Divisions

Part 1- Chapter 4

"Sorry I'm late sir," Jarred cleared his throat as he entered the briefing room.

"This should not be repeated, Dunn," Mr. Ackley sighed, motioning for the boy to sit down.

"It won't," Jarred assured him, taking his seat.

"Anyway," Mr. Ackley continued, handing Jarred a file.

"The press has been tightening the need for results about the investigation into Mr. Sheldon's death," he said, as Jarred scanned the file.

"What can I do about this?" Jarred asked, confused.

"Well, the IDA and NIF have decided it would be best to postpone the elections until the suspects are found. We have a month to solve the case,"

"Wait... does this mean I'm on the case?"

"Not officially, Jarred," Mr. Ackley said. "Because you're so young, even with how good of an agent you are, we can't let the media know that you're going to head the probe. You are going to run this behind the scenes because Mr. Patterson's team has run an official dead end"

"The IDA thinks that if a relatively unknown agent took up the case, the suspects wouldn't suspect them" he chuckled at the pun.

"I'm the head of the probe?" Jarred exclaimed.

"Don't go telling your mates this," Mr. Ackley sighed. "You can only assign one other person from the IDA to this mission, preferably someone young and someone you trust,"

Jarred nodded, already knowing the person he would pick.

"These files..." Jarred began, skimming through the documents.

"Are the truth. They show just how little we have managed to gather. No murder weapon at the scene, no prints... also, we can't reevaluate the body without stirring suspicion from the NIF in particular,"

"So we haven't really got the upper edge?"

"No one really ever does, Dunn, no one, and everyone at the same time." Mr. Ackley said, shrugging.

"Well," Jarred said, dumbfounded. "What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked.

"Truthfully, nothing really. This is just a formality. The IDA are desperate for a fresh pair of eyes, so just reading the documents does the job," Mr. Ackley said.

"In other news," he continued. "How was the East Islander job?"

"Good, good," Jarred shrugged. "We had a close call there, the perps almost escaped,"

"Well, you handled it very well, Dunn. Two arrests, six search warrants, the East Island cartel definitely has a dent in it now."

"Doesn't East Island have their own intelligence?" 

"Yes, an incompetent one at that," Mr. Ackley shrugged. "The E.I.I, they call it, basically a hub of corruption and theft."

"Hmm..." Jarred said, wondering if Camilla was one of those agents. Thinking about Camilla then reminded him of Natalia.

Natalia. How did she always enter my head? he thought.

Secretly, he would later realize,  he wondered if this case would ever make the two of them meet again.

He did not know if he wanted that to happen.

"If there's no questions you would like to ask," Mr. Ackley continued. "You are dismissed,"

"Thank you sir," he replied, leaving the room.

"Oh, and Jarred," Mr. Ackley asked, just as Jarred reached the door.