Fragile

Chapter 21

When I had first left the basement, I thought I was a tiny fragile piece of china in a world full of steel cups. That was what my mother had taught me after all. I was a girl that was never meant to survive in the outside world, and without the protection of the basement, I was doomed to perish. 

That sentiment continued when I started university. Girls like Kiera looked so strong, like steel but beautiful like china. I didn't realize one could be both strong and beautiful. She had scared me at first with her strength, but her kindness and beauty helped me slowly begin to trust her. I never imagined that a girl as strong and as beautiful as Kiera was fragile too. 

It was a week later that Kiera finally confided in me with her past. Why she was so passionate about joining the operation, why it was personal. 

"I had an older sister," Kiera confessed. "When I was eleven, I got lost in a bad part of town. It was late and I didn't have a phone back then. I called my sister on a payphone because I was so scared my parents would be mad that I got lost. My sister was fourteen at the time. She promised not to tell our parents and said she would come get me." 

Kiera was already trembling beside me, her voice getting thicker like she was trying not to cry. I didn't know what possessed me to act, but I gently took her hand in mine and gave her a small encouraging smile. Though it had almost been a week since my incident with Noah, and my throat was better, I was hesitant to use actual words. Her pain didn't seem like something words could soothe. 

She let out a shaky exhale. "When my sister arrived, we were cornered by a group of men. I didn't know they were human traffickers at the time, I just knew they were scary. But my sister stood in front of me, shaking so hard her knees were knocking together. But she refused to let them take me. She-she said she would go with them willingly if they left me alone. She pushed me and told me to run..." 

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks now, and her grip on my hand tightened. I felt my own tears begin to fall, both out of empathy and out of fear. Someone like Kiera didn't seem like they could be fragile. But I was starting to realize even the strongest people in the world had fragile parts. Maybe there was no way to truly avoid being fragile; maybe all this time I had gotten it all wrong. 

"The police tried to track them for years, but they never found her. I don't even know if she's alive," she croaked. "I don't even know if this mission will help me find out what happened to her. But I can't just sit by knowing the same thing is happening here. I can't let them get away with tearing apart more families." 

When she leaned on my shoulder to cry, I instinctively wrapped an arm around her. It was both sad and reassuring to know why Kiera was so passionate about this operation. Even strong girls were victims. Even though I was crying just as hard as Kiera, I found a new wave of strength in me I never had before. If someone like Kiera could be fragile, then maybe someone like me could be strong. I wanted to be strong for her as well. I wanted to be strong for all those girls. I wanted to help the world and all its fragile parts. 

I knew that it was unlikely we would ever find Kiera's sister. After all, she was from Caifornia. The two trafficking operations were most likely independent of each other. Her grief and guilt were things I could not heal with words. I wasn't even sure I could heal her at all. But if bringing down this operation would help Kiera get her closure, then that was even more motivation to make sure it happened. 

Her strength intimidated me, her kindness and beauty broke down my walls, but it was her fragile parts that made me realize we weren't all that different. She made me realize I could be strong just as much as I was fragile. 

--- 

"The best way to find their base would be through a decoy," Noah explained. "The social this week is just a formality. They have an auction where major figures in the area donate to a local cause. But that's only the beginning. They have an after party with certain VIPs in the underground sector. Security is tight, so none of our agents have been able to get in." 

"Probably because all your agents were dudes," Kiera deadpanned. "Fay is helping Seth out with the event." 

"He's been targeting her since the party," Noah acknowledged. 

"C-can't we use that then?" I asked softly. "I mean, I'm the super naive tiny girl from a small town. No one would suspect I was a spy." 

"In theory, sure," Noah explained. "But you have no training. You would have no way to defend yourself, and on top of that we wouldn't be able to reach you if something went wrong." 

"The goal is to have concrete evidence for as many individuals as possible," Kiera agreed. "And also to find the location of the girls. We don't have the manpower to do an actual sting." 

"But..." I trailed off helplessly. They were right, I had no way of defending myself. I was more helpless than I realized. Unlike Kiera who had a kickboxing, Taekwondo and Ju Jitsu training, I couldn't even throw a punch if I wanted to. 

Kiera gently squeezed my shoulder. "The fact that you offered means more than you know," she soothed. "we will find a way to make this work, okay? Let's just try and not make it more dangerous than it needs to be." 

"I have a hacker on site we will be using during the event," Noah said. "He will make sure to have tracking devices and other equipment for the both of you. Since I'm already on the blacklist for the mercenaries, you two will be attending the event." 

"I thought it was invite only..." I questioned. 

"Seth invited you right?" he said. "See if you can get him to allow you a plus one. Make sure to mention it's a girl, not a guy or boyfriend. Try to stick together if you can. The goal is to get some of the VIP guests to take an interest in you. They are more likely to invite you both to the after party that way." 

I nodded, though my heart was racing. "I'll do it," I spoke firmly. This was something only I could do. 

"We can't have any weapons on us, so I'll take you to the gym this week to learn a few basic moves," Kiera told me. "Otherwise, just stick close to me." 

I nodded, turning to Noah. "Where will you be?" 

"I'll be trailing you on the ground," he said. "I can't go in, but I'll still be able to communicate with you and see what you see." 

I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip. Was Noah nervous? He seemed so confident, so sure of himself that this would go well. His eyes analyzed me intently, as if they were looking for a hint of weakness, or a sign that I was second guessing myself. 

I was surprised to realize I wasn't. Even though my heart was pounding in my ears and I felt amped with adrenaline, I was anticipating the social. I was ready for the social. If I was going to die, then at least I could say I died doing something for the greater good. Maybe that was what it meant to have a purpose. To know that you could die with no regrets. 

"In the meantime, try to keep your distance from me," Noah continued. "being around me will raise suspicions. Do whatever you can to appear ignorant." 

"We got this," Kiera said. "all eyes will be on us because of the dating rumor. If anything we can use that to our advantage, make us look even more helpless." 

Noah nodded. "I'll send you both messages through a burner phone in the meantime. Make sure to delete messages after, and don't try to contact me for any reason. I won't be able to protect you if something goes wrong." 

As Noah spoke, he stared intently at me. Though he was impassive as he spoke, eyes never lied. He was worried. About what, I wasn't completely sure. Did he think the operation would fail? Was he worried I wouldn't be able to complete the mission? 

Kiera threw her arm over my shoulders. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. Our baby Fay is tougher than she looks." 

He nodded. "I'm not worried." He didn't seem to realize his trembling hands gave him away. "Make sure to mentally prepare for the afterparty. You two have probably never seen anything like it, so it can be very shocking. Be prepared to see some horrific things." 

"What happens at the afterparty?" I asked. I fidgeted in my seat. What exactly did human traffickers do during afterparties? I glanced at Kiera, but her gaze had hardened. She was no longer cheerful and joking. She looked out for blood. 

Noah grimaced. "The real auction."