10. - RAFAEL -
ten
- RAFAEL -
N ormalcy. That’s what this was supposed to be.
Back at my desk at NoxTech, the hum of servers and the faint buzz of fluorescent lights filled the air. There was a collection of camera feeds all pulled up on the computer screen, but I hadn’t been able to focus on a single one. I was supposed to be checking the visitor logs, logging incident reports, and acting like I wasn’t itching to be anywhere but here.
Anywhere Monica was.
I tapped my pen against the desk, the rhythm irritating enough to keep me grounded. The office buzzed around me, with coworkers casually discussing updates about schedules and software rollouts, but their voices felt distant. This was my normal, the life I’d been carefully balancing for years. But now it felt hollow, like a show I didn’t want to watch anymore.
I leaned back in my chair, pulling out my phone. My handlers wouldn’t like this, but I didn’t care. The line rang twice before a clipped voice answered. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
“Thinking about a change,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm brewing in my chest. “I preferred my lunch schedule last week.”
There was a pause, then a dry chuckle. “An out? That’s unlike you. Please explain.”
I glanced around the office, making sure no one was close enough to overhear. “It’s the UN assignment. I think I’m more useful staying there.”
“Useful?” the voice echoed, clearly weighing the implications.
“There’s nothing left to learn here,” I added, though we both knew that was a lie. “People who post their every thought have no secrets.”
Another pause, longer this time. “Interesting. We’ve been considering increasing our presence in that space anyway. If you’re requesting a transfer, I'll get back to you if approved.”
“Of course.”
Another pause, then a soft sigh. “This about a girl?”
“Should it not be?”
“No,” the voice replied, far too quickly. “This could work. You’ll get official confirmation within the hour. Make sure you don’t lose focus. The job must come first.”
“Always.”
No other words were exchanged before the line went dead. I stared at my phone, the weight of the decision settling over me. This wasn’t about loyalty, love, or even duty. It was about proximity—keeping her close, no matter the cost.
I finished my shift and then packed up before driving over to the U.N. headquarters. The drive there gave me too much time to think. My choice hung over me like a fog, and no matter how I tried to frame it—as a strategic move, a logical step—I couldn’t ignore the truth.
By the time I reached the building, the buzz of activity inside felt more urgent. The chaos held me and reminded me of why I was here.
After a week of being Monica’s security, entering the briefing felt natural. I’ve been here plenty because of Luis, but with Monica, the reason was truly allowed for the first time.
As I approached the briefing room, Monica’s voice carried through the slightly ajar door, steady and confident. Inside, she stood at the head of the table, her usual composure softened by a faint smile. Luis sat near her, leaning back in his chair with relaxed ease, arms draped across the armrests. The way he grinned, it was clear she’d just said something that had landed well.
Luis’ gaze shifted and he straightened in his seat as he spotted me. The grin shifted into something sharper, as though he’d just found the perfect opening for a jab.
He pushed his chair back with deliberate slowness, rising to his feet. After adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves with measured precision. He stepped outside the room, closing the door fully before he spoke to me. “Good of you to join us,” he said, his tone smooth but edged, like a blade hidden in silk.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I replied.
He didn’t respond, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “Thought you were back at your desk job. Couldn’t stay away?”
I shrugged, keeping my tone light. “Turns out, security isn’t as thrilling as playing model U.N.”
“This isn’t a game.”
“All the more fun.”
Luis raised a hand, cutting off the back-and-forth before it could escalate. “Why are you really here?"
“We have a lead on a tech broker working with a splinter group those two trolls were a part of. They’re scheduled to attend a high-profile event tonight, and I got approved to be the extra eyes on the ground.”
“Why would they assign you?”
The door opened, cutting through the conversation as people began to file out of the meeting. Monica’s gaze shifted toward me, her voice cool but with an edge of something I couldn’t quite place. “Nice of you to make it on such short notice.”
