Chapter 111 - Stumbling In Her Plan

Anya didn't just have her suspicion against Bernard, "If Harper Johson's hand could reach to Z-security of President, then the military isn't a big deal for him." Anya added another theory. 

Alvin had told her about the attack on Bernard. Harper was an idiot to take the ex-serviceman lightly.

Looks like she was overestimating Bernard and Harper. It was better than underestimating.

Jason nodded in understanding. Being a chief of secret cyber security, he is aware of the attack on Bernard. Usually, people make it a big deal and attract public sympathy for publicity and political career growth. But Jason was amused looking at Bernard resuming work, sealing every bit of information about it. Hence he had removed Bernard from the suspicion list. Honestly, Bernard was far better than all the presidents and politicians he had seen so far.

However, this case has become a pain in the neck. The more they were digging, she was finding more dirt.

A military soldier was a doctor. He quickly checked on her on Jason's instructions. He found everything normal except her breathing pattern. "There doesn't seem to be water in the lungs but the cold has swept to the lungs. Officer Owen will be better in a few days." 

Anya inwardly sighed thinking Alvin's health won't be a problem.

Then the doctor checked her arm and legs wearing gloves, "Officer Owen, I suggest you avoid the sun for some days. You might face rashes and skin burns." Her skin was translucent and very sensitive. "Choose a lukewarm shower over a hot shower or bath."

Jason carelessly snorted as if annoyed, "I should drag her to a dermatologist, now." He added, "Or else nobody will marry a rash monster." He was apparently suggesting Alvin as a groom. Anyway, he didn't dare to meet the steely gray eyes which were looking daggers at him.

Suddenly the two lady officers jumped into the conversation. Unlike the little girls' excited voices, their voice had restraint, "Chief Jason, what about the handsome man from the yacht?" They had thought Alvin and Anya were a couple, especially looking at Alvin who was so tender and worried about Officer Owen.

To make Anya talk, Jason pretended to be excited, "He is single, ready to mingle. Do you need his number?" He tried to catch any single change on Anya's face. "Officer Owen will share it."

The two male soldiers and the captain of the ship: "..."

Their look was like, 'Why are you snatching the limited resource we have?'

Major Seth: "..."

No officer could arrange the rescue operation for the ship as fast as Jason did. There were numerous preprocesses and arguments to get the permission. Hence Jason was known as a terror officer. Major Seth had the same opinion until Anya Owen stepped on the speedboat. 

Anya played dumb and deaf when she had everyone's gazes, 'I am not Officer Owen. I don't know this man.'

Jason was disappointed seeing her nonchalance. The male officers secretly looked at Anya and the female officer sighed internally seeing her sit like a pretty doll. Too exquisite to the eyes but distant and cold.

The doctor broke the weird silence. "Officer Owen, taking your job and weather in the country, this will help you for quick recovery." He put the oxygen mask on her that Jason had prepared beforehand.

"Thank you…" Anya obediently followed the advice and started deep breathing in through her nose and breathing out through her mouth as per the instructions.

The speedboat fell into silence after it.

Coolheaded, Jason watched her efforts to keep her mind at breathing. He wasn't sure if Alvin's appearance in her life was going to give them a good beginning or if she was going to close herself more.

Suddenly her eyes met his, she was anticipatingly looking at him. Jason discerned and nodded at her, "They are safe. It is night over there. Call them in the evening."

Anya sighed in relief knowing her parents and son are safe. The satellite call couldn't connect to the local mobile network without sufficient software and devices. So she has to wait to make a call to them. 

....

For the next one hour, Anya almost dozed off due to breathing with the mask and lots of things in mind. As they neared the port, the temperature of the autumn started to raise goosebumps on her skin. 

Jason, who noticed her face turning red, picked his overcoat that was on the chair and handed it to her. Anya accepted it. Jason wasn't just her chief, he was like an elder brother to her and all her teammates. He was encouraging her all these years and also stopping her if she was overdoing anything. She couldn't have a better well-wisher than him. Apart from all that, he is the mysterious hacker she had idolized before she even joined the job.

