At Secret Service Center,
Team Ace members: "..."
Jason glared at the team ace members who failed to get to know any details of Anya after she left - unconscious - in Alvin's arms from the airport.
Dot aka Axel looked at the four members looking here and there without daring to meet Jason's gaze. He glanced at Jason. Through his experience, Jason appeared like an affable leader who is harmless and compassionate.
Why were team Ace members scared of Jason?
To him, Anya was more terrifying than Jason.
Nevertheless, he felt his hair raise when Jason's eyes fell on him. His mouth went dry when Jason narrowed his dark brown iris right into his eyes.
Axel realized why the team ace members were hesitant to meet the man's eyes when Jason was angry. A small mistake on their part and Jason's daunting gaze was enough to oppress them and blurt the truth out.
And Axel was no different. He babbled out, "Officer Owen wasn't hurt physically. I noticed no stain of blood or lack of energy when we parted ways."
After uttering those words, Axel doubted if his voice trembled anywhere. He also began wondering if Anya was in trouble after she left the safe house.
Jason wanted to believe Axel. But he couldn't understand why Anya couldn't contact them the whole day. She never delayed reporting.
Was she still annoyed at him due to Axel?
That was unlikely. She was professional at work. Then?
Jason wasn't going to underestimate Alvin or his influence on Anya. So he wanted to make sure Anya wasn't critical in any kind of health issue.
He might not freak out if Anya was injured, he was concerned about her, like any other Team Ace member.
Team Ace members held back their laughter hearing Axel stuttering out each without the need of question.
Senon broke the intense silence so that they could be productive. There was a hint of excitement and admiration in his tone when he spoke of Anya. "Chief, I think Skye privatized the Oasis network."
Or else why couldn't they hack into any system in the Oasis mansion?
Jason merely glanced at Senon and rolled his eyes. He was proud of Anya for being able to build a network his team failed to break in. At the same time, he was annoyed that four team members failed to break into one officer's programmed network.
He picked a file from his drawer and threw it on the desk. He long back permitted Anya to have her private lab in the Oasis mansion so that her identity as a rich man's wife doesn't affect her job by frequent visits to the secret base.
In awe, the four Team Ace members began studying Anya's new design for network security and went to the office to discuss it.
Dot aka Axel looked back and forth before the uneasiness settled in. He didn't do anything wrong and followed the orders of Anya while being careful. So he ignored the loud beats of his heart and met Jason's gaze to face him.
Jason asked, "Where is Jackson?" The male student who was with Anya during the mission.
Axel didn't have an answer to that question. Thus he promptly revealed what he knew, "Jackson left with Officer Owen from the safe house."
Then he realized he didn't hear about Jackson's return and Anya was said to be alone when she landed in the airport. Thus he asked the question immediately, "Did Jackson take Miles Johnson's private jet?"
Jackson was with Anya and Dot dropped Miles at a location on Anya's order before heading to the airport.
If Anya didn't change the first plan, why did she ask him to go on the commercial flight?
Why didn't Anya choose the same flight for herself or Jackson?
Many questions began popping up in his mind but had no response.
Jason didn't bother solving Axel's confusion and questions. He tossed a pen drive to Axel and stood up to leave for the day, "Your mentor wants you to analyze, deduce and find out answers to your questions."
Jason walked out as he added, "But the question remains. Is Miles Johnson alive?"
Jason didn't have a single doubt about Jackson being in danger. Anya wouldn't return to the country risking Jackson's life. Thus their question was about a person, 'Miles Johnson.'
'If Miles is alive, where is he?'
Because Miles didn't enter the airport and the private jet didn't halt anywhere else.
Did Anya hand Miles to Alvin?
Jason brushed off that thought in a fraction of a second. Anya was no less protective of her husband. So Jason was cent percent sure Anya would rather kill Miles than let him (Jason) find Miles's trace near Alvin and charge a criminal code on Alvin.
Even Jason was mind blown by the mystery Anya left behind. Frankly, he had no issues unless Anya was unharmed and didn't use any methods against their code.
Axel discerned the pendrive has all the details of the mission. He went to the hotel he was lodging at and began analyzing each piece of information and prepared a basic report for Anya.
–––––
Somewhere in the darkness where there was no ray of light, suddenly a man gasped awake. His eyes widened in horror, confused if he was dreaming of the haunting darkness around him or if it was real.
He tried to move and realized he was tied down. His lands, his legs, his body… he wasn't able to move an inch. Instead, he felt the ropes digging down his skin as he continued to struggle.
He tried to scream but found his lips taped. Tears filled his eyes and rolled out from the corner of his eyes. The wounds on his face churned at the touch of moisture as the bone-chilling coldness crept up his back.
His breathing was rugged. He tried to recall how he ended up in the darkness with wounds and soreness in his body but found no memory of anything. He couldn't recall his name either. It felt sick to the pit of his stomach but couldn't throw up either.
Fear, cold, hunger, and pain swarmed his body like a thorn of vines, making him shiver, praying for help, unwilling to die cold and clueless.
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