She found herself grappling with a surge of emotions, blaming herself for allowing her heart to entwine with his once more, especially after she had solemnly vowed never to surrender it to anyone again following the Alex incident. Yet, here she was—bruised and hurting, akin to a warrior stripped of her armor.
Despite the pain gnawing within her, she knew that she couldn't afford the indulgence of mourning. Duty called her to the NDI facility, and this time, the ache within her heart pierced deeper than anything Alex had done to her in the past. Still, she remained resolute not to succumb to the gnawing sorrow, wishing she could shield her heart from the agony until she could finally erase him from her thoughts. In a moment of strange relief, she felt a weight lift from her heart, an unmistakable sense of liberation as her emotions seemed to loosen their grip, lessening their constriction. A faint smile flitted across her lips, acknowledging that her indomitable witch side had surged to the forefront.
Arriving in her pajamas at the NDI complex, she discreetly made her way through the backdoor, purposefully avoiding untoward glances and unnecessary gossip. Not that she cared, but she needed to change as it was already well past midday.
Entering the locker room, she encountered Alex, just as he finished preparing to head to the meeting room. His surprise was palpable as he watched her pass by in her pajamas, prompting him to wonder if she had come directly from home in such attire.
He yearned to initiate a conversation with her, but as soon as she retrieved her clothing from the locker, she departed for the bathroom, her departure leaving his attempt unfulfilled.
Recently disentangled from his engagement—following the revelation that the child his former fiancée carried was not his—his sadness seemed tempered by an underlying tether to Lauren. Although he remained emotionally entangled with her, his determination to pursue her once more was unwavering. His plan was clear; he intended to inform her of his recent separation at the opportune time, setting the stage to win her back. For now, his primary focus involved finding a way to rekindle their dialogue, and a plan began to form in his mind.
Leaving a sticky note on her locker, informing her of the impending meeting, he left with a self-assured grin, content with his maneuvering, and swiftly departed before she emerged.
Minutes later, Lauren emerged, re-clothed and ready to face the day. Discovering the note affixed to her locker, she removed it, read its contents, and departed, retrieving her office identification badge and her firearm.
Drifting into the tactical room, Lauren's arrival struck her colleagues as a surprise, prompting wonder about when she had passed through without their notice. Smirking slyly, she continued toward the conference room, her footsteps carrying her toward the impending meeting. Upon reaching the door, she politely knocked before entering the space, her resolve palpable as she moved forward.
The room instantly gravitated towards the entrance, eager to discern the latest arrival. Relief washed over them as they realized it was the NDI captain, who had graciously chosen to participate in the meeting despite it being her day off. From across the room, her partner Stephanie motioned for her to occupy the vacant seat beside her. With a light chuckle, Lauren responded to the unspoken invitation and headed in her direction.
Shortly thereafter, the Director of the National Defence Intelligence made his entrance, followed by other high-ranking officials from various divisions, setting the tone for what seemed to be an immensely significant gathering. Lauren marveled at the opportunity to be present at such a high-profile meeting.
In tow was Anderson, the Director of Apex Security, a notable subsidiary within the Apex conglomerate. Catching Lauren's eye, he offered a casual nod, a gesture of familiarity that she reciprocated with a warm smile.
As the meeting commenced, the room fell into the attentive silence expected of such gatherings. The main speaker, someone unfamiliar to Lauren, introduced himself as Stanley Owen, the captain of the Special Force Division within the Department of Homicide at the State Security Agency.
While she perused the files in front of her, a familiar timbre sliced through the air, compelling her to raise her gaze. Just as her eyes met his, she discovered that Stanley Owen was already looking directly at her.
Her experience with her newly discovered witch ancestry had heightened her reliance on instinct, a nagging feeling subtly alerting her to something peculiar about the man before her. While she intended to unearth the source of her unease, the importance of the meeting demanded her attention.
Addressing the room, Stanley imparted the grim details of over two dozen recent killings, all characterized by a consistent modus operandi—each victim bearing the mark of having been drained of their blood and gruesomely torn apart. With a deft gesture, he shifted the focus to the large screens in the room, where images of the dismembered bodies were projected, igniting a collective gasp.
"This is too brutal to be the work of a human. It has to be an animal attack," a director offered, voicing the shocked sentiments that reverberated throughout the space.
Dismissing the notion of animal involvement, Stanley directed the room's attention to a video capturing the harrowing events. The footage revealed a towering figure, roughly 6 feet tall, committing the heinous acts, although the camera failed to capture a clear image of his face, the sinister scene attesting to the savagery of the man's actions.
Within the room, a hushed gasp escaped Stephanie, her disbelief palpable as the implications of the video settled upon her. The images had the petrifying air of a scene ripped from a horror movie.
"Thus far, we remain in the dark regarding his identity, appearance, and whereabouts," Stanley concluded, drawing the meeting to its sobering end.