FOUR YEARS AGO.
" Can I sit?" Devon Micheal said to Ben who to"Take a seat," Ben said, exhaling a plume of smoke as he gestured to the chair across from him. Devon sat down, his eyes fixed on Ben's, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in his gaze.
The café was dimly lit, the sounds of jazz music floating in the background, a stark contrast to the tension between them. Ben leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Devon's face, waiting for him to speak.
"So, what can I do for you, Devon?" Ben asked, his voice low and even, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You didn't exactly make an appointment to discuss the weather."
__Devon's eyes darted around the café, as if checking for potential listeners, before focusing back on Ben. "I need to know what really happened to my sister," he said, his voice low and urgent.
Ben's expression didn't change, but a flicker of interest sparked in his eyes. He leaned forward, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone. "What makes you think I know something, Devon? Your sister's case was closed a long time ago."
Devon's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists. "Don't play games with me, Ben. I know you were one of the last people to talk to her before she disappeared. And I know you've been keeping secrets."
I just sat down listening to the both of them without a single word.
" Well, I took have something I came here to discuss with you, not just about your sister something more interesting." Ben said to Devon
The situation here was that we were given Intel to meet someone with information about the kidnapping of an FBI agent, and here we are seated with a senior colleague of ours discussing about a situation related to his sister who died a month ago, the issue was we once had an Intel on her death but it was a case without an evidence so we were dropped. Truth be told I will be surprised if Ben has any further information about the case.
I leaned back in my chair, trying to process the unexpected turn of events. "Ben, I think there's been a misunderstanding," I said, choosing my words carefully. "We didn't come here to discuss your sister's case. We have information about the kidnapped FBI agent and—"
Devon's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense. "What information?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled.
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I'm not at liberty to discuss it here," I said finally. "But I think it's best if we focus on the task at hand. Can we talk about this later, maybe in a more... secure setting?"
Devon's expression was unreadable, but I could sense the tension building beneath the surface. "Let's get one thing straight," he said, his voice low and even. "My sister's case is not something to be brushed off. If you know something, anything, you need to tell me."
" Indeed there's a lot to say about your sister case, we just want to know about the missing agent, that's all." Ben said
__ What? Ben's statement said it all.
I watched as Ben's plan unfolded, a mix of admiration and unease swirling in my chest. It was a ruthless move, using Devon's vulnerability to get what he wanted, but I knew Ben well enough to understand that his determination often trumped his morals. He would stop at nothing to crack the case, even if it meant exploiting the people around him.
I glanced at Devon, trying to gauge his reaction. He seemed oblivious to the manipulation, his eyes burning with a desperate hope that Ben might actually know something about his sister's death. I wondered how long Ben had been playing this angle, waiting for the perfect moment to use it.
"Alright, let's get down to business," Ben said, his voice crisp and professional. "We'll look into your sister's case, Devon. But in return, you need to give us everything you've got on the kidnapped agent. Deal?"
I raised an eyebrow, impressed despite myself. Ben was a master negotiator, always playing multiple angles to get what he wanted. But as his partner, I knew that this wasn't just about solving the case – it was personal for him now.
Overall giving him a nice fit to the name Benjamin Moshack, a name sounding more alike to the private investigator to a comic character.
" Alright. There's this group or maybe I should call them a cult called the eclipse, I don't know their deal with the agent you speak of, but___ " He paused, inhaled deeply then continued.
" There's a rumor that goes around that they are everywhere, the police, the political system, the military and any sector ylone could think of, I hear their main goal is owning the world power, starting with New York. So maybe your agent went deeper into the case and got himself swerved." Devon said.
It was all too good to be true listening to Devon speaking, if indeed he knows that they were behind the death of his sister why then will he ask us to give him further information on her case?
___ Ben scoffed __ Shaking his head in the process and soon he burst into laughter which had me shocked, his reaction towards Devon was puzzling and I could tell Devon knew, and started adjusting himself uncomfortably.
" What? You already have suspects and you want extra Intel? Am sorry Devon nothing adds up with what you are saying." Ben said with his face more focused than before.