Luis frowned, the tension in his jaw clear. “What's happening?”
“I was looking to get more security, but turns out Rafael already had the clearance,” she replied without hesitation.
I shot Luis a smirk, unable to resist. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you carry my gear if you want to join us.”
He gave me a look that was half annoyed, half amused despite himself as he shook his head. “Why are you risking her like this?”
Monica nudged my shoulder lightly with hers, her smile mischievous. “I’ll be plenty safe next to you two,” she said, her tone teasing as she glanced at the both of us. “Come on, it will be like a double date.”
Her words lingered in the air as I exchanged a look with Luis, both of us caught by the surprise. She was far too smart to not know what she was doing there.
The hum of the city grew louder as we approached the venue, a sleek high-rise hiding its secrets below the ground. The tech exchange was a clandestine event, exclusive to those who knew how to find it.
Despite the joking, we all entered separately, blending into the stream of sharply dressed attendees. The air buzzed with hushed conversations and the occasional flash of holographic displays showcasing gadgets most people couldn’t even dream up.
“Earpiece check,” Monica’s voice came through, steady and clear.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” I replied, scanning the room and thankfully finding her mostly standing alone. We had discussed playing spy in the car but it was clear it was just a game to her.
“Sorry, excuse me,” she chuckled.
The venue was sleek, with all reflective surfaces and subtle lighting. It was the kind of place where the line between legitimate business and what people thought business was meant to look like.
I spotted Luis across the room, moving toward the same area with his usual quiet confidence. We locked eyes briefly, and I couldn’t help but smirk. Let the competition begin.
In the center of the room, there was a large display playing a visual swirl of technology talk and ego. Luis sidled up next to me, his voice low. “What do you think the big reveal tonight is going to be?”
I kept my eyes forward on the teaser trailer I had already seen at my old job. “Something pompous.”
Luis snorted. “I’m still hoping for something more... creative than usual.”
Before I could respond, I caught the movement of one of the two men we had been briefed about on the drive over. The nervous weave he did through the crowd lacked practice, and it was clear he was looking to find someone.
“Did you come with a date?” Luis asked.
I swore my heart stopped beating for a moment. He was so good at actual spy craft that I forget he picked words specifically to keep the ruse going among strangers. Wordlessly, I fumbled a loose gesture towards Monica.
“Ah, well that makes sense,” he added, “You two have a good night.”
With that Luis parted, keeping his distance but placed in the crowd as if planning never to lose sight of our new troll. I walked over to Monica and leaned in to whisper into her ear. “Remember his name is Kane, has a bad foot after literally shooting himself in it.”
Monica laughed as if I told her a joke, her arm lingering on my arm even as I stood back up straight.
The moment Kane realized he was being followed, chaos erupted. He bolted toward a back hallway, and without hesitation, Luis broke into a run.
By the sounds of it, I could only imagine how a chase took us through narrow corridors and up a staircase as the footsteps echoed from the confined space and into our ears.
“Maybe we should take things slow,” Monica whispered into my earpiece, her voice carefully casual, as though speaking directly to me, but the words were meant for Luis.
“We know what we are doing,” I replied with a wink, pulling out my phone as if to show her a funny video. As I held it up, the screen flickered to life, displaying a live feed of a camera pointed at the rooftop above us.
Kane was cornered, his breath ragged as he turned around. Luis moved first, his movements quick and calculated. Kane fought back, but it was sloppy, his desperation showing. There was a reason I always made Luis workout so hard. Just so when he got stubborn like this he could handle it.
Kane backed up against the low wall at the edge of the rooftop. His eyes darted around, weighing his options, but there was nowhere left to run.
Luis was already moving again, fluid, and calculated, every step purposeful. Without a second thought, he lunged, grabbing the man by the wrist and twisting it behind his back.
Kane glared over his shoulder with a keyboard warrior’s courage. “This isn’t over,” he spat despite it all.
Luis smiled, “It is for you.”