Operation SK ✔️

The Case

Teresa felt like screaming out of frustration. Instead, she chomped hangrily on a hamburger with Edward looking at her weirdly. It was evening, and both were off duty for the time being. Teresa had dragged Edward to the nearest fast-food centre and forced him to buy her food.

"What?" she snapped at him as she caught the look he was giving her.

Edward immediately raised his hands and eyebrows defensively.

"Bloody hell! Can't a chap watch you gobble food?" he exclaimed.

Teresa went back to eating. After she finished, she drank up an entire bottle of water.

"I have to leave the day after tomorrow," she informed him off-handedly.

Edward nodded in understanding. He already had been told by Mr Bakshi. The mission was a secret between them both which is why he was more worried than surprised.

"Are.... are you sad or something?" he asked, not having the slightest clue about what she was thinking.

"Not sad," she sighed in response. "I thought I'd finally be able to lead my own team.... It's just disappointment you know? And I'm tired"

"You got a week's rest," Edward pointed out to her annoyance.

Teresa didn't retort back anything. She was simply spending her last evening with her only friend before heading out towards her apartment. She still had to visit her dad and tell him about her already next mission. She was lucky that the stupid mafia was not located in another country. Their headquarters was in San Jose. Probably an hour or two drive away.

"When will you be back?" he spoke after a while, his pale face full of sadness.

"You know better than asking that"

"Where are you going this time?" he probed on.

"I can't tell you and you shouldn't ask," she warned with a tone of finality.

She had to go back now. She had to go through the mission file she was given on the mafia and get some sleep.

Ugh.

"You w-ee-l have a person watching over you all the time in case the mission gets out of control. A lookout. You're not totally alone so don't be afraid. Just be cautious all the time. This mission is being revived again after about twenty years. Beware"

Mr Bakshi's voice rang inside her head.

"I'll- I'll see you.... In a year or two I hope," she smiled sadly, getting up from the chair.

They hugged again but with the air hanging about them in melancholy. One last time, she breathed into his chest and ruffled his hair. And for the last time, she patted his neatly ironed uniform. The one she wore and prided over too. It was the uniform of CBI, Central Bureau of Investigation.

Edward didn't smile. He just kissed the side of her head fondly and held onto her. Teresa had always been like a sister to him. She was so much like a two years younger sister to the twenty-seven-year-old guy.

"Beware," he whispered so softly that Teresa almost didn't catch it.

"I will," she promised confidently as they broke apart.

A horrified expression fell on his face, but he soon masked it with a smile. She saw him walk away towards their station with a backward wave. Soon she turned the other way towards her car.

I wasn't supposed to hear it, she realized only later.

*