Dual Eclipse

26

“It’s the second mission, and they both failed! We do not have Gamboa or know where he has his lair!” Harold shouts at us like we were his damn children. “We saw him at the market. Gamboa had a crew with him, and the market was busy.”

“The whole mission was planned wrong, Harold,” Chief Ramirez said. He’d called when he got the news and was raging. “What did you expect would happen in the open like that? The market?!”

I smiled.

Harold’s fists clenched at his sides. The humiliation forced him to have a seat. “Anything could have gone wrong. Armando could have killed Victoria.” He coughed from the cold.

No one moves.

“Gamboa knows we’re hot on his heels and must be extra careful. I watched the video you sent me, Harold. I’ve analysed it. Do you know why Victoria failed?”

“Armando was faster than she was. He revealed his weapon, and that scared her.” I rolled my eyes. It was almost nighttime, and I needed a shower.

“Not only was he faster, but I admit, you could have stopped him with your weapon, Victoria.”

“Chief, the man did nothing in the public’s eye. I can’t shoot him up like a rabid dog,” I eyed Harold since it’s how he saw Armando. “Imagine what they would have said. We’d have the press on these steps—”

“That’s nothing we cannot handle.” I clamped my mouth shut at his curt response. Everyone chose violence. Stop being a hypocrite, V. “Replay the video for the team, Harold. Look,” Harold pressed play on the large projector, and an earlier scene played before our eyes. It showed me strolling through the market, looking for an item to purchase. I paid attention to my target as I got closer to him.

Then the chaos happened, “Pause.” A woman in a red dress and a large straw hat bumped into me before she crouched to pick something up. “Play.” She got up and went on her way. “Go back.” Harold rewinded the video. “Pause.” Harold did, clicking the button noisily. “Side profile. Run it through the database.”

We watched as a woman’s face formed on the screen. No fucking way, it’s who I think it is!

I couldn’t listen to anything Chief or Harold said after that. That might be a coincidence. It had to be a glitch or—

“Castillo!

I was startled, regaining my sanity. Harold stood over me with a mean look on his face. I looked around the room, and it was vacant. Everyone already left for the evening.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t be.” I frowned, looking at his stoic face. He had that troublesome look smiling in front of my face. “You’re suspended.” Time froze. I thought I heard him wrong for a moment. Did he say he suspended me?

I flew up from the seat and zeroed my eyes on his. “What do you mean?” Was it because of two failed missions? “Are you serious? By whose orders? Chief’s?”