Dangerous Entanglement

EPISODE 003

[Hannah POV]

“Good morning ma’am”, the young doorman smiled at me as he opened the door for me to step into the street, I just smiled at him and stoned up my face as I quickly scanned the street for the uber, and just by the across the street was a silver Toyota Prius, I have never been a car lover, therefore wasn’t sure, so I looked into my phone to confirm the car I ordered.

As I walk to the car half running, it dawns on me that It was my first time being in the neighborhood, the brixtell, it is being regarded as the “Manhattan of South Miami”. I smirked at the thought as I try to balance between looking smart, opening the left rear door of the car, and also managing my phone, my bag, the plastic plate holding my sandwich, and also the mug cup with the coffee.

“Please get me to Weston as quickly as you can” I hastily cut short the young drivers greeting as I settled myself in the car.

“Okay ma’am” he replied with his Mexican accent and zoomed off without saying a word.

Driving out of brixtell, I began to see why the neighborhood got that nickname “the Manhattan of South Miami”. And I was left to wonder how an ordinary bar attendant at a club could afford to live in such a neighborhood not to talk of the beautiful bedroom apartment he’s staying in on the twentieth floor of one of the tallest buildings in brixtell. And then flashes of the strange man came to me again and I couldn’t quite remember what Kelvin said the relationship between them is.

Buzz! Buzz!!

My phone buzzed again bringing me back from the dwells of my thoughts making me angrily toss it aside into the bag, which bought me the attention of the driver who peeped at me through the rear mirror. I knew I was in a deep mess already, and yeah! My father’s position gives me immunity from harsh queries, so why should I be in a panic.

The pangs of hunger attacked my stomach and I remembered my coffee, I rushed it down my throat and asked the driver to stop at a mart where I got fruit drinks.

“Have this” I passed a bottle to the driver and with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry about earlier, I know I was a little rude”.

“No ma’am, I never picked any offense from that” he accepted the drink with a very genuine smile.

Immediately I was done with the sandwich and the fruit drink, I dozed off and had a quiet sleep for the rest of the trip to Weston. The night before was a very long and tiring one.

“Madam! Madam!” I was hearing the voice sounding from afar, and then I got a nudge as the gentleman smiled and held out open the door of the car.

“2100, North commerce parkway ma’am” we mentioned as he gestured towards the building.

“Oh! Great, we are at Weston” I muttered out quietly. I quickly gathered my stuff making sure to have just my bag and my phone in my hands.

I stuffed into my bag the plate and the cup and stepped out of the car, I adjusted my trouser to free myself of the discomfort it was giving me between my tights and I walked gracefully towards the entrance. I knew I had to keep my head up and my back straight, yes, statistically, I might not be a good agent, but I know what I’m doing, I’m sure trying my best, have just been unlucky.

“Hey! Good morning agent Han, I hear you busted another case yesterday” Agent Sam called out from his cubicle as I ignored his sarcastic questions and also stares from Agent Dorothy and quite several other agents. I got to my corner and swung myself into the chair and immediately I raised my head, my eyes caught the sight of Special Agent Douglas.

I wanted to drop my gaze and looked away but our eyes got fixed into each other and he immediately gestured towards me using his index finger to come into his office.

I stood up and made sure I showed no weakness on my face whatsoever, I walked into his office confidently, you’ll think have got a big case solved. Immediately I stepped into the office he started to tongue-lash me.

“What happened to Snip?” Snip was a small drug dealer, he sells at a corner in Upper Eastside, Miami. Special agent Douglas busted his ass some months back and since then, he took charge of his mother’s health in return to get information about his supplier Don D and how he gets his supplies. Just last week, he was down with fever and asked me to be in touch with Snip.

“Sir, I went to his house to follow up on the last discussion we had with him, he called me saying he has a lead of who supplies Don D” I stated with my hands behind my back, I figured my posture actually portrays fear, so I released my hands and try to show more confident with how I carry my body.

“He said something about taking me to a club, that he has only been able to trace the guy to that club”. I added as I was trying so much to pull myself together and not burst out in tears because I couldn’t stand the disgusting stare I was getting from Douglas.

“How did that young man end up dead Hannah?” he questioned as he had his fingers crossed resting on the office table in his front with his jaw slightly resting on the stretched-out thumbs.

“I already know about your planned trip, what I don’t understand is why my C.I turns out dead” His voice came out a bit harsh this time as he banged his left hand on the table, and stood up and paced around behind his chair with his hand on his head.

“Why do you always have to make me regret placing you on a case?” He rhetorically questioned.

“I’m sorry Sir” was the only thing I could mutter out of my mouth.

“Oh yeah, take your sorry ass out of my office” He fired as he waved his hands gesturing me out.

I walked out, feeling all my confidence drained from me, Special Agent Douglas has always been supportive, he has always given me the chance to prove myself, irrespective of how many times I have flopped but Nah, I always never seize to disappoint him.

But how was I supposed to know Spiff showed off with the extra cash I gave to him and that made his boss suspicious of him. He was followed home and when his home was searched, they got to see his mother under expensive treatments, from what I saw, when I got to the scene, a thorough search was done on the house and I’m certain they must have found something that linked him to us.

I got to my cubicle and positioned myself on the chair, frustratingly I began to unpack my bag, the sight of the plastic plate and cup brought a bit of a smile to my face, I placed them in the lower drawer and my for my badge, I had a long stare at it for a while.

I began to reminisce on whether being a DEA agent was what I actually wanted or was I just trying to make my father happy. I don’t seem to understand why I’m unable to thrive in this line of work, no matter how much effort I put into the work, I still mess up. No doubt, sometimes the fault is mine, but on most occasions, I can’t take the blame.

I got another buzz from my phone, and at this moment, the phone buzz was getting on my nerves, this time, I decided to check it and it was from my father. I decided to place a call to him.

“Hannah, where have you been?” He thundered at me.

“Dad, I’m fine, I’m at work presently” I answered coldly.

“I didn’t ask you where you are at present, where were you all through yesterday? You got me all worried” he sighed as he tries to calm himself down.

“Douglas told me you went to meet a C.I who turns out dead and you, you’ve not been reachable since then, baby you got me all worried. At least you could have just texted, I dropped numerous texts, and countless voicemails, I gave up when it stopped delivering”. He tried to complain making sure I could feel a little spice of scolding.

“I’m sorry dad”. That was the only thing I could mutter

“No problem baby, come home for dinner on Saturday, I miss you and I want to have a little family time, Hazel will be coming too. Make sure to come also, see you tomorrow Hannah”. He hung up without waiting for my reply.

I haven’t seen Hazel my elder brother for the past 18 months, we don’t even communicate through calls, I only follow his updates on f*******: and i********:. Seeing him tomorrow would be really nice, especially if the enthusiasm is mutual.

I wasn’t comfortable in my cubicle, so I decided to go home, I was practically having nothing else to do after filling out my report on the case.