The engine of Mark's car purred softly as they pulled out of the driveway, the sunlight casting long shadows across the road. Anushka sat in the passenger seat, her hands resting lightly on her lap, her gaze fixed on the passing buildings. The silence between them was comfortable but charged like something unspoken was hanging in the air.
After a few minutes, Anushka glanced at Mark, her voice breaking the quiet. "Mark… what happens after the trainee program is over?"
He kept his eyes on the road, but she noticed his grip tighten slightly on the steering wheel. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"I mean… what's next for me?" she clarified, her voice softer now. "At Cyber Genesis. Do I go back to freelancing, or…?"
Mark hesitated, his jaw tightening as if he were weighing his words. Then he sighed, his expression softening. "You're not going back to freelancing, Ruhi. You'll be a full employee of Cyber Genesis. You've more than earned it."
Anushka's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of hope and disbelief crossing her face. "Really?"
Mark nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Really. And it's up to you what you want to do next. You can stay as my assistant and partner, or you can join one of the other departments. Whatever you choose, the position is yours."
Anushka looked down at her hands, her mind racing. This was everything she'd wanted—a chance to prove herself, to be part of something bigger. But it also felt… overwhelming. "I don't know what to say," she admitted after a moment.
"You don't have to say anything," Mark replied, his tone gentle. "Just think about it. There's no rush."
Anushka nodded, her chest swelling with gratitude. "Thank you, Mark. For everything."
He glanced at her briefly, his smile widening. "You don't have to thank me. You're the one who's been putting in the work. I'm just giving you the opportunity you deserve."
The car fell silent again, but this time, the air felt lighter, warmer. Anushka leaned back in her seat, a small smile playing on her lips as she stared out the window. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
---
The GPS on Mark's phone chimed, signaling that they were nearing their destination. The streets grew narrower, the buildings older and more dilapidated. Finally, they pulled up to an old, abandoned residential house. The paint was peeling, the windows boarded up, and the front yard was overgrown with weeds. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
Mark killed the engine, his expression grim as he studied the house. "This is it," he said quietly. "The last known location of that number."
Anushka unbuckled her seatbelt, her heart pounding in her chest. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the yard, making the house look even more ominous. "Let's check it out," she said, trying to sound braver than she felt.
They stepped out of the car, the warm air wrapping around them like a heavy blanket. The street was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath their feet as they approached the house. Mark pulled out his phone, using it as a flashlight as they stepped onto the creaky porch.
The front door was slightly ajar, the wood splintered and cracked. Mark pushed it open slowly, the hinges groaning in protest. Inside, the air was thick with dust, the floor littered with broken furniture and debris. Sunlight streamed through cracks in the boarded-up windows, casting strange patterns on the walls.
"Hello?" Mark called out, his voice echoing through the empty rooms. There was no response.
Anushka followed him inside, her phone's flashlight sweeping across the walls. "This place is a dump," she muttered. "Why would someone come here?"
"I don't know," Mark replied, his tone tense. "But we need to check every room. Just… stay close."
They moved through the house methodically, their footsteps echoing in the silence. The living room was empty, the kitchen stripped bare. Upstairs, the bedrooms were just as abandoned, the mattresses torn and the closets empty.
Finally, they reached the last room—a small study at the end of the hallway. The door was closed, but Mark pushed it open cautiously. Inside, the room was surprisingly intact. A desk sat in the corner, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust. A chair was overturned, and a single filing cabinet stood against the wall.
Anushka's flashlight landed on something on the desk—a phone. It was old, the screen cracked and the battery dead. "Mark," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Look."
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he picked up the phone. "This has to be it," he said, his tone grim. "The burner phone."
Anushka's heart raced as she glanced around the room. "But where's the person who was using it?"
Mark didn't answer. Instead, he opened the filing cabinet, his flashlight illuminating the contents. It was empty except for a single folder. He pulled it out, flipping it open to reveal a stack of documents.
Anushka leaned in, her breath catching as she read the first page. "Mark… these are financial records. And they're tied to Dr. Otim."
Mark's expression darkened as he scanned the documents. "This isn't just about money," he said, his voice low. "This is about something bigger. Something… dangerous."
Anushka's stomach churned as the weight of their discovery settled over her. "What do we do now?"
Mark closed the folder, his jaw tightening. "We take this back. We figure out what it means. And we make sure whoever's behind this pays for what they did."