Chris kept applying antiseptic liquid over Archer’s cuts and bruises.
His torn shirt was showing his bruised shoulder too.
“Take off your shirt,” demanded Chris.
“Sir, I am fine,” protested Archer.
“Archer, I can see your bruised shoulder,” said Chris, worried.
“That is nothing, sir.
I am fine.
Let me finish my conversation with Harry,” he said with bitterness.
“So, Harry, did she know who I am?”
Harris instantly replied, “no, your secret is safe.”
“At least you didn’t fuck that up,” chided Archer.
“Sorry boss,” Harris lowered his eyes again.
“Enough with your sorrys,” shouted Archer.
He then looked at the man sitting quietly in the corner and shouted at him, “You, show me the sketch.”
“Yes, yes sir.” He came running to Archer and placed the drawing pad before him.
Archer slid the drawing pad with a jerk and brought it into his line of sight.
The beautiful girl appeared before him.
Her drawing was as beautiful as he remembered her.
He stopped flinching, he stopped groaning, he just kept staring at the picture.
It was as if he was looking at the girl before him.
First, his eyes landed on her hair, but his mind flashed back to when her brown hair was covering her face giving her the perfect cover.
His eyes lowered to her forehead, her curved forehead that he noticed when she landed in his arms in the park.
Her sharply arched eyebrows were like two mini bridges that were enhancing the beauty of her big eyes.
Even though the picture was drawn in pencil, he could see the Hazel-coloured eyes staring at him.
Those big eyes kept blinking at him making it impossible for him to avert his eyes.
There was something mesmerizing about her big, beautiful eyes.
Her long, pointed nose and sharp cheekbones made it alluring to look at her.
For no one knows how many minutes, he just kept staring at the picture admiring her beauty.
He forgot his pain and humiliation.
He just wanted to keep staring at the picture.
Worst, he wanted to look at her in the flesh before his eyes.
He held her two times in his arms, and it was not enough.
He wanted more.
This time he would not let her go.
Mentally he smiled at this gorgeous girl who wanted to sleep with him.
But wait!
She had a boyfriend.
His anger came back.
He smacked the drawing pad on the table.
He looked at Harris and asked, “the man who was with her, was he her boyfriend?”
Harris was taken aback.
He had no answer.
“Um… I don’t know.
But I heard him calling her ‘Ma’am’ and the way she talked to everyone, it appeared as if she was the boss.
Wait!
She said that it was her mission.
She was definitely the boss,” recalled Harris.
It eased Archer’s mind a little but that didn’t mean that man could not be her boyfriend.
He clenched his fists.
“You could not learn anything else about her?” inquired Archer.
“Uh… she chided the man who blurted out the word NYPD.
She was very particular about what she was talking about before me.” He paused for a minute and then said, “well… um, nothing.” He hesitated.
“Harry!” shouted Archer.
“If you won’t tell me I will kill you first,” said Archer through gritted teeth.
“To tell you the truth, boss, she scares me more,” replied Harris, hesitantly.
“This idiot!” Archer made a sudden move to grab Harris.
But Harris jumped out of his seat and shouted, “okay, okay I will tell you.
But then you will have to protect me.”
“Just say it,” shouted Chris.
He too was annoyed after hearing that some strange girl scared him more than his bosses.
“The way they were talking it appeared that they had been following Zion for a long time,” informed Harris.
“Yes, that I figured out.
I am extremely sure that she was the one who planted the cameras in Zion’s room and then picked my pocket,” educated Archer.
“And…” Harris again stopped mid-sentence.
“And?” stared Archer.
Noelle instantly nudged Harris with her elbow making him squeal like a pig.
“They suspect that there is a mole in NYPD.”
“What?” all three, Chris, Archer and Noelle, shouted at once.
“Yes, a mole in NYPD who is feeding every information to Zion,” informed Harris.
“Hmm, that is something we can look into,” said Chris.
