Secrets Behind The REPUTATION

CHAPTER ONE

'Ryan Philip, the pop star of this era, twenty-five years old, was found dead in his apartment in Seattle last night. And today morning, the death was reported as cardiac arrest.'

Micheal was driven up the wall by the news bustling from the television in his vast office. He shut the streaming news, gently lean backwards and rested on the edge of the desk, his dark wrinkled eyes falling to the floor while linking the previous dots of his case. But no matter how much he racked his brain; Michael had no map out for where to begin and how to move forward. For the past three months, he has been undergoing a calamity that he has never come across in his career during his decade of service as a secret investigator. Not because of the restless life and steep new cases dashing in his brain, but because of the unexpected loss of his beloved wife, Lydia, who was always there to support and care for him. Lydia was the only person in the world who was with him, and the reality that she was gone now was too much for Michael to handle.

A sudden rang from his phone rundle around the spacious room, which made a slight alarm in his face. Michael certainly knew who was calling and the reason behind the call. It must have been George Woodson, G, the chief and director of each stage, who is calling him after listening to the news. He held the receiver up and close to his ear, waiting for a yell from another end.

'Agent Mike, we need to talk! Come to my office with your partner Vincent right now!' George shouted as he could eat the receiver or reach Micheal through it and hit him in the face. His scream sliced down Michael's eardrums into pieces and made him flinch slightly. That is the only thing George commanded on the phone, and then he hung up the call.

Micheal tapped his forehead with his receiver that tightly held on his hand to unseal the frustration out and then slammed it down while allowing a deep sigh from his mouth. It was strange that Michael and his investigation partner Vincent, for the past years, had never experienced this much misery in their lives. Over a decade, they all have been working on a specialized investigation team set up by the U.S. government to ward off violence in the area. No one in the family, friends, or neighbourhood is aware of this. All they know is they are working in a service-based corporation under the name of TechCity in Silicon Valley, and Micheal and Vincent were damn good at masking this all these years from their loved ones. 

'Is that George?' A faint voice rose from the unlocked glass door of Michael's office. When Michael looked up, he saw Vincent standing near the door with a cup of coffee in his hand.

'Yes, he is completely pissed off by the news.' Said Micheal as he stood straight and strolled towards Vincent. 'He wants to see us now!' Michael spoke as he passed beside Vincent and aimed at George's cabin.

'Oh my God... Not again.' Vincent muttered from behind before following Michael's foot.

Both of their formal black polished shoe-covered feet were thrusting forward, making a heavy pit-a-pat on the grey marble floor. And it got ceased when they noticed the name George Woodson etched in black ink over a silvery wooden plaque on the brown door. Michael knocked on the door, and both of them stepped into the cabin after picking up a vigorous shout spouting "Comin'!!" from the other side of the door.

George was reclining in his office chair, lolling his head on the rim of it, eyes were staring into the white ceiling, pondering about something thoroughly. There he seems to be calm and peaceful, but he was undoubtedly disappointed in the case that Michael and Vincent have been investigating for the past three weeks. There was no headway, not a single movement on the chart.

Vincent stood beside Michael, hoping to hear a yell from that filthy man's mouth. But to Vincent's surprise, G did not move a bit. Vincent hates G a lot than anyone can imagine. One reason out of a billion is that G does not give a damn about anyone's ideas or sentiments, never trying to understand what others think and feel. All he will do is emotionally rip into people and enjoy while they are suffocating in anxiety. G is good at bragging himself up, talking down to colleagues, and treating them like they are incompetent. And Micheal is slowly becoming his recent prey.