Tom followed the instructions in the file Lisa had left for him. He was to meet Sureiyan at the City club at 9 p.m. The plan was simple: find a quiet, discreet spot and wait for her to approach him.
Tom arrived an hour early. He wanted to scout the place and ensure there were no traps.
He knew Sureiyan was sneaky and loved tricks—the bad kind.
The club was loud, packed with people, and filled with blaring music. A few girls tried to flirt with him, asking for his number, but he brushed them off. They were annoying, and he had a job to do.
Then, a woman plopped herself down at his table without asking. Tom stared at her, confused. She wore a light dress and had messy hair.
"I'm Maya," she said, slurring her words. "Tasha's older sister. You know Tasha, right?"
Tom's mind raced. He had read about Maya before. She matched the description—sort of. But something was off. Maya was supposed to be a police officer, sharp and professional. This Maya? She was wasted.
"I hate myself," she declared loudly, almost tipping her chair backward. Tom blinked at her, unsure how to respond.
She leaned forward, her face way too close to his. "You know what, Tom? You should marry me."
Tom coughed, trying to hide his shock. "Uh... What?"
"Marry me!" she yelled again, drawing stares from nearby tables. "I'm amazing. Look at me! I'm a catch!" She hiccupped and waved her arms dramatically, nearly knocking over a glass.
Tom looked uncomfortable. "Maya, you are not okay. Drink some water."
"I DRINK WATER ALL THE TIME!" she shouted, as if that solved everything. Then, in a whisper that was somehow still loud, she added, "But water doesn't fix my problems."
She slumped in her chair, pouting. "You know what's the problem, Skyline? Life. LIFE SUCKS. You're sitting here, all serious and cool. And I'm... I'm..." She pointed at herself and hiccupped. "I'm a disaster."
Tom didn't know what to do with her. "Maya, maybe we should—"
"Shhhh!" she interrupted, putting a finger to his lips. "You're so pretty. Did I tell you that? You should smile more. Like... like this!" She grinned, but it looked more like a grimace.
Tom sighed. He glanced at his watch. It was almost 9 p.m.
The clock hit 9 p.m., and Sureiyan arrived at the table . She looked around as she sat, then smirked. "I thought I'd find one person who hated me. Turns out, I found two."
Her eyes landed on Maya, and something in her gaze seemed to snap the drunk woman back to reality.
Maya blinked, suddenly more sober.
Maya was a firecracker—short fuse, zero tolerance for incompetence. She had no patience for nonsense, especially from her officers.
She narrowed her eyes. The bloodlust was back.
Sureiyan smiled, cool and calculating. "Calm down. I'll let you chase me tomorrow. Right now, we're not in police and criminal mode. We're just two women who are tired of their jobs. We're here to relax."
Maya didn't take kindly to that. "What's your business?" she snapped.
Sureiyan turned to Tom, studying his face like a puzzle she couldn't solve. Then, with a shrug, she said, "I have business with him." She stood up without another word.
Maya's eyes flared with anger. "Stay right where you are!" she ordered.
Sureiyan just smirked. "Nope." Without waiting, she turned and walked away, like she owned the place.
Tom hesitated, but only for a second. "Order a taxi," he said, standing up and following her.