24. Blake
TWENTY-FOUR
Blake
The bell over the door of The Guardian Grind chimes as I push it open. The rich aroma of coffee envelops me. The warm, inviting atmosphere wraps around me, a world away from the tense, charged air back at HQ.
“Blake. What a nice surprise.” Jenna’s cheerful voice carries over the hum of conversation and the hiss of the espresso machine.
The counter is cool under my palms as I lean against it. “Hey, Jenna. Just needed a quick caffeine fix.”
“The usual?” Her hands are already moving toward the espresso machine; the familiar clinks and whirs a soothing soundtrack.
“Please.” The word comes out more like a sigh than a response.
As Jenna works, I scan the café, a habit born of years of training. It’s busy, but not unusually so for this time of day. Regular customers hunch over laptops, and a group of techies animatedly discuss something in the corner.
But no Sophia.
“Here you go,” Jenna says, sliding a steaming cup across the counter. “You look like you could use it. Rough day?”
A non-committal grunt escapes me, and my shoulders roll in an attempt to release some tension .
“Where’s Sophia?”
“What do you mean?” Her question catches me off guard.
“Is she working in the back?”
“Blake…” Jenna’s movements slow, confusion evident in her expression. “She called out sick the last couple of days. I assumed you knew.”
“She’s been at work every day this week.” My heart races, blood rushing in my ears.
The whir of the milk steamer fills the sudden silence between us. Jenna’s eyes widen, her mouth opening and closing without sound.
“Blake, what’s going on?”
The cup trembles in my hand, coffee sloshing dangerously close to the rim.
“I don’t know.” My voice sounds distant, even to my own ears. “But I’m going to find out.”
My hand moves to my pocket, fingers closing around the familiar shape of my badge. The badge I found tucked under the bed as if it had been there all along.
Jenna’s words echo in my mind.
Sophia calling out sick when she was supposedly at work. The missing badge reappearing as if by magic. The security breaches escalating over the past week.
A picture forms in my mind.
“It can’t be.”
But even as I try to deny it, I know. Deep in my gut, I know.
With shaking hands, I pull out my phone and dial Ethan’s number. Jenna watches me intently, concern etched on her face.
“Ethan,” I start, my voice steadier than I feel. “I know the source of the breach.”
“What do you mean? What have you found?” Ethan’s voice is tense on the other end of the line.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation I never thought I’d have to have. “It’s... it’s Sophia. She’s behind the breaches.”
“Sophia?” By the tone of Ethan’s voice, he doesn’t believe me . “That’s a serious accusation. What makes you think that? ”
I run a hand through my hair, pacing as I speak. “A few days ago, I lost my badge. I didn’t report it because…” I pause, embarrassment coloring my words. “Because Sophia told me it would probably show up, and I didn’t want to get ripped by the guys. The very next day, it showed up under the bed.”
“And you’re just telling me this now?” There’s an edge to Ethan’s voice.
“I know, I know. I screwed up. But that’s not all.” I swallow hard, forcing myself to continue. “I just found out from Jenna that Sophia’s been calling out sick from work for the past couple of days. But she’s been leaving the apartment with me every morning like normal.”
The silence on the other end of the line is deafening. When Ethan speaks again, his voice is low and serious. “Blake, are you absolutely sure about this?”
“No.” The word tastes bitter in my mouth. “But there are too many coincidences. The timing of the breaches, her lying about being at work, my missing badge... It all adds up to something I don’t want to believe but can’t ignore.”
Ethan takes a deep breath. “Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m calling Mitzy right now. We need to track every place your badge has logged access during those 24 hours.”
“Agreed. I’m heading back to the apartment. Sophia’s not at work, and I have a feeling... I need to check if she’s there.”
“Be careful, Blake,” Ethan warns. “If your suspicions are correct, we don’t know what we’re dealing with. Don’t confront her alone if she’s there.”
“I won’t.” I run a hand down my face, feeling like shit. “I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”
I’m off the call before he can say anything else. The need to confirm my suspicions, to find some evidence that I’m wrong, drives me forward.
“I’m coming with you.” Jenna steps around the counter, determination in her stance.
Before I can protest, she’s already on her phone. “Carter? It’s Jenna. I need you to meet us…” She pauses, then continues. “Me and Blake. It’s about Sophia.”
I turn to leave, nearly colliding with a customer entering the shop. The bell chimes again as I push through the door, the cool air hitting me like a physical force after the warmth of the café.
Jenna and I leave The Grind, the cheerful atmosphere now feeling like a distant memory. Jenna fills me in as we walk.
“Carter’s going to meet us halfway,” she says. “He was already in the area.”
True to her word, we spot Carter about halfway to the apartment. His face is a mask of concern as he jogs up to us.
“Blake? What’s going on?” Carter’s eyes search mine, worry evident in his expression.
I give him a quick rundown as we continue toward the apartment. By the time we reach the building, Carter’s face is a mixture of disbelief and shock.
“There has got to be more going on.” He shakes his head, trying to figure this shit out. “Sophia would never?—”
“I no longer know what she may or may not have done.”
My hands shake as I fumble with the keys, the lock finally gives way with a soft click.
“Sophia?” My voice echoes in the quiet apartment, hope and dread warring in my chest.
But there’s no answer. No sound of the shower running, no smell of food cooking. Just silence.
We move through the rooms, each space untouched and eerily normal. The bedroom is tidy, the bed made as if Sophia just left for work. Nothing seems out of place except for one thing: on the bedside table, a framed photo of Sophia and me lies face down.
The undisturbed state of the apartment is almost more unsettling than if the place had been ransacked.
It’s as if Sophia simply vanished.
“Blake.” Jenna’s soft voice draws my attention. She’s standing by the dresser, holding something in her hand. As I move closer, my heart sinks. It’s Sophia’s Guardian HQ badge.
On HQ grounds, everyone carries their badge at all times—it’s more than just identification; it’s a lifeline, a key to every door. For Sophia to leave it behind…
I take the badge from Jenna with trembling hands, its weight unbearable. This small piece of metal cements the horrifying truth I’ve been trying to deny.
“Sophia isn’t coming back.”
She’s gone, deliberately severing her connection to Guardian HQ and to me.
And with her disappearance, who knows what secrets of Guardian HQ were compromised in the process?
Carter’s hand lands on my shoulder, a grounding weight. “What the hell is going on?”
I sink onto the edge of the bed, the events of the day crashing over me.
“I think… I think Sophia might be behind the security breach at HQ.”
The words hang in the air, heavy with implication. Jenna gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. Carter’s grip on my shoulder tightens.
“Are you sure?” Carter’s voice is low, tension evident in every syllable.
I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. “No. But there are too many coincidences. The timing of the breaches, her lying about being at work... And now this.”
Jenna sits beside me, her presence a silent comfort. “What are you going to do?”
The question echoes in the quiet room. What am I going to do? How do I even begin to untangle this mess?
“This needs to be treated as a full-scale security breach.”
“I’m so sorry.” Jenna turns to me, her eyes filled with sympathy. “I don’t know what to say, but whatever you need, we’re here for you.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
The next hour passes in a blur of phone calls and hurried explanations. By the time we leave the apartment, a full investigation is already underway.
“As for next steps, we regroup.” My voice comes out steadier than I feel. “We figure out exactly what’s been compromised and plug the holes. And then…”
I pause, the next words sticking in my throat. Saying them out loud will make this real.
“And then we find Sophia.”