JUDAS

"I hear the familiar sound of footsteps approaching, and I don't need to look up to know it's my supervisor. He stops in the doorway, watching me shove the last file into the box on my desk.

"Almost done with these boxes, huh?" His voice pitches up with an awkward cough to clear his guilty conscience.

I look up to him with a blank gaze. It's all he deserves right now. He knows he messed up making me leave this late into the game. It's written all over his body language as he leans against the doorway, fiddling his gnarly fingers.

He lets out a sigh, shifting his weight. " Listen, Kendrick... this isn't how I wanted things to play out."

"Oh? Somehow I find that hard to believe."

"Look, I didn't make the decision. It came down from higher ups. The cuts are everywhere, Kendrick. We had to trim the fat, and you got caught in the middle." He pauses, rubbing his forehead.

"But there's a chance for you. They're transferring you to Philadelphia. They've got a case that's still open, one that needs someone who can handle the pressure. It's high-priority, Kendrick. It's a fresh start."

"Philadelphia?" I scoff, pushing the last file into the box. 'I've heard about the department over there. Pretty messed up team.'

"Yeah, I know the history. It's a mess. But this... this is different."

He meets my eyes, his voice firm. "This case, Kendrick... it's high-profile. they've got a lot of suspicion on the guy already and they need someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty."

I narrow my eyes. 'Who's the case about?'

He hesitates for a moment, his gaze flickering before he speaks again so silent it may as well be a whisper...

"Zephaniah Davis."