Jay's POV
Lunch was going surprisingly well.
Ci-n was too busy arguing with Blaster over the last piece of chicken, while Felix watched them with the expression of someone regretting every decision that had brought him to this table.
"Give it back!" Ci-n complained.
"Come and take it," Blaster replied.
"You're older than me!"
"And?"
"Respect your elders!"
Felix sighed. "You're both embarrassing."
I laughed, reaching for my drink.
Across the table, Rory wasn't eating. He kept looking towards the cafeteria entrance.
"Rory?" I called.
He didn't respond.
"Earth to detective."
He finally looked at me.
"Sorry."
"What's wrong?"
He glanced towards the entrance again.
"I saw someone outside."
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Someone?"
"Someone I don't recognise. He was standing near the school gate, watching this area."
Keifer put down his fork.
"Maybe he was waiting for someone."
"Maybe," Rory replied. "But when I looked again, he was gone."
I studied his expression.
"Did you get a good look?"
"Not really. He was wearing a dark jacket. I couldn't see his face properly."
"Did you tell security?"
"Not yet. I wanted to tell you first."
I nodded.
"Alright. Don't go looking for him alone. Just let me know if you see him again."
Rory nodded and returned to his food.
The conversation eventually moved on, but I couldn't completely forget what he'd said.
Later that afternoon, I was checking my phone when a message appeared.
Zane: Jay, I found something.
I opened the chat.
Me: What is it?
A few seconds passed.
Then an image arrived.
I opened it.
It was a photograph of a document containing several names and a location. Most of the information was unfamiliar, but one particular detail caught my attention.
I zoomed in.
My expression changed.
Me: Where did you get this?
Zane: It came from the information we've been investigating. There's something strange about it.
Me: Have you verified the source?
Zane: Not completely. That's why I'm being careful.
I stared at the photograph again.
Then another message appeared.
Zane: Jay, I think someone has been looking into our old activities.
I locked my phone.
For a moment, I simply sat there.
Rory's words from lunch returned to my mind.
Someone watching Section E.
And now this.
Maybe they were unrelated.
But I wasn't comfortable assuming that.
I picked up my phone again.
Me: Don't make any moves yet. Keep investigating and update me when you have something confirmed.
Zane: Understood.
I slipped my phone into my pocket.
"Jay?"
I looked up.
Keifer was standing beside my desk.
"You've been staring at that phone for five minutes."
"Have I?"
"Yes."
I gave him a small smile.
"Just something I need to check."
He studied my face for a moment.
"Alright."
He picked up his bag.
"Come on. We're leaving."
I stood and followed him.
But my mind was somewhere else.
Whoever was behind this, I needed to know what they wanted.
And more importantly...
How much did they know about me?Chapter 125: An Unfamiliar Face
Jay's POV
Lunch was going surprisingly well.
Ci-n was busy arguing with Blaster over the last piece of chicken, while Felix watched them with the expression of someone regretting every decision that had brought him to this table.
"Give it back!" Ci-n complained.
"Come and take it," Blaster replied.
"You're older than me!"
"And?"
"Respect your elders!"
Felix sighed. "You're both embarrassing."
I laughed, reaching for my drink.
Across the table, Rory wasn't eating. He kept looking towards the cafeteria entrance.
"Rory?" I called.
He didn't respond.
"Earth to detective."
He finally looked at me.
"Sorry."
"What's wrong?"
He glanced towards the entrance again.
"I saw someone outside."
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Someone?"
"Someone I don't recognise. He was standing near the school gate, watching this area."
Keifer put down his fork.
"Maybe he was waiting for someone."
"Maybe," Rory replied. "But when I looked again, he was gone."
I studied his expression.
"Did you get a good look?"
"Not really. He was wearing a dark jacket. I couldn't see his face properly."
"Did you tell security?"
"Not yet. I wanted to tell you first."
I nodded.
"Alright. Don't go looking for him alone. Just let me know if you see him again."
Rory nodded and returned to his food.
The conversation eventually moved on, but I couldn't completely forget what he'd said.
Later that afternoon, I was checking my phone when a message appeared.
Zane: Jay, I found something.
I opened the chat.
Me: What is it?
A few seconds passed.
Then an image arrived.
I opened it.
It was a photograph of a document containing several names and a location. Most of the information was unfamiliar, but one particular detail caught my attention.
I zoomed in.
My expression changed.
Me: Where did you get this?
Zane: It came from the information we've been investigating. There's something strange about it.
Me: Have you verified the source?
Zane: Not completely. That's why I'm being careful.
I stared at the photograph again.
Then another message appeared.
Zane: Jay, I think someone has been looking into our old activities.
I locked my phone.
For a moment, I simply sat there.
Rory's words from lunch returned to my mind.
Someone watching Section E.
And now this.
Maybe they were unrelated.
But I wasn't comfortable assuming that.
I picked up my phone again.
Me: Don't make any moves yet. Keep investigating and update me when you have something confirmed.
Zane: Understood.
I slipped my phone into my pocket.
"Jay?"
I looked up.
Keifer was standing beside my desk.
"You've been staring at that phone for five minutes."
"Have I?"
"Yes."
I gave him a small smile.
"Just something I need to check."
He studied my face for a moment.
"Alright."
He picked up his bag.
"Come on. We're leaving."
I stood and followed him.
But my mind was somewhere else.
Whoever was behind this, I needed to know what they wanted.
And more importantly...
How much did they know about me?