Hidden Smile

Episode 1~A Call for Help

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Its been a while since I have been called to work at the department. After my injury in my arm at the previous location I worked at, my manager, Dr. Quinton decided its best I take a break.

The library was where I enjoyed spending my time; I'd meet up with my friends who I couldn't really speak to because of how busy I was at work. Me, Everis, Xavier and Celina would spend our childhood together researching books for our assignments or attempting to find books of scary stories to tell each other. Now we could relive those days in our adulthood when we had free time to spend with each other.

My friends know one of my lives but they do not know the other. I am known as Agent STILETTO undercover, but most people know me as Lucile Pradanielle.

I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling: I watched the moonlight ice skating elegantly across my ceiling. I couldn't sleep that night and was mesmerised by the smallest details. A blaring noise shot through my eardrum when my phone rang. I winced at the blue light emitting from the screen and answered the call...

"...Hello?"

"Is this Stiletto? Come to the department immediately, we have an urgent matter to discuss."

Strange. My leave ends in 3 days, so what the hell is my manager doing calling me at 4:03 am? I shiver as i leave the comfort of my bed, the frost on the window forms a mandala pattern which would soon be melted away by the beams of dawn. As I wear my trench-coat, I whisper insults under my breath towards my boss for ruining my morning.

The streets are empty and lifeless when i exit the apartment block. I take my usual route to the mall and then head to the top floor which can be only accessed through a set of stairs located in the staff area. I enter the office and notice nobody is there... NO FLIPPING WAY DID THIS GUY WASTE MY TIME. I furiously type on my phone waiting for my manager to answer when i hear the door creak open...

"Hey there."

"Um. Who are you?"

A young man stands in the doorway, looking as confused as I am. We awkwardly stare in silence until the silence is broken by the ping of the response from my manager. I break eye contact for a second to read the message: I have sent an agent your way to explain the situation, his name is Agent JADE*. My eyes move back to the young man and I ask,

"Jade?"

He nods at me and his face relaxes. In his arms I notice a folder, I point to it and he hands it over. Case File #403, At Weldon Museum the Tazanite Sword of Solai is stolen in plain sight. I hand it back and the agent ushers me to his car, a Range Rover Evoque. I've never really been good at trying to make conversations so I stay silent for the journey.

We finally arrive and I exit the car. The cold bites at my nose which makes it bright red. I bring my scarf up to cover my face and then enter the building. The click clack of my stilettos echoes across the interior of the structure. The ancient objects are displayed on shelves and paintings sneer from their mount on the wall. I finally reach something which isn't ancient but gives off the same strange effect: the missing sword, but it isn't the missing presence of the sword which concerns me... It's the message above it. Engraved into the beige wall is a cruel smile; It looks down at me mockingly and so do the words." Darlin', get better security next time."

Episode 2~Shield of Azunu

My brows furrow in anger after reading it. Who does this person think I am? Weldon is a museum of the tightest security, and he mocked something like that? Agent Jade starts taking pictures of the scene and I decide to get some fresh air. Dawn starts to creep into the sky and the scene is beautiful; I pull out my phone from my pocket and notice I have a few mew messages:

2 MESSAGES XAVIER

hey

do you wanna meet at the cafe today? If you aren't busy

I quickly respond with yes and meet up with agent Jade again. He types on his computer, probably adding to the case file. He seems quite peculiar, always so quiet and mysterious. My gaze was fixed on him until i noticed he was looking back; it wasn't long before I realised I was staring. I could feel my face burning red from embarrassment as I turn away and say sorry. He whispers something to me and carries on typing.

Morning finally comes and the sun rays shone against my head. Apart from investigating mysteries and crimes, I also work at the nearby cafe. I quickly head back to my apartment to change into my uniform. The Aegean blue of my apron has a cinnamon brown coffee stain which brings my outfit together in an unflattering way and my hair gets worse as I try to fix it. I sigh and leave before I get late for my morning shift.