They went out of the control room when they arrived at the harbor. She forced herself to be calm to carry out the plan to anger Alvin. 

It was the biggest seaport in the country. Hence there were many piers for the boats and yachts. The dock for the ship was a completely different one which was further away from there. 

The military was still evacuating the public from the harbor. The speedboat stopped at the leftmost pier that was reserved for the military boats. Jason offered his hand for Anya to get on the wooden dock as he asked her with a bit of worry, "Are you alright? You look pale." 

He had seen her solve tough cases and trap the escaping criminals like cockroaches under her feet. Yet she was anxious just to make Alvin feel bad. He could easily say she cared for Alvin more than she thinks.

He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or bad, despite not having a good opinion on Alvin, he weirdly hoped for Alvin to see through her action of chasing him away.

Anya held Jason's hand and stepped up on the dock. She sensed the yacht coming to halt on the different pier behind them. 'I shouldn't look at him. I need to act as if I betrayed him.' 

She nodded at Chief Jason in response and walked with him towards the expensive car that was waiting to pick them up. 

Anya was trying to force a bright smile on her face and Jason burst into laughter, "Damn girl, that's the fakest smile I had ever seen. Can't you bring a sweet smile to your face… Standing next to me?"

Jason was good-looking, to begin with. With his laughter, not just females, even the male soldiers were taking a peek at him. 

Anya gritted her teeth looking at Jason enjoying her misery. "Chief, do you believe me if I say I want to strangle you to death?" It was the second time she had that urge.

Jason smiled widely at her words, "How could I not believe my teammates who I have carefully chosen?" He was just trying to manage her plan, seeing her stumbling in her emotions. He was feeling like she was going to cry if Alvin appeared in front of her. Sigh.

Whatsoever, Anya failed to get even a simple good smile on her face. She got even more nervous when she started feeling a particular set of eyes on her from a distance.

—--

At the different pier of the port, Alvin would have jumped over the boats and reached her if something hadn't caught his attention. The military men didn't treat Anya as a suspect. And Anya was going with a man who was wearing a white shirt tucked in black trousers. The overcoat on her shoulders belonged to the man. If Alvin's gaze was explosive, the man's head would have exploded by now.

Looking at them walking together in the same rhythm and speaking and laughing as if they knew each other for years, something tasted bitter in his mouth. He gritted his teeth and glared at them. Every nerve of him was craving to drag her away from there.

Not just him, even his men could say she wasn't detained. Rather it felt like, the military put on a drama to SAVE her from Alvin. They itched to punch her in the face for making Alvin look like a bad guy there. 

'Boss should have let her die in the water.' They thought.

Alvin clenched his fist tight when she paused at the door of the car and their eyes met. He didn't want to believe anything that was appearing to them. He wanted her to cue him something that could say she didn't act shocked, clueless, worried about him just to get away from him. 

Nevertheless, what he earned was her snigger before she got in the car with the man. The car left immediately.

Alvin's men were shocked. They couldn't believe she was the same woman who was calling out their boss right after getting conscious. She was the same woman who was making their boss talk and put him in a good mood. Recalling how their boss cared so much about her, they wanted to rip her face looking at the smirk on her face.

Only if they could see her from near.

They wanted to voice their thoughts but didn't dare to even breathe aloud. The expression on Alvin's face was intimidating. He was greatly suppressing his emotions, making him look colder and frighteningly calmer. 

------

The Shore Communication Center,

The car just went a hundred meters and entered a building of five stories, tightly guarded by the military. Jason looked at the guilt-ridden lady who was pretending to be unaffected. He sighed internally. 

He wanted to give her some time to get herself together but they had no time. He didn't let her sulk so he fixed her mood, "Chief Justice is waiting for you, Anya." And that was enough for her to put behind her emotions, compose herself and get off the car decisively.

Jason shook his head in resignation. He got out of the car when the driver opened the door for him. He instructed his driver, "Get something to eat for Officer Owen."

"Yes, Chief." The driver responded as he closed the car door. Then he jogged out to quickly arrange for it.

Jason looked at confident and indifferent Anya Owen who had another battle to win.