Four years later. Age, twelve.
Aefia's positions as a spy, was an experience full of struggles and rage-baits. Due to her rank in the company, she was often asked to wear formal attire. At first, she felt absurd since she was just a minor and still navigating her way around the company.
She had to wear a white flock at least knee-length and a black tie around her collar, followed by a buttoned-black trench coat. Her shoes needed to be black and polished and her full attire couldn't carry any spots.
As a high-ranking member of the Mafia, she also had to follow strict rules with overly strict routines. Her routine from day-to-day was an orderly one which repeated in an uncertain manner every week.
On weekends, when she didn't attend school, she would come to the office early in the morning. At eight, she would arrive. By nine, she would review and submit the documents she had prepared. By ten, she would attend a mandatory meeting. After that she would head to the armory to practice using weapons, like guns.
Although Aefia once protested against learning how to use guns, her uncle told her she would have to learn it in case she faced any enemy threats. Of course her uncle had told her that she couldn't use a gun without adult supervision until she was eighteen, but there were certain exceptions for her.
Until now, Aefia had learned the different types of guns and learnt how to hit the target in one shot. She was currently learning how to use a sniper and to launch a grenade, but she could only use a fake one due to safety.
I don't think I asked for any of these. Aefia would think everytime her uncle asked her to learn using weapons. Afterall, she only wanted to learn self-defense. But maybe it will come to use in the future. I also doubt I will get the time to train like this when I grow older and persue my education. Based on what I have heard from my cousins, university is like wrestling with time.
At ten in the night, she would head back home and work on her school works, which resulted in her lack of sleep. Due to which, she would complete most of her homework while at school.
During weekdays, she come back from school at around three and by the next thirty minutes, she was to get ready to depart for the main department. She was expected there by four fifteen sharp.
Training wasn't necessary on weekdays due to short time, therefore, the most important things done that day would be spent at her office and meeting. Due to the rapid growth of corrupted politicians, their company was getting a large number of cases to solve at a weekly basis.
Up to current date, Aefia had solved fourty-three cases. That was enough to gather the trust and reputation needed to maintain her current position based on her uncle. If she ever had the time, she would solve new cases to save time for other things.
During some days, with ordeal amount of time left before she could get the clearance to leave the office, she would finish all her school works and if time was still remaining, play video games on her bodyguard's phones. Otherwise, she would focus on studying for her upcoming test if there was any.
During her school holidays, she would be requested at the office full-time but she could also work from home. Due to the flexibility, she was able to hangout with Nada to go shopping or to have a walk at the nearby park.
***
Aefia stood in front of her uncle's desk. A lot of things had changed around the office after Aefia started working for her uncle as a spy. There were more pictures and achievements hanging on the walls of her uncle's and her office.
"I was thinking, you have grown to an age now and I think it is alright to ask you to take up bigger cases. We have been putting off a few for sometime now and we are thinking, you should be in charge of them. By now you may already know which ones I am talking about." Her uncle told her.
"Yes boss, one of them is probably about the overseas shipping company. I can try and solve the mystery behind it, but I can't guarantee you will get the outcome you want." Aefia replied.
"Yes, you got that right...but I want you to solve another case, one dealing with a rivalling company."
"A rivalling company?" Aefia thought for a while of what her uncle had actually meant, "When you said I am going to take up bigger missions, did you mean going to the enemy territory?"
"Well, yes. Though you will be given maximum security to ensure nothing happens to you. I understand that you are only twelve, but you need to have experience dealing with situations like this if you want to continue like this in the future."
"Uncle, I think there is a misunderstanding. When you asked me if I would like to be a member of your company, you also told me that I have a right to quit anytime if the situation back home is bad. I am not sure I want to stay in this company for a long time."
"I see. Do you have a reason to why you don't want to pursue in the future?" Her uncle asked while placing his elbows on his table and his hands below his chin.
"I think you already know, my main reason for choosing to join, was to learn self-defense. It was only to protect my brother from the traumas I have suffered and am still suffering. But if I continue moving on this path I am currently walking and consider it as a occupation, I am no different from my parents. You may know what I mean by it, I just want to be able to live a normal life."
"What are you worried about exactly?"
Aefia opened her mouth for a few seconds before shutting it again. She thought for a while, what if she accidentally angered the boss of the Mafias? They were still an illegal organization.
"Actually, I won't mind continuing in this company in the future. I have no complains, I take back what I have just said." Aefia replied while lowering her head. It was a way to show that the boss rules over everything in the company.
"I thought exactly that. There will be a time when you will get the life you desire," her uncle placed his hands flat on the table. It was clear that her uncle was pretty mad at Aefia for saying what she had said, it was a close-call.