Xavier waits outside the coffee shop, in his usual manner. His hair blows in the wind softly like the main character of a movie. I wave to him and he waves back, his hand gliding in the air. A cloud of smoke circles mystically around both of us each time we breath out, the small air particles freeze mid-air like sparkles. The door chimes once we both enter the cafe,my face and skin thaw as I get adjusted to the temperature of the interior of the cafe.

"So did you have anything to ask me?" I question Xavier

"Not really, Its been a while since we have spoken. I know we all have lives and are busy but I miss you Lucile."

Xavier gives me a sweet smile and sits down at one of the tables. It hasn't really been the same between me and Xavier. When we were younger he was my childhood sweetheart but it couldn't continue since I had to move schools but I cannot remember exactly why. Eventually, I returned to the town and met some of my old friends who I had lost to time and become close to them once again. However, it was very awkward trying to speak with Xavier again because of the memories we had together and also because of the things he remembers which I don't.

I start serving the customers and my co-worker Maddie speaks to me to pass the time. My shift is nearly finished when I receive a sudden call."I'm gonna answer this" I say to Maddie as I head towards the back door.

"Who is this?"

"Its me,agent Jade, the thief has left behind a clue for the next artefact to be stolen."

"Oh its you, lets head to the location immediately. Lets ambush them before they get the next relic."

I bolt back into the shop and tell Maddie I must leave early. Xavier has already gone after having his morning coffee; I must have taken too long. I quickly send an apology to Xavier and start heading back to the mall to join Jade.

Jade has his car parked in front of the mall this time. He leans against the side of it and types on his phone. I enter his car and ask him to drive to the location and he does so. It's the second trip I've taken and the day isn't even finished yet. In the glass of the mirror a new picture appears, another museum. Me and Jade exit the car and walk through the palace gates, well that's what it seemed like. I thought I was dreaming when I entered the place, the place was so elegant; It felt like I entered another era.

We both head towards an exhibit located in the centre of the museum. A high security glass case containing a beautiful shield, studded with precious gemstones. But its value wasn't located in the gems or price, but the story behind it. On the small museum label it read: The shield of Azunu was a gift created by a young woman to her lover who was sent to war, she wanted to reward him for his dedication. But before she could give him the gift, he died....hearing this news the woman was devastated and ended her life. Out of everything in the museum, why would the thief choose this? There were many jewels located at different exhibits with a much higher profit, but the thief chose the most difficult one to get.

Me and Jade decide to split up into the crowd. Both facing towards the glass case in case a robbery occurs. People come and go, but none of them seems to be a thief. Closing time is getting nearer and I feel that the thief was just bluffing. I feel exhausted, Jade seems like it too. I stare at the case and notice something different, a smile etched into the shield. Quickly I dart towards it and Jade follows behind to try to stop me. The shield is fake. We were too late.

Episode 3~Zino Exhibit

The museum closed early due to the theft. I check the glass case to see if it was tampered with and realise the alarms were disabled. All of that security just to be a decoration. The camera were less of a help because they seemed to be tampered with as well. This thief was no ordinary arrogant criminal; he was a scheming mastermind, ahead of our every move.

I headed home to start working on the case overnight. Agent Jade offered to drop me off which I was thankful for. We both sat at the front of the car, Jade turned on the radio and the first song to play was a romance. We awkwardly blushed and looked away, so he turned off the radio. I thanked him for the ride and he eventually left.

I look at the cork-board which I used to solve some of my previous successful cases and start to take it apart.

I look outside the window before heading to bed. I open it and then start scrolling through my phone. I notice that it suddenly gets dark, but it wasn't the sky...A hand reaches out of the dark and snatches my phone, I hear someone shout Gotcha. His face isn't visible but his mask is...a smile is imprinted on it. I put my years of training into use, I squeeze myself through the window and try to catch up with the thief. He parkours across the rooftops and I follow, thoughts race through my head: how did he find me? Where did he come from? Who is he?

I see him jump off the roof and pause for a second...did he die? I look down to where he went and notice a rope, I slide down to get to where he is but once I reach the bottom I land in his arms. I lay there staring at my enemy and my enemy stares back at me. The moon glows behind his head, but I don't have time to focus on it and reach for his mask. He drops me as he recoils and darts away. Once I get back to my feet he is nowhere to be see.

