Shadows of Deceit | MilkLove AU

Ch8: Part 2: Choices and Betrayal

Pat leaned over her desk, her focus locked on the small GPS tracker the technician had brought. He adjusted the settings while explaining its features with precision.

"This device uses satellite signals to pinpoint a location," he said, his fingers deftly tapping buttons on the sleek interface. "You can track someone in real-time or receive updates at intervals."

Pat nodded. "So, if I wanted to monitor someone without them knowing, this would work?"

"Yes," he replied, demonstrating how to pull up a map that displayed moving dots.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Tinh stepped inside, catching the tail end of the technician's explanation. "Woah! What do we have in here?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe with a curious grin.

Pat quickly straightened, forcing a casual smile. "Just some tech stuff for another case," she explained. She then glanced at the technician. "Thanks for your help; I'll follow up later."

The technician nodded and discreetly gathered his things, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

"Tech stuff, huh?" Tinh raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his face. "Sounds like you're getting into some serious spy business! What do you need a tracker for?"

"It's just standard procedure," Pat replied, trying to keep her voice easy. "This is for the undercover officers."

"Oh, by the way," Tinh continued, shifting gears, "about those files you asked me to dig up..."

"Any progress?" Pat asked, feeling a spike of tension in her body.

"It might take some time," Tinh said, crossing his arms and leaning back casually. "The director is pretty private. I'm sifting through her background, but it's a bit of a maze."

Pat felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "Oh, okay. Thank you," she replied, maintaining her composure.

"Sure," Tinh said. "Anyway, what's with the sudden interest in Pan though? You never seemed that concerned before."

Pat swallowed hard, resisting the urge to reveal her true motives. "Just to be thorough, I guess. I want to make sure everything is covered in our report," she said, forcing a smile to mask her anxiety.

"Fair enough," Tinh replied, nodding. "I see you're in your sergeant mode...staying focused and not letting the director's charm cloud your judgment, huh?" he added, teasing.

The comment felt like a stab to Pat, a sharp reminder of her conflicting feelings. "Of course! Business first, remember?" she managed to say.

"Absolutely!" Tinh chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Never mix business with pleasure, got it!"

Pat felt the weight of those words settles heavily on her. "Right," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.