The Ghost is Resurrected

Dave cannot believe his ears. He stares wide-eyed at Katherine and stutters. "B-But we all saw the bus explode with him in it!"

Katie sighs and looks away from Dave. She knew after seeing Charlie Boy back at Alhaji Tanko's mansion that he hadn't died in the explosion after all.

The same Charlie Boy she had rebuked back in her youth is the same nightmare who has come back to haunt her.

'How did he know where I'd be at that moment? Who could have given him intel? Do we have a mole?' These are questions racing through Katie's mind.

She shakes her head trying to reassure herself that their organization had no mole.

"It's not even possible," Katie muttered to herself.

"What isn't?" David asks with a curious face.

Katie snaps out of her trance, unaware that she had thought aloud. "Huh?"

"You said something wasn't possible," David explains. "What were you referring to?"

"Oh, it's nothing." 

"I was just wondering something illogical. But, don't bother about it," She adds.

Katie sits up and then stands up from the bed. She moves to the window and slides the curtains open.

Rays of sunlight pierce into the room, giving it more natural lighting. Katie looks out of the window of the third floor of ShadowTiger Intelligence, and grunts as she turns around to look at David. 

"These pesky civilians," she says while frowning slightly.

David smiles.

"They're always so noisy." She adds and turns back to look at the bustling, busy street of Ikeja through the window.

"Why are you smiling, Dave?" Katie asks in a gentle tone while looking at him over her shoulder.

David continues smiling as he looks at her silhouette. Her body is blocking some sunlight and it forms a silhouetted image of her. The distinct curves of her body are outlined by the spectacular image before him. He wants to reach out, to hold her dearly. But he knows he can't. 'If only she feels the same way I feel.' 

Katie moves her waist slightly and turns to look at Dave once more. His desires erupt and he can't help but gasp. It seems to him like the rays of sunlight are bouncing around her waist when she turns to face him.

"Oh my-" he says with a soft sigh.

Katie, oblivious of the spell she's placed Dave under, asks concerned, "What's wrong?"

She stares into his eye, his iris now illuminated by the sunlight, thus making his brown iris look like a ring of fire.

"What? Oh, Madam has asked to see you by 9 AM, when you're awake." Dave responds, coming back to his senses.

"And, let's see, the time is… oh, yeah, it's 8:58 AM. So, by my calculation," he says standing up and straightening his pants, "We should get to her office on time if we leave right now."

David had changed from his gear and ripstop pants to a chinos pants and a cashmere vintage shirt. The vintage shirt stays loosely on his body, with the first two buttons unbuttoned, thus giving Katie a peek at his shapely muscles. She keeps staring at his chest, looking at the curves of his finely toned chest muscles. She lets her gaze freely wander to his face and rests it on his lips. The gentle contrast between his upper and lower lips, and its symmetrically mesmerizing shape ignites some heat in her. 

David wonders why she's staring at him, and he becomes nervous.

"Umm," he licks his lips. "Shall we proceed?"

Katie stares for a while, still dazed at his lips now glistening in the light. "Yes, we shall. After you."

…

Walking through the passage way lining the clinic section to the other parts of the establishment, Katie is greeted by some junior colleagues.

David, who's accompanying her flashes a smile, and the female workers around him coo as their hearts flutter. 

The company is busy and active. People are moving up and down trying to sort out different things. Katie's incident last night needs to be covered up by their agents and correspondents, so it's a busy morning for everyone. Well, except senior agents like Katie, David and others who'd just be tasked to oversee the affairs of the subordinates.

Katie and David arrive at the elevator which runs through all the five floors of ShadowTiger Intelligence. They wait for some moments for the elevator to open before entering. Katie looks at the light source in the elevator. 'It's brighter than usual,' she ponders. 'Perhaps they're using the auxiliary power supply.'

David observes her and notices what she's pondering on. "If you're wondering, yes, the auxiliary power supply is being used today. We're running on full resources to keep Alhaji Tanko on check."

Katie nods.

"It's not your fault, Katie. Don't ever think so." David adds.

The elevator dings and they arrive at the top floor of the five-storey long establishment.

As the elevator slides open, they're faced with a large wooden door which is smooth and shiny. Engraved into it is a name which is written in gold and smoothened to be leveled with the wood.

'MADAM'

Katie steps out of the elevator and she struts to the large door. She looks at the CCTV camera placed at the top corner of the waiting space outside the Madam's office, and the door opens gently.

"Good morning, ma'am." Katie greets as she enters. Madam gestures to a nearby seat and greets her with a warm smile. Katie observes Madam's hair. It's just white hair with some strands of blonde in it. Her white skin looks pale now and slightly wrinkled.

'British women really do get wrinkles faster.' Katie wonders, amused.

Madam didn't just age in one day. It has been a gradual process which went partly unnoticed by Katie. The dream she had earlier is what reminds her that Madam's hair was once a bright, blonde beauty to behold some twenty years ago. Madam's hair is still beautiful, and graceful in the way she carries it, but it's now lackluster.

"So," Madam says as she sits on her large office chair. "Your longtime nemesis, Charlie, is back. What're we gonna do?" 

"Well, I-" Katie is about to explain when Madam interrupts her.

"No, that's not the actual question, in fact. How on Earth is he alive, and how did he find you at the mansion?"

Katie stares at Madam's mahogany table and her eyes roam around the table. The steam from Madam's coffee dances around the cup like masquerades at a festival, and then dissipates into thin air. Her gaze shifts to a fast reload pistol loaded and ready for action. Madam always keeps one loaded on her desk. In this espionage type business, no one can be trusted completely. Even your closest associates and acquaintances. 

Madam's plaque is neatly arranged on the edge of the table with her name boldly written.

'MARIA REMI'

Maria Remi her boss, the madam, and her rescuer. She had rescued Katie when she was about to jump off the Third Mainland Bridge when she was seven.

Next to the plaque is a photo of Katie and the Madam from the same twenty years ago, when Madam rescued her. Waves of nostalgia wash over her.

"How is he alive? I have no answer to that."

Katie says as she looks back up at Madam.

"But, yesterday, I know for sure that I saw him there."

Madam heaves. "Okay, give me a break down of what happened back at Alhaji Tanko's mansion." she says as she sits up on her chair and sips her hot coffee.

Katie thinks for a while, trying to collect her thoughts. Then, she begins to explain, "When I got to the mansion…"