Forget Me Not

Lines Drawn

Thierry Renault was a man of many faces. He had pioneered illegal businesses across Asia, operating under a completely different persona, one so convincing that even his family had no idea of his activities. It took years for Sarawat, Man, and Boss to gather evidence of his alleged connections to various triads and how his expanding business empire contributed to the loss of innocent lives. Even now, little is known about his true origins, and he never spoke about his family, not even to his closest colleagues. Such was the meticulous nature of Thierry Renault.

It was only natural that neither Man nor Boss could find any details about his past. The name "Thierry Renault" had seemingly been wiped from records, known only to a few. Reflecting on it, Sarawat had sacrificed a lot just to connect the name "Thierry Renault" to the elusive kingpin.

This was the topic that greeted Sarawat as he walked into the CDO headquarters, searching for his friends. Both Boss and Man were also looking for him, surprised to see the broad smile on his face.

"Okay, he definitely spent the entire weekend with Tine, no doubt about it," Man admitted.

Boss spread his hand in front of him. "Pay up."

Man scowled but paid the bet. "We have news about your favorite person in the world," he told Sarawat.

Sarawat, too happy to care about trouble, simply shrugged. "Did P'Dim get Green pregnant?"

His two friends laughed until they saw Dim walk by, stopping in front of Sarawat. "Nope, it's negative. Don't worry, we're trying again."

Boss choked on his cola at Dim's remark, but Dim continued, "Good, now that all three of you are here, I want you down at the range. You're back on field duty soon, and I want all of you to stay sharp."

◇─◇──◇─◇

That was all that needed to be said. Sarawat, Man, and Boss found themselves grabbing weapons from the closet, which housed an array of guns in all shapes and sizes. They loaded magazines as if preparing for war, each step towards the shooting range filled with anticipation and silent competition.

The lab technician set the sequence. "Sequence four: Urban Warfare. Agents Solo and TARGET on the range." He flipped on the program, and the projected environment transformed, with holographic civilians and terrorists walking through the simulated cityscape. It looked like a cool, high-tech video game, but it was actually a state-of-the-art government training range designed to prepare agents for real-world scenarios.

Sarawat, Man, and Boss started shooting, and the tension in the atmosphere was fierce. It was undeniable that this adrenaline rush was something they had missed since being told to take a break.

"You know his brother is a pain in the ass," Man said, aiming at one of the holographic terrorists. "Meanwhile, you're out there having fun with your sweet Tine!"

"That's what you get for trying to date his brother," Sarawat responded, focused on his own target.

Man rolled his eyes. "How was I supposed to know I'd end up dating his brother? And didn't you always say dating apps are for desperate people?"

Sarawat took offense. "I did not say that!" he vehemently denied. "I said they're efficient and low effort. Desperation depends on the person."

Boss interrupted, "I always feel like dating apps are just another form of shopping, and the people on there are the products. You're browsing for people, looking for the perfect specs and quality."

Sarawat clicked his tongue and nailed two targets. "Why are you suddenly blaming me for your lack of action with his brother?" he asked Man, moving to the other side with efficient precision.