Chapter 6
Her lashes fluttered gently as she forced them open,her skin felt numb and heavy.the tricking sound of the water dripping down the rock and landing on the wet ground with the squeaking sound of rats jumping around were her companions.
Everywhere was calm,too quiet for her ear and the thought of spending a long time here will spell doom for her,if she is not eaten to death by the rats she was sure to freeze to death by this water around her feet.her head still spinned badly and her eyes kept playing tricks on her,making out figures from the shadows.she let her head drop again on her chest as she closes her eyes willing herself to sleep.
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"It's over 48hours now and we have not heard from agent X"the agent was saying as she dropped some files on her commanders desk.
The man continued with his write up without looking at her,"are you listening to me!?,she yelled slapping her palm hard on the desk making the few files jump with the impact.
He sighed and looked at her allowing his back to rest on his chair"I heard you the first time,what were you expecting when you sent her there".
Her face contorted in so much anger that she bit her lip to keep herself in check "don't tell me she ditched us".
"That is a probability,or maybe she has been discovered and killed".
The angry look on her face slowly dissolved to that of worry and concern "that might be true,does it mean she is death?"she asked
He shrugged his shoulder "I never said so,it is just a probability which is definitely possible"he picked his pen again and continued writing.
"But there's no way to establish any fact"she stood up now and paced around apprehensively."we should atleast find a way to figure out what exactly is wrong with her".
"Unless you are willing to risk another life"
"So what should we do?". She asked but he appeared not to have heard her and continued his writing.
"What should we do!!?"she yelled in anger slapping the desk again and making him jump in a start
"I don't know"his eyes was round like they would fall of
"Was there any tracker on her?".
"Nothing,just the burner phone".
She bit her lip and scratch her head in utter frustration"we atleast need to know our stand"
"What if perhaps she is death,what will you do".
"Send somebody else of course".
"And what if the person could not make it too".
"Then I wi send another,and another,and another and will not stop until this people go behind bars".
"Agent Ross,don't you think you should take a break and clear your head?".
"I will only do that if those son of bitches go behind bars".
He sighed sadly "don't you think this is more of obsession than duty?".
"Call it whatever you may,but I won't stop not until I get them".
He stood up now and shifted the chair away,he went around and stood beside her.her palm was still on the desk and she had bent half way from her waist putting her weight on her hand as she lean on the table.her hair had fallen over her face now,he stood beside her and gently patted her shoulder.
"I know how you feel about junior,any mother would feel the same though it is partly their fault but I would not like other people to pay for what they know nothing about".he waited and since she did not move or make any attempt to say something he continued "Agent Ross,you really need to let go and also think about the life of your men whom you are sending into the jaws of death".he patted her again and the closing of the door announced his exit.
The silent sniffling sound could tell she was sobbing,she raised her head up and used her hand to wipe her tears.then she pulled the tissue on the desk and blew into it,fold it and discharged it into the trash can beside the desk.she lowered herself gently into the seat and allowed her mind to wander down memory lane.
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Her fingers walked frantically on the computer keyboard,all the other agents were long home.she had only her assistant with her who had decided to work late only for today due to the fact that she would be lonely at home since her family had travelled for holiday.
She peered closely at the screen and sighed in relief,she was almost done with the report she was writing.who could blame her for always working late,she was a workaholic and a single mother so she needed all the extra cash she could lay her finger on to be able to raise her teenage son.
She could hear footsteps proceeding into the office were she sat punching away on the system,it could only be her assistant.the door flung open and a tall lady came into view.
"Ma,you have a call".
"Argh"she groaned "Alicia,I told you not to give me any call until am done".
She looked confused "but ma…"
"...no but"she turned sharply on her seat "get back to work and I will get the call when am done".
Alicia hesitated for a while,but she was back to her system so she had no choice than to leave.the alarm clock beside her beeped continuously so she looked at the time.
"Oh my God!"she gasped in surprise "it's so late"she sighed again and looked at the screen "just a little more and I will round up".
Alicia opened the door again and flew in a haste "ma,I would advice you pick this call,the caller as been persistent for a while now".
She stretched her hand and collected the wireless telephone "Agent Ross on the line,how may I help you"?.
"Am not surprised you forgot"a teenage male voice said from the other end.
Her mouth formed a surprise "oh" as she stopped typing "baby,am sorry,mom just had a lot to do at the office today".
The voice was sad and subdued "you always have alot to do"he chuckled sadly "I don't know why I called, anyways good night".
"Baby…,baby wait"her desperate voice was cut of as the line went death.
She held her head with her two palm as she rest her elbow on the desk and sighed deeply.
"Ma,I think I have to go now".
Alicia's voice broke through her thought "really?"she asked checking her time "oh,I totally forgot I will just round this up,have a good night rest dear". Alicia nodded as she backed off.
She had realized too late that she had rarely spent time with her boy for the few years he had spent with her,they had always been at loggerheads always fighting and arguing.
That faithful day had been the same but she blamed herself for being so negligent and unobservant,how could she not know that her boy had started using that devilish substance,how could she not see the sadness behind those large eyes,how could she not see the high cheek bone and the pale skin,his overall subdued and sometimes violent nature.she had most times attributed it to puberty but had never linked it to something so disastrous.if only she had time to spare for him,maybe she would have known but she was too focused on her work that she didn't even notice how much he shrinked each day.
That day,he had wanted her to come to his school for some parents stuff but she needed to be in the office and wouldn't have time for such frivolities as she had choosed to call it.he was so angry that he told her she was not his mother and in retaliation he had asked him to grow up and stop being a baby.she had left to work hoping to settle things when she got back home which she knew within her that it wouldn't work.
She had closed really late,when she opened the front door silence greeted her.her eyes darted round quickly in the dark before she turned on the light.everything seemed to be in place but her boy was no where to be found.she had this feeling,an impulse that something was amiss but she shrugged it off and decided to check his room.not finding him there she decided to change and shower before calling him,maybe he had stayed out late and she made a mental note of giving him a good scolding for that.
Opening the bathroom door,the sight that greeted her left her stunt and immobile for a minute.the world seemed to have come to an abrupt halt and her heart did a somersault into her mouth.her eyes bulged out of their sockets as a thick knot got a hold on her stomach.her boy was in the bath tub filled with water dressed only in his pants.