Devon's face reddened, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "I know what I'm saying, Ben," he said defensively. "The Eclipse is real, and they're involved in my sister's death. I'm not making this up."
Ben's laughter had stopped, and he leaned forward, his eyes piercing. "I'm not saying you're making it up, Devon," he said, his voice firm but controlled. "But what I'm saying is that the information you're giving us doesn't match what we already know. We need concrete evidence, not speculation or hearsay."
I could see the tension between them, the air thick with unspoken words. Ben was pushing Devon, trying to get to the truth, but he was also treading a fine line. Devon was already on edge, and Ben's skepticism wasn't helping.
Devon let out a sigh adjusted his seat, used his hand to scratch through his hair.
" They're watching everyone, and I'll advice both of you to keep off the case, I know you were shocked to see me as the informat, but there's more to this than you think." Devon said before standing up about walking away.
" I see, so that means you know the killers and choose to be part of their hideous act, eliminating those close to unraveling their plans, how do you think your sister would feel, because I can't imagine what is going through your head right now Devon. Yo are just a villain pretending to be a hero." Ben said to him.
_____Devon's eyes widened, and he spun around, his face twisted in anger and pain. For a moment, I thought he might lunge at Ben, but instead, he took a step closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You don't know anything about me, Ben. You don't know what I've been through, what I've lost. You're so quick to judge, to assume the worst. But you're not even close."
The air was electric with tension as Devon's words hung in the air. Ben's expression was unreadable, but I could sense the weight of Devon's words. He had struck a nerve, and now the dynamic had shifted. Devon took another step closer, his eyes blazing with intensity. "I'm not pretending to be a hero, Ben. I'm the only one who can bring them down."
" Then why chicken out? If you can we'll love to help." Ben replied.
As the tension build around us I couldn't think of anything important, just having mixed emotions about the whole situation.
Devon's face contorted in frustration, and for a moment, I thought he might break down. But then, his expression hardened, and he turned to walk away. "You don't understand," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "They'll kill her too. If I don't play along, they'll kill her."
The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Ben's eyes narrowed. "Who's 'they'?" he asked, his voice low and menacing. "And who'll they kill?"
Devon stopped in his tracks, his back still turned to us. For a moment, he didn't respond, and I wondered if he'd walk out of the room for good. But then, he spoke, his voice cracking with emotion. "My daughter."
Ben and myself were in shock and confusion mixing up our judgement.
Devon soon walked out leaving me and Ben sitting still without saying anything to each other.
It was dark already and I could tell Ben was in a state of perplexity.
" We need to call this a day." I suggested.
As I stood up, the window shattered, and an object flew in, prompting Ben to swiftly pull me down beneath the table. The explosion was deafening, followed by an eerie silence and the sound of panicked screams. Amidst the chaos, I struggled to process what had just happened – a bomb or grenade had been thrown into the café.
As I tried to regain my composure, two masked men armed with firearms stormed in, their guns trained on us. Just as they were about to fire, a rival group appeared from the opposite direction, engaging them in a fierce gunfight.
"Ben, get up, get up now!" I yelled, trying to rouse my partner from the floor as we scrambled for cover amidst the intense crossfire.Ben's eyes locked onto mine, and he nodded, his face set in a determined expression. Together, we crouched low and made a frantic dash for cover, weaving between tables and chairs as bullets whizzed past us. The café erupted into pandemonium, patrons screaming and scrambling for safety.
The gunfight intensified, the sound of automatic fire and shattering glass filling the air. I spotted a pillar and made a split-second decision to dash towards it, Ben right behind me. We huddled together, our backs against the pillar, and assessed our situation.
"We need to get out of here, now," Ben shouted above the din, his voice calm and focused.
I nodded, my eyes scanning the chaos for any sign of the shooters' positions. "Those men who intervened, are they friendlies?" I asked, my gun drawn and at the ready.
Ben's gaze met mine, a hint of uncertainty in his expression. "I don't know, but we need to find out."
" Can you hear that?" I said to him.
" Cops." He answered.__" on my count, we move in, one, two, three." He yelled.