Melt me

Chapter 32

Nazeera

Stephan and Haider are chatting about something completely irrelevant. Until I clear my throat and tell them to pay attention to the mission. We're in the meeting room, our little command central, and the teams are just arriving at the location.

Stephan stands and displays a camera on screen,
"We have these drones to detect any suspicious vehicles or aircraft. Since we don't know what exactly the package is, we don't know the type of transportation and how it's arriving."

From the screen, I watch the city from a bird's eye view. The drone zooms in out, scouring the streets while our teams stand waiting in the shadows.

"What's their security like?" I ask, pulling up the hologram map.
"Are you sure we still have the advantage?"

"Of course. There's less than 50 guards around the whole perimeter. They won't see this coming." Haider frowns at me, sinks into his seat.
"There's no need for you to be worried."

"Plus we have some extra teams on standby, should we need any back up." Stephan adds and I nod, but I'm most certainly going to be on edge.

He steps out of the room for a moment to answer a call from Amara. The drone catches sight of a huge unmarked truck - the package has nearly arrived. This is it.

My brother is instructing the team leaders with his big dramatic walkie. He shuts it off and I nudge his leg, wanting to talk. He's been a bit off recently.
"Hey, why'd you run out of the meeting room yesterday?"

"Did I? How should I remember that?" Haider says with an eye roll and I arch my eyebrow.

"Well you don't do it often." I lean forward, prop my head up on my hand. My eyes narrow, assessing him and Haider shifts uncomfortably. A smile plays on my lips; Haider tends to express his feelings more clearly than I do.
"What are you hiding?"

He blinks several times.
"I'm not hiding anything."

"Stop denying it and tell me."

"Why are you so nosey?" Haider grumbles.

"I'm not nosey. I'm just an amazing caring sister."
He scoffs and I start tapping his arm at an annoying rate.

"Tell me. Please. If you don't, I'll just sneak into your room and read your diary."
My brothers face falls,
"Don't you dare."

"Then?" I tilt my head, waiting for him to answer. Light brown eyes weakly lock with mine and I can literally feel the all consuming emotion radiating from him. Leaking out of his heart.

My jaw drops.
"Oh my god. This is about a girl."

His eyes shut with a swallow, confirming my suspicion. I squeal,
"What? Who? When? Give me details."

Haider sucks in a breath but then Stephan strolls back in. We both sit up silent. His eyes go back and forth between us.
"Am I interrupting something?"

"No." Haider clears his throat and grabs his walkie again. I give Stephan the biggest scowl and he shrugs. Ugh.

Stephan switches the screen from the drone camera to one of the team leader's body cams. The van nears the site however our teams remain low. Both Haider and Stephan are concentrating on the scene so I take a moment to ask Ella if she's landed. My hands fiddle with my necklace.

Ella and the blonde man had to make a quick trip home, to ensure everything in North America is running smoothly. I told them they didn't have to return, this isn't a joyful trip. But neither wanted to hear my request.

Ella texts me that they have arrived safely.
Then I look back and see that the screen's gone gray.

Haider yells something into the walkie. Stephan switches cameras back and forth, searching for a working one. I shout at them to tell me what's wrong.
I'm silenced over their panic.