I trudge back, annoyed at the thief. I do not want to waste my money on another phone. Once I reach my apartment I notice something...my phone is on the desk. Maybe he wasn't that annoying after all, but he now knows where I live. I lift up my phone examining it and then smash it onto the floor in case he implanted anything into it. I look back at my desk and notice a note:

"Nice meeting you darlin', next location I'm targeting is the Zino exhibit, ill be waiting. xxx"

I stare at the note in disbelief, firstly I am not his darling and secondly I do not know if the note is fake. I open my laptop and message Jade the location. I head to bed after the exhausting day.

Xavier is at the cafe once again, he orders his morning coffee and after I finish making it, I sit at his table until more customers arrive. Me and Xavier talk for while to fill in the silence. My thoughts drift to the Zino exhibit, its at 7pm this evening so I have plenty of time.

Xavier has to head to work and Maddie's shift ends so I stay behind to clean up. The cafe feels lonely and empty without anyone here. Finally, a customer arrives and walks towards the counter. He strides while walking and his attention is to the floor.

"What would you like sir?" I say while getting a cup ready. The man lifts his head and I see emerald eyes staring back at me. "Jade?"

He nods at me and whispers: " My undercover name is Sebastian, also I would really like a coffee". Jade watches me make it and once I hand it over, he sips it in between each sentence.

"So, we have to go soon. You coming?" I ask him. He gestures towards the outside of the shop and we exit the shop, locking it behind me. It snows and I start to shiver , my apron and paper thin uniform is of no use against the cold. Jade notices this and wraps his blazer around me. It has a scent of coffee which makes me feel cosy. As we head towards the office, I explain my encounter with the thief.

Today the office has more people, 2 different groups of detectives work on their cases and ignore us as we enter. Jade and me do some research on the Zino exhibit and find out that among the different objects which would be displayed, there is a special headpiece. Is the thief trying to get a complete outfit for a battle or something?

I return to my apartment to find an outfit for the Exhibit. Jade bought the tickets for both of us and the place is quite extravagant so I needed to prepare elegant apparel. My dress is grey to not stand out of the crowd, and I hold a fan to cover my face as best as I can. My disguise will do the rest.

I wait outside for Jade. I would soon have to go against the thief once again. I forgot to return Jade's jacket so I cradle it in my arms, when I feel someone tap on my shoulder... A masked man. I raise my hands in defence when suddenly he lifts up his mask...

"Don't worry, its me, Agent Jade." His presence relieves me and I hand back his blazer. We walk towards the exhibit. Agent Jade decides to go to the top floor to keep a bird's eye view while I stay close to the exhibit from the ground floor.

This time I walk around while closely examining each person. Someone stands out from the rest of the aristocrats and unknown people...Xavier. I walk towards him and lower my fan. "Xavier?" He turns around, but he doesn't seem happy this time.

"What are you doing here?" he hisses at me.

"I have come to see the exhibit, how come you aren't at work?" I reply back.

I hear a commotion and turn around, a man lowers himself into the exhibit and snatches the headpiece. I try to run towards it but Xavier stops me: "What are you doing, stay back". He runs towards the man and skilfully parkours to snatch back the headpiece. They both break out into a fight, I move my finger towards my earpiece to call agent Jade but no response. I FORGOT TO GIVE HIM HIS EARPIECE. I take off my heels and bolt upstairs, I start searching but it would take too long so I instead join in the fight. Xavier gets knocked to the ground and the thief starts ascending to the top to escape. I ascend too and attempt to take the headpiece back, but instead of resisting he holds onto me and brings me higher. We reach the roof and I start throws kicks and punches at him but he dodges my every attack. Who is he? The mysterious man then goes to the edge of the building and jumps off once again. A set of high tech wings emerge from his back and he flies off. I hopelessly sit on the roof top when I notice that he dropped something, a rose. Hidden within the petals is a note to the next location...A smile forms on my face which I hide with my fan.

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