“Finally, you proved to be competent,” taunted Archer.
Harris lowered his head with shame.
“But if she gets to know that I told you, she will skin me alive,” sobbed Harris.
“Excuse me!” Archer was shocked at his choice of words.
“Who says skin alive nowadays?” he thought.
“That’s what she said,” replied Harris, terrified.
“What?
Is she a butcher?” questioned Chris, annoyed.
“No, she is a killer,” replied Harris shivering.
“That she is,” blurted out Archer without giving a second thought.
“What?” asked Chris
“What?” replied Archer, shocked.
What was happening to him?
He was appalled with his own behaviour.
“Well, what do you want to do now?” asked Chris.
“Get these guys ready for the next step in the mission,” replied Archer.
“What next step?” inquired Noelle.
“Zion is going to hire new pickpockets,” replied Archer.
“What for?” she inquired.
“He has a plan to get richer.
He plans to pick the pocket of every junkie that buys drugs from his dealers,” he educated them.
“He wants to rob his customers?” asked Chris, confused.
“No, no, he is not going to pick money or wallets.
He wants to steal his drugs back.
That way people will pay for the same drugs twice or thrice.
One pouch of the drug will be sold multiple times, that is his plan,” recalled Archer.
“Not a bad plan,” said Chris, impressed.
“Junkies will do anything for the drugs.
They will pay hundred times if they could for the drugs.”
“Yes, and I want them ready with full disguise and skill.
This time no rookie officer of NYPD must recognize them.
I will call you soon.” He stood up and then addressed Harris, “and you, this time no mistake, understood?”
“Yes, sir,” said Harris, softly.
“Idiot!” Archer insulted him again.
Archer glanced a last look at the picture before him and his heart skipped a beat.
He exhaled loudly and started moving out of the room.
But Chris interrupted, “Archer!”
Archer turned around, “yes, sir.”
“I will, sir.
And I am sorry too,” finally Archer showed his guilt.
“I never felt when she picked my pocket.
I pride myself on the fact that I am a great pickpocket, I am FBI, no one can pick my pocket, but that girl proved me wrong.”
“It’s okay.
Tell me, is that picture correct?” asked Chris.
“He did a good job of describing her.
The picture is on point,” said Archer and finally a smile appeared on Harris’s face.
“Noelle, send this sketch to Mr Adam Gamble and ask him to corroborate that this is the same girl.
I will try asking the NYPD for their cooperation in this matter.
I want to know why she decided to act when Harris told her everything about the FBI’s plan.
Archer, go home take a rest and get back the respect of Zion,” Chris ordered around.
“I will try my best, sir,” nodded Archer.
Archer left the Federal building and reached the parking area.
He sat in his car, still thinking about the beautiful, smart, cunning girl.
He didn’t even know her name.
Before starting the car, he looked into the rearview mirror and his face flashed before him.
His swollen, battered face.
He scoffed, “what the hell is happening to me?
I am in this mess because of her, and I am finding her beautiful and smart and cunning.
Have I lost my mind?
I have to take revenge.
I shed tears because of her today.
She will have to pay.
The next time I see her, she will regret ever meeting me.
“She made a fool of me twice.
I never even suspected her.
I need to beware of beautiful girls in future.
It was like she came right out of a spy novel and used her beauty and charm to get whatever she wanted.
How was it possible that she picked my pocket twice and I never felt a thing both times?
“I taught Noelle.
She practised on me and every time I knew she was picking my pocket.
No one under my training has been able to do that.
Who the hell trained her?
How is she so clean in picking pockets?
Harry said she picked up his pocket with her left hand.
Was she a criminal in her previous life?
“Who is she?
What does she want with Zion?
Why is NYPD involved?
How will I find which precinct she works in?
Even if I look online I will only be shown the names of the officers and not their pics.
And I don’t even know her name.
Ahhh…” he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Miss whoever you are.
You made an enemy out of me.
You will regret it.
Mark my words.”