I had locked my eyes on him with an angry expression. Last night, I had taken complicated routes, first heading to a random hotel, changing my appearance there, and then finally reaching my home. It was impossible for a normal person to expose me! But of course, he had found me. The man was probably a wolf! I was muttering to myself through clenched teeth.
Oh God, and now he was waving his arms around as if calling a dog named Fifi. My nerves were stretched to the breaking point I was about to explode.
I strode toward him with firm steps, my face equally stern. “I suppose you wanted to try your luck again because I didn’t like your elementary school play. But what is this did you want to play ‘The Lion Runs, the Mouse Catches,’ Mr. Emir? Nice try, but I didn’t enjoy it.”
A sly smile appeared on his lips. “Compared to your performance, I’m fully aware that I lack quality,” he said with a mocking tone. “But the fact that you watched this one pleases me. As for your enjoyment, I’ll make sure to do everything I can rest assured.”
At that point, my patience had run out. The man had found my home. But did he also know my identity? Fixing my gaze firmly on his eyes, I snapped, “Let’s cut the chatter! I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m late for work. Move your car and get out of my way!”
His mocking expression deepened. It was obvious he enjoyed provoking me his twisted grin made it clear. “What was that phrase of yours?” he said. “Ah, yes! Let’s summarize the situation, shall we? You don’t have a registered residence under your name. All your bills are in your landlord’s name. Your car is leased and registered to a stage name. It’s obvious you’ve gone to great lengths to hide yourself. So I ask you this: what kind of woman lives like that?”
I froze for a moment. Just as I had suspected. The man was a professional at this. My instincts had been right. He was definitely part of that team!
I had to think fast. Where would I go for work now? Our last case immediately came to mind. I couldn’t afford to waste a second.
“I don’t owe you any explanation. Step aside and let me pass,” I growled.
His eyes challenged me. The delight he took in angering me was written all over the sly curve of his lips.
“Then I’ll see you after work, Madam,” he said. With two steps, he opened his car door. But before leaving, he turned back and dropped that cursed line:
“Oh, by the way… Will you take another ten-kilometer detour to a hotel and change your disguise this time? Or will you head straight to work? Then again… my men will pick you up right where you are. Don’t worry.”
How could he say it so casually? My nerves were trembling, and I fought to unclench my fists. I didn’t utter a single word, only glared at him with sharp eyes. I knew that if I reacted the way he wanted, he’d win. He got into his car, the engine roared, and he drove away. But I knew… this wasn’t over.
Quickly rummaging through my bag, I pulled out the line I used for prosecution cases. I called Bora. As the phone rang, I noticed in the side mirror a car was following me. They didn’t even bother to hide. They were openly tailing me.
Bora’s voice startled me. I had almost forgotten I had called him.
“Hey, hello my beautiful prosecutor! Did you miss me this early already?” he said in that familiar arrogant tone.
“Bora, cut the nonsense! I’m in trouble!”
“What? What do you mean, trouble? Prosecutor, are you okay?” His voice suddenly turned serious.
“I’m fine. But listen to me carefully. Emir Kara found my home. He realized nothing is registered under my name. He’s questioning my job and my identity. Do you remember the woman from our last case?”
“Yes, of course I remember.”
“Good. I need you to turn me into her. How do we do this?”
Bora spoke as if he had planned this a hundred times before. “That office is still registered and active. You head to the woman’s office. I’ll mobilize some friends from Intelligence. Fake ID, phone, and necessary documents will all be ready. As soon as you arrive, the transformation is complete. Then, say hello to your new identity, Alev Parlak.”
“Alright,” I said. The determination in my voice surprised even me.
“But I don’t want mistakes, Bora. Emir is the king of the city’s underworld. This thread leads to a big fish.”
“Don’t worry, Prosecutor. My full attention is on you.”
I hung up the phone, my mind a mess. In the side mirror, I could still see the car tailing me. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Taking a deep breath, I pressed down on the accelerator. I had only one goal: reach the office…
As if I had been going to the same office for forty years, I parked with ease, greeted the shopkeepers on the street with a smile, and quickened my steps until I entered the building.
Just as Bora had said, a five-person team greeted me at the inner door. In the blink of an eye, they scanned me for bugs or tracking devices. Then, a woman at the head of the team stepped forward. She was tall, with a well-proportioned figure. Her dark chestnut hair fell to her shoulders, and the sharpness in her eyes radiated professionalism. She wore a black suit—stylish, yet practical enough to allow movement. Without breaking her stern gaze, she spoke:
“Hello, Prosecutor. I’m Leyla Aslan. We are your team for this new mission. Are you ready?”
I nodded in thanks. “Of course. Let’s begin.”
Leyla offered a brief smile before continuing. “The case is yours, Madam Prosecutor. But your knowledge about the woman in question is limited,” she said.
“That’s true,” I replied. She continued.
“The convict underwent frequent cosmetic surgeries for two years, disappearing each time under a new identity.”
“Yes, that’s accurate,” I said. Leyla then gestured toward a conference room ahead. “If you’ll allow me, I’ll provide the details.”
Once inside the meeting room, the lights dimmed slightly, and a presentation screen came to life. Leyla pointed to the first image projected on the screen and began to speak:
“Alev Parlak. That’s the last name she used. She possesses an extensive network of hospitals and doctors across the country. Our team has yet to uncover most of their identities; the connections are powerful and deeply concealed. She offers her clients entirely new identities: a true transformation. Using the identities of missing persons, she arranges legitimate medical records, creating the illusion that the client has undergone surgery and taken on a new identity. In reality, she provides her clients not only with new faces but also with officially sanctioned identities. Furthermore, through her international connections, she can erase her clients’ traces completely.”
“She was convicted, and during her transfer to a high-security prison, she attempted to escape and was executed by my team. However, her associates believe the execution was staged. And frankly, it’s highly likely they’ll see you as her replacement.”
I paused to think. Leyla’s detailed and composed explanation caught my attention. Lifting my eyes from the file on the table, I turned to her.
“Excellent work,” I said. “While I’m hiding from Emir Kara, if we manage to bait others through this fake identity, we won’t just be escaping him we’ll gather more intel on this network as well. Bingo!”
Leyla gave a faint smile. “In that case, we can begin immediately, Prosecutor. Our plans are ready.”
Crossing my arms, I turned toward her. “Alright, everyone. Let’s get started.”