Her Dark Side

Chapter One

"Jack Myers," I read out loud to myself as my eyes briskly skim the large words printed on the front of the bulging folder that rests in my palms. Just holding it is setting my blood on fire, the thrill of doing something I shouldn't is spurring me on.

Jack is the worst criminal known for miles. And in the few small towns around here, everybody knows his name.

At one point I had him in this very office block but not as a criminal. No, he was my partner and a role model citizen. And here at work like two best friends in kindergarten, we did everything together in our fight for justice. I was his wing man, his back up and he was mine. One of us was never seen without the other. Our partnership came as a package and we never worked alone. I treasured him more than anything in the world.

But after one very serious case that we both got too involved in, the bad guys gave him the choice of join their side, the dark side, or watch me die. And funnily enough, despite all my pleading, he gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and left promptly, promising everything would be fine.

That was three years ago and I haven't seen him since.

I sip the watery coffee I've brought in here with me, which is now beginning to turn cold and then I begin to let my mind drift into the nostalgia of those times.

I miss him.

Whenever the thought of him decides to slip in to my brain, which is a lot, I always find myself falling into a deep state of mourning like I've lost him for good. I feel like dropping to my knees and crying. As an independent woman I never carry out this urge unless I'm alone and out of the eye of the public. That'd only happened once since he left though, and had been the very day he abandoned me itself.

His face is floating about in the front of my mind and as much as I'm afraid that if I push it away I will eventually forget the small but important details about him, like that freckle above his right eyebrow or the dimple in his cheek when he genuinely smiled, I have other things I need to focus on. 

Like finding him.

I distract myself by looking back down to his file. I had been warned to stay away from this case. Numerous times, in fact. Strict orders from the boss to stand down. But how can I?

I only came here to get some petty crime folder, an old ladies purse had been taken a few weeks ago and the papers need refiling. That's all this office lets me do these days, since I was stupid enough to allow a case to get so bad, they don't trust me with the big stuff anymore. But just as I was going to leave the room with the file I needed.. I saw his one. An A4 brown folder, bursting at the seams, with the words JACK MYERS CASE on the front in massive red letters.

Why do I always let curiosity get the better of me?

So I picked it up and now I'm sat on the edge of the desk in here. Nervously, I try to get up the courage to open the front cover and I try to think of all the reasons why I should cross this line.

Well, number one, I deserve more closure then him just up and leaving, promising to make everything better. It's been three years for goodness sake, I'm going crazy here. Number two, he put his own life on the line to save mine and now I need to return the favour.

As I feel courage slowly cloud my judgement, I begin turning the cover by its corner very delicately, as if it were to break in my shaky hands. I shut my eyes tightly as the page fully opens, then I open my eyes to the fresh page.

By the slight dog eared corners and ever so slightly faded ink, it's obvious many people have opened this file. "Jack Myers, Criminal, Ex-force, Partner to Willow." I read aloud but under my breath, very briskly as if I'm running out of time but most probably because I am. This room is very open to all the agents and staff here. Any moment, someone could walk in.

One particular thing catches my eye as I skim over the words. I read it out loud to myself again.

"Last seen..." I begin but a voice from the doorway cuts me off.

"October the eleventh 2012." The voice booms over my own.

I gasp before I can see who it is and the file falls from my sweaty palms and to the floor. I helplessly watch the many important papers fly all over the place and merge into a messy order.

Finally, I look over to the person in the doorway to see who caught me in the act. It's my boss, Robert Jerrald, and he's looking rather annoyed. That's an understatement. He's absolutely fuming. At first I'm too shocked to do anything but he loudly clears his throat and my mind slowly begins to work again.

I whizz thoughts quickly around my cloudy brain trying to come up with an excuse, improvise. That's what I've been trained to do. But this is the guy that trained me so I'm done for anyway.

"Don't bother," he sighs and rolls his eyes at my mock confusion. "Save the lame excuses. Look I get it, it's hard but it's for your own safety that I keep you off the case, Willow."

"I know, sir, but his file was right there." I murmur, looking longingly at the table, where the what was a once neat folder, had been sat. "I just had to." I let a long sigh out, giving in and muttering apologies as he helps me to pick up the papers. "I just need to know he's okay." I add in a sad mumble when we finish.

"Willow?" Robert says, looking straight into my eyes so he can show he's being sincere but I just end up feeling intimidated. "We're doing the best we can. But you getting mixed up in this would make everything twice as hard. That gang still want you and that's why they took Jack. They know they can't have you so they're using him against you until you give in. You know that, I know that and I will tell you every time temptation clouds you."

"That just makes me want to help more..." I admit carelessly, without thinking perhaps that's not what I should be saying to my boss until it's too late. I know all those details already but nothing will stop me. I just need to have Jack back.

"Unless you want to be taken too, I suggest you stay away. Comprende?" He questions and I just look down to the floor. He sighs, knowing that due to my stubbornness, he won't get a reply from me so he snatches up the file and leaves the room without another word.

Despite all that he said, I'm still going to try and help. I don't even care about consequences any more. I want and need my Jack back. The only problem is, Jack's way of dealing with this all is to do what the bad guys say. Not that he has a choice. But now he's eligible for the death sentence with all the crimes he has committed with that stupid gang since he joined them three years ago.

The worst thing though? Is that it's all my fault. I should have sacrificed myself to go with the gang instead of him. I'm not sure if I would've coped better or if I would have done exactly what he did but I know for a fact he would have coped with my disappearance so much better.

There's just one thing I don't understand. I saw something else in the file that made no sense. According to the file he's still working for my agency, External Intelligence Operations. Also known as E.I.O.

The thing is, pretty much as soon as Jack disappeared when I was still involved, the board had a meeting to confirm cutting off ties with Jack until further notice because despite the fact having him as a double agent was a possibility, they decided it was too dangerous and so they let him go. That further notice hasn't happened yet. Or it had and they'd left me out of the loop.

Obviously.

I'm sick of everything happening behind my back when it should be me leading this case. It's time for me to take action if I ever want to see Jack again.