James and Lily walked silently down the street, the city buzzing with the usual midday energy. The coffee shop, Brew Haven, wasn't far from the FDA office—just a quiet corner café that James frequented when he needed a break. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted them as they stepped inside, the gentle hum of conversation filling the air.
After ordering their drinks, they found a small table near the window. As Lily stirred her coffee, James leaned back, watching her closely. He hadn't exactly made an effort to be friendly when she first joined the team, and despite that, she kept trying to talk to him. That, coupled with the fact that no one had bothered assigning her a proper desk, made it all the more obvious—she wasn't here just for temporary work. There was something else going on.
James finally broke the silence, his voice calm but direct. "You didn't come here just to fill in for your team for a few days."
Lily looked up, startled, but before she could respond, James continued. "You need help. I can tell."
Her surprise deepened, but James pressed on, his eyes sharp. "You've been trying to talk to me from the start, even when I wasn't exactly the friendliest. And the whole 'no desk' situation? That wasn't just oversight. You're here for something personal."
Lily sighed, knowing there was no point in denying it. "You're right. I do need your help." She glanced around the café, checking if anyone was listening, before lowering her voice. "Someone's been threatening me for the past few days. I don't know who they are or what they want, but I can't tell anyone—not even the FDA."
James raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
Lily looked down at her coffee, her fingers nervously tapping the edge of the cup. "Because if I do, it could ruin everything. I'm… connected to someone important, and if this gets out, it'll cause problems far beyond me."
James nodded, piecing things together in his head. "Alright," he said, leaning forward slightly, "tell me everything."
Lily took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she began. "It started about a week ago. I began receiving anonymous texts, emails, and even letters left at my apartment. At first, they were vague, just saying things like 'I'm watching' or 'Don't make a wrong move.' I figured it was some random creep trying to get in my head."
James listened intently, his expression calm but focused.
"But then the messages got more specific," Lily continued. "They started mentioning things only someone close to me would know. My schedule, who I was meeting, and even details about my family. That's when I realized this wasn't just some random stalker."
James leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "And you have no idea who's behind this?"
Lily shook her head, frustration clear in her expression. "I've thought about it repeatedly, but I can't figure it out. The problem is… I'm connected to someone important. Someone in the FDA. If I report this to the authorities, it could cause a huge scandal. That's why I can't tell anyone—not even the FDA."
James leaned back, a thoughtful look crossing his face. His mind was already piecing things together. He had seen someone in the FDA who shared striking facial features with Lily. He had a hunch, and knowing his deductions rarely missed, he decided to take a shot.
"Director Jenson," James said, watching her closely. "He's your uncle, isn't he?"
Lily's eyes widened in shock. "How did you—?"
James shrugged, leaning back in his chair with a knowing smirk. "I've seen him before. The way you carry yourself, your features… there's a strong resemblance. It wasn't hard to connect once you mentioned someone high up in the FDA."
Lily exhaled slowly, clearly rattled by how easily James had pieced it together. "Yes… he's my uncle. If this gets out, it could destroy his career, and I can't let that happen."
James studied her for a moment, his mind working through the implications. "Alright," he finally said, nodding. "I'll help you."
Lily blinked, surprised by his quick decision. "You will?"
James leaned back, a slight grin forming on his face. "Catching a stalker, huh? Sounds like a fun game to me." His tone was light, but a sharpness in his eyes hinted he was already strategizing.
Lily raised an eyebrow, surprised by how casually he approached the situation. "You make it sound like it's nothing."
"For me? It's not much," James said, shrugging. "But that's your call—do you want to handle this quietly with just me, or are we bringing the whole team in on this? You need to think about how big you want this to get."
Lily hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I don't want this to get out of hand. The fewer people involved, the better."
James nodded, seemingly unsurprised. "Figured as much. Alright, then. Just you and me. We'll handle this quietly."
Lily smiled, a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Thanks, James."
"Don't thank me yet," James said with a smirk. "Thank only after the job is done"
As they continued sipping their coffee, the TV in the corner of **Brew Haven** suddenly flashed with breaking news.
"Breaking news: The notorious serial killer, known only as **HELL**, has claimed another victim. Authorities found the body earlier today, marking the fourth murder in the past month. The killer left his signature once again—using the victim's blood to write 'HELL' across their back. Police are urging citizens to remain cautious."
Lily's expression darkened as she listened, anger evident in her voice. "That man is pure evil. The government needs to step up before he kills more people. I can't believe they haven't caught him yet."
James remained silent, his eyes glued to the screen. He didn't say anything, just watched as the gruesome images of the crime scene flashed across the news. His face betrayed nothing, but there was a certain intensity in his gaze.
After the news segment moved on, James and Lily finished their drinks and headed back to the office, carrying coffee for the rest of the team. As they walked in, Merry was waiting at her desk, arms crossed, looking mildly annoyed.
"What took you two so long?" Merry asked, her voice dripping with irritation. "It's just coffee, not a road trip."
James, always quick with a smirk, replied casually, "Oh, we decided to go all out. Went to Café Horizon, you know, that place on the other side of town. They've got the best brew."
Merry raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. She reached for one of the cups, her eyes catching the logo printed on it—Brew Haven. Her expression immediately shifted to frustration. "Really? Café Horizon? Then why does the coffee have the Brew Haven logo on it?"
James shrugged, still grinning. "Alright, fine. I lied. We didn't go to Café Horizon. We just had some chit-chat at Brew Haven, and, well, it took a bit longer than expected."
Merry's eyes flared with irritation, and she slammed her coffee cup on the desk. "So, you lied to me? James? I don't care about the time, but lying to my face? That's low, even for you."
James's smirk faltered for a second, but he quickly tried to brush it off. "Come on, Merry. It was just a harmless joke."
But Merry wasn't having it. "It's not about the joke! It's the fact that you didn't think twice before lying. What else are you lying about?"
Without waiting for an answer, Merry grabbed her things and stormed out of the office, leaving James standing there, unsure how to respond. The door closed with a loud thud as she left, her frustration clear.
Ben, watching the scene unfold, leaned over and muttered, "Well, that escalated quicker than usual."
Lily, who had been quiet up until now, turned to James with a serious look. "You should apologize, you know. Lying, even if it's small, can hurt someone's trust."
James scoffed, his ego clearly up. "It was a small lie, nothing major. She's overreacting. I don't care if she's mad about it."
Lily frowned, clearly not impressed with his attitude. "It's not about how big or small the lie was. It's about trust. And if you don't care, you're going to keep pushing people away."
James shrugged, still not taking it seriously. "If she's going to get upset over something so minor, that's on her."
As they reached the basement, the team headed toward their vehicles. James casually walked over to his sleek, black luxury car, with Lily eyeing it curiously.
"I'm surprised," Lily remarked, her eyebrows raised. "A Tier C detective, that too young, driving such an expensive car?"
James grinned as he unlocked the doors. "It's not mine. My father's. I'm just borrowing it. He's always been the type to indulge in the finer things." He shrugged, as if it didn't matter much to him.
Just as they were about to get into the car, Merry appeared from behind. Without so much as a glance in James's direction, she walked straight past him and headed for the standard government car provided by the FDA for each team. Her movements were deliberate, clearly still upset, and she didn't say a word as she opened the door.
Ben, noticing the tension, glanced at Marcus with a raised eyebrow. "I guess she's not in the mood for luxury today."