the urgency of the situation. I tried to convey my concerns to her, emphasizing that we couldn't afford to be complacent with Cayla. She had proven to be resourceful in the past, and I feared that she would continue to be a thorn in our side.

However, Marietta seemed to find my worries amusing. "She's just a girl," she said dismissively, as she pressed a button on the remote. Suddenly, the TV screen flickered to life, displaying Cayla's credit card information and a list of transactions in her name. To my surprise, there was even an image of her ID displayed on the screen.

As I watched the information scroll by, a sense of relief began to wash over me. Perhaps I had been giving Cayla too much credit, as Marietta had insisted. It seemed that she was just a rookie trying to play with the big boys. And every rookie leaves behind a trail. With this knowledge in hand, I felt a slight sense of victory. The pit in my stomach eased, and a breathy sigh escaped my lips as I leaned over the table that was decorated with an array of weapons and gadgets, my head drooping.

Out of everyone who presented me with a lead, Marietta has given me the biggest one yet.

Marietta, my trusted tracker, placed the remote control on the table and turned to address me. Her face carried a hint of frustration as she reported that despite their best efforts, they hadn't made much progress yet. They had been rigorously scouring through every lead they had, but unfortunately, they had not been able to gather any concrete information about our target's whereabouts.

Marietta went on to explain that the person they were after seemed to have not caught onto the importance of an Alias that would hide their identity, and they had left no traces behind. She was skilled at staying off the grid and evading detection.

Before Marietta could continue, Josh, second in command, my underboss, interrupted her. They had some news to report - Angel, the person that Cayla was after, had returned to her family in house A. Josh sounded playful, trying to bring some levity to the situation, but Marietta waved them off, indicating that she was not interested in any distractions.

It was evident that my lack of interest in Josh's and anyone else's antics of the day had rubbed off on her. Marietta was a diligent worker who usually indulged in Josh's games and strays, but not today. They had a critical mission to accomplish, and anything that was not related to that was a waste of time. I turned back around to face marietta, giving her the slightest nod of my head. indicating for her to continue if she had anymore to add.

Marietta, a confident and determined professional, calmly resumed speaking after being interrupted during a crucial meeting. She emphasized that her team was putting in a significant amount of effort to find a solution to the issue at hand and was determined to come up with a concrete plan soon. Her optimistic tone and unwavering focus conveyed a sense of dedication and urgency in her efforts to address the issue and alleviate any concerns or worries that may have arisen. As she spoke, her attention shifted effortlessly from Josh back to me, demonstrating her ability to multitask and remain fully engaged in the discussion at hand. Overall, Marietta's unwavering commitment to finding a resolution was evident and inspiring, and her leadership skills were on full display during this important meeting.

After bidding farewell to Marietta, I returned my focus to Josh, who appeared to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. Their playful grin made me wonder what they were thinking, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. I didn't want to distract them from whatever task they were working on, so I decided to observe them quietly, hoping to learn something new. "Boss, did you hear? Smiley has left us to go solo," Josh said, while everyone's eyes fixed on me. They grin never faded as he spoke about their most trusted companion. "Don't you think it's a bit strange for someone like Smiley to do something like that?"

I took a deep breath and tried to process the new information that Josh had just presented to me. My mind was racing with questions and concerns about the situation. It was unsettling to learn that Smiley had left without informing me first. Why would he do that? I couldn't help but feel slightly frustrated by this fact.

I looked over at Josh, hoping to glean more information. Their face was grave and I could tell that they were also troubled by the situation. "So what did he say he plans to do now?" I asked, my hands slowly retreating into the pockets of my black trousers.

Josh's response only deepened my sense of unease. "He put it simply, called it 'Solo Business'." The words hung in the air, seeming almost out of place when I imagined them coming from Smiley's mouth. That wasn't like him at all.

Moreover, the timing of his departure, in the midst of the Cayla situation, was highly unusual and off-putting. I had made it clear to everyone that no one, not even Josh, was permitted to leave to do any solo work until the Cayla issue had been resolved. I couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection between Smiley's sudden departure and the Cayla situation. Was he trying to avoid something? Or was he involved in something that we didn't know about yet? My mind was racing with possibilities and I knew that I needed to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.

As my suspicions grew, I found myself reaching for my phone, my fingers trembling as I dialed Smiley's number. Each ring felt like an eternity, but it went straight to voicemail without even ringing. Panic flooded my veins as I tried to wrap my head around what was going on. Smiley was not just my closest friend, he was family, and I trusted him more than anyone else. We had been through everything together, from childhood shenanigans to life's toughest challenges. The mere thought of him being a traitor was unfathomable.

My heart raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Was he in trouble? Had something happened to him? Maybe he was just busy and couldn't answer his phone. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, and I knew I had to find out what was going on. But I felt helpless, sitting there alone, with no answers. The silence on the other end of the line was deafening, and my mind raced with all the possibilities of what might have happened.

Later on, I would discover that my initial belief that something was wrong couldn't have been further from the truth.

"If I may, boss, for now, let's shift our focus away from the Smiley situation. Our top priority is to protect Angel, and that's all that matters. If - and we hope this isn't the case - our suspicion turns out to be true, we will address it appropriately once we deal with Cayla." As Josh approached me, their body language conveyed a sense of hesitation and caution. They took a step towards me, but with a slow and hesitant gait, as if trying to avoid setting me off. Their head was lowered in a gesture of deference and their eyes were fixed on the ground. I noticed their apprehension and appreciated their effort to keep me grounded.

I could feel my emotions starting to boil up, but I knew I had to keep them in check. So, I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs and expand my chest. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of the air flowing in and out of my body. As I exhaled, I let go of all the stress, frustration, and anger that had been building up inside me.

Gradually, I felt my mind going blank, with all my worries and thoughts fading away. I felt a sense of calm wash over me, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. The tension in my muscles eased, and I felt a sense of peace and serenity. It was as if I was in a bubble of tranquility, shielded from the chaos and noise of the world. I stayed like that for a while, enjoying the quiet and stillness, before opening my eyes to face Josh with a smile.