I am pretty sure that my uncle is using my skills of problem solving to help his company work perfectly against the enemies. If I bring up this matter, I may as well be one of his enemy.
Due to her four years of working for her uncle, Aefia had a common knowledge to how her uncle and his group of people treat their enemies. Therefore, Aefia chose not to step outside the borderline.
Although her uncle tries not to be a bad person, she was completely aware of how her uncle could manipulate the minds of others. I was dumb enough to think that he was of any help back when I was younger, I wish I had some kind of power to see through any schemes.
The way in which her uncle manipulates other people to work for him was an easy case, but tricky to find out. Only after the person is under his commands can they know about his schemes. He first thought of a way to make them weak and when they came to him for help, he would suggest them to work for or with him. Aefia only learnt about this after a few encounters.
Her uncle was selfish and greedy. He would use people the way he wanted and squeeze out the last penny from his enemies. His richness and luxury came from scamming poor people who couldn't afford a living.
Though one of his good sides were that the poor people who he scammed would be repaid a bigger amount afterwards. When Aefia asked why he did that, he would say, "That was just a way to lure the enemy to our location. We were simply setting a trap."
It made no sense to Aefia. Scamming poor people was a norm at his company and most of the time, the money was repaid by scamming another people in return. She would think, why would someone do that unless they are greedy?
***
Aefia walked up to the door of her office. She stared at the yellow folder that she was holding. It had 'confidential' written on it with red. She had previously seen more members holding one of this folder and knew this was her key to becoming a permanent member.
"Can you grab me a glass of distilled water? I would prefer around a hundred millilitres. I just need a very small amount." Aefia told one of her bodyguards before entering.
She sat at her table and opened the yellow folder. She read the case title, 'Missing'. I didn't know I was going to be assigned to find one of our missing members. Though they were a low-ranking one.
Two years ago, a group of low-ranking members were asked to subotage a gathering of a few corrupted politicians. Unfortunately, the other party had already planned a scenario to trap and milk out information from the low-ranking members.
Due to them being highly skilled in hand-on combat, all of them managed to escape except one. There was no evidence that proved she had died and rather it was put as missing afterwards. Her case was left like that until today.
Aefia took out the nine pieces of paper and spread them out across her desk. She had to do a small test to trace out any faux piece of information and remove them. This was because she doubted one of the members were responsible for one of the cases.
The case was related to the shipping company and another bigger case with a political group. She doubted that the member may try to frame her with wrong information which may lead to an unsuccessful mission.
For the test, she would have to use water droplets to wet a certain area in the page. After the wetting, there will be a watermark that appears, with that watermark she can identify that the page is the real document.
A few minutes later, the bodyguard returned with a small glass of water and placed it at her desk before leaving. Aefia carried out the test, only to find out that all of the documents were real.
Strange! All of the cases I have solved previously contained at least one page with faux information! I am expecting that they have learnt of my trick already, but how can I look for faux documents with the resources I have?
Aefia thought of all the ways that she could test for a fake information page. She even calculated scenarios with reasons to why not to include the fake information. What is there so important for the member's safe return?
I don't know but maybe she was previously associated with a rivaling company and the information she knows could be useful in a way or two? Or maybe that woman is a close relative and was guaranteed full safety by one of the nine high-ranking member.
What ever is the reason, I will just proceed with completing the mission. Although I will be honest, I am not benefiting from doing any of this assignments.
Before reading the documents, Aefia decided she will flip the folder upside-down and shake it twice to ensure no pieces of paper were left unread.
Upon doing so, a card fell down with a *tud* on her table's surface. Seeing this, Aefia took a close look at it. It was the missing woman's ID and it was her membership card for her previous work industry.
Curious, Aefia dipped her fingers into the glass of water and wiped the surface. Some of the ink took off, leaving only the name, age, position and other important details behind.
So this was supposed to be the faux information. They did try it after all. How are they still dumb enough to ignore this small matter? If they were desperate to get me kicked out, they would try harder everytime.
Suddenly, the water in the glass started shaking vigorously. The surrounding was also shaking, including the ground. Aefia quickly got down and got under her table while grabbing the edge as a protection.
A few seconds later, the shaking stopped before jolting awake again. When the next stop came, Aefia got up and walked up to the door. She pulled it open and noticed her bodyguards were gone.
Without hesitation, she walked up to the hallway leading to the elevator and planned on going to the ground floor. On her way, she found a fallen pistol and took hold of it, bringing it low just like her uncle had taught her.
A member from the nine high-ranking, came running at Aefia's direction. It was an elderly man with a formal appearance. "Kid, take cover! It is not an earthquake, it an enemy attack!"