Two Orphans;
1766 Words
Alara tried to open her eyes, her head pounding with a throbbing pain. Her brain felt heavy, her thoughts clouded in mist. Where was she? What had happened?
When she managed to part her eyelids, a stark white fluorescent light stabbed her pupils like a knife. She blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the brightness, and turned her head to see her surroundings.
Someone was there.
Bora.
Alara’s brows furrowed slightly. Seeing him here felt like a punch in the gut. Why was he here?
She took a deep breath, trying to ease the dryness in her throat, and asked in a faint voice:
“What happened to me, Bora?”
Bora, his arms crossed over his chest, stared at her tensely. His face was a mixture of anger and disappointment.
“The disk was empty, Alara!” he hissed. “Why didn’t you tell me?! You put both our lives in danger!”
Alara pressed her hands against her temples as she sat up. Her head was still pounding, but slowly, the last memories began to rush back into her mind.
She remembered the final images…
When she heard someone shout, “Bring Emir!” she had turned her head. At that moment, there had only been a few people in the room, with at least ten meters separating her from the man. Yet, in less than a second, she had taken a heavy blow to the head and lost consciousness.
There was no way anyone could have struck her from that distance. The only one near her was Bora.
So, she hadn’t been wrong after all.
A cold smile spread across Alara’s face. Her hands still at her temples, she laughed. Her laughter echoed through the chilly air of the room.
Bora frowned but didn’t say anything.
Looking at him, Alara spoke with a mocking expression:
“I can understand you underestimating me, Bora. After all, as a prosecutor, it’s only natural you’d think I’m just another ordinary person. But there’s one thing you should never forget…” She tilted her head slightly, her voice sharp as poison. “I was a showgirl for half my life. I can read everything from a single twitch in someone’s face. You underestimated me a little too much.”
Bora’s eyes narrowed. Alara’s defiant attitude unsettled him, but instead of showing it, he leaned back in his chair, spreading his legs, and let out a loud laugh.
“Well, well!” he mocked. “Our lovesick fool finally managed to take her job seriously!”
Alara lifted her chin and glared at him.
“You talk a lot for a loyal dog,” she said icily. “Why don’t you bark in that direction instead? The stench of your mouth is making me sick.”
Bora’s laughter stopped abruptly. His eyes darkened with a threatening gleam.
“Oh, really!” he growled through clenched teeth. “Tell me then… When did you figure it out? Did you knowingly walk straight into a trap? God, what a crazy love this is!”
Alara’s gaze sharpened. Bora was talking without knowing what was really happening.
“Bora, do you think I only walked into the trap?” she said slyly.
The mocking look vanished from Bora’s face. His eyes now burned with pure fury. Suddenly, he jumped up from his chair and grabbed Alara by the throat.
“What did you do?!” he snarled.
Alara only looked back at him with that same sly smile. “Ahh, but if you do this, you’ll ruin the show. That’s no fun at all!”
Losing himself to rage, Bora pulled the gun from his waistband and pressed the barrel against Alara’s stomach. His breath came in furious, uneven bursts.
“You gamble with your life, but you couldn’t bring yourself to kill that bastard Emir’s brat, could you?” he hissed.
Alara’s expression froze. Her pupils widened, her breath caught in her throat. A chilling wave swept through her mind.
What was he saying?
She parted her lips, her voice trembling.
“What baby?” she whispered.
Bora burst into laughter. “You i***t!” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “In this century, people use condoms when they screw around. But you two fools practically tried to breed!”
It felt like a dagger pierced straight into Alara’s heart. Her face turned completely pale. Her hands instinctively went to her belly.
“How do you know?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
Bora shrugged indifferently. “They ran tests, you brainless woman! Your days of vomiting, your weakness, made me suspicious. I bribed the doctor who came to put you on an IV at the office. Your blood test was done.”
Alara’s mind went blank. Her whole body felt numb. The only thing echoing inside her head was one word: baby…
Until now, she had risked her life without blinking. She had been ready to kill and to die. But now… now she carried life inside her. His life. The man she loved. Two orphans would be giving a child to the world.
But most likely, at the end of this, the world would only gain yet another orphan.
Alara’s eyes landed on Bora’s wristwatch. A deadly determination burned in her gaze. She took a deep breath, then looked straight into his eyes and whispered:
“You’d better hold your breath, idiot.”
And she held hers.
A deafening explosion roared, making her ears ring.
The whole place was engulfed in smoke.
Four Days Earlier
When Alara walked out of the police station, only one thought consumed her mind: rescuing Emir.
Her brain worked like a puzzle she had to solve quickly. Who could she trust? She didn’t know how far the state had been infiltrated. Not even her old allies or informants had the strength to challenge Şirvan. But she had to find someone…
Quickening her pace, she headed for Alev’s office the meeting point with Bora. The gloom of the night cloaked the street like a gray shroud. Every shadow seemed like a threat, but Alara had no intention of stopping.
When she arrived, Bora was already there. Alara rushed toward him and, without catching her breath, spoke. “Emir… they’ve taken Emir!” She quickly explained what had happened.
Bora stared at her without blinking, showing not even the slightest trace of surprise.
His calmness unsettled her. Yes, this was his nature, but to remain so unfazed by such news was strange.
Then Bora pulled out his phone and made a quick call. Once he was done, he asked her a single question:
“What did you do to make Şirvan take him?”
As Alara answered, a fake look of shock crept across his face.
Her chest tightened.
God… he already knew I stole the data!
It was obvious Bora was playing a game. But she would play by the rules too.
Trying not to give herself away, she took a steady breath. She had to think fast. She would use him. Running would only delay the inevitable. So she stuck to her role and went along with his script.
But this game wouldn’t last long.
When she got home, her thoughts clashed violently inside her head. Resting her forehead against the kitchen counter, she took deep breaths, searching desperately for a way out.
Who could she turn to?
She couldn’t trust the state she didn’t know who within it was serving Şirvan. Even her informants couldn’t handle someone of his scale. But what about her old allies?
As she weighed her options, she suddenly felt the cold barrel of a gun against her back.
Her body tensed reflexively, but she didn’t panic. She straightened slowly, her eyes still fixed on the counter. She didn’t turn around.
A deep, calm yet threatening voice whispered:
“Shhh… Stay still, Prosecutor. I don’t want to hurt you. I only want one thing: Where is Emir?”
Alara spoke cautiously, her voice a mix of fear and control.
“I don’t know… but I was trying to save him. Who are you?”
The man holding the gun paused for a moment, then said only two words:
“I’m Two.”
Then he added:
“From Wolf Unit. Number Two.”
Alara’s breath hitched. Shock washed over her.
Wolf Unit.
The name had always been more of a legend lurking in the shadows. A secret team of eight surviving agents from an original eighteen agents with no identities, believed long dead. Most had been killed, the rest retired. But had they really never disbanded?
Alara slowly parted her lips.
“Boz was like a brother to you… I know that. I have a plan to save him, but I can’t do it alone. You have to help me.”
The man’s voice suddenly turned mocking.
“Boz wasn’t my brother. He was my leader. My only family. I can find him myself.”
He pressed the barrel of the gun harder into her back.
“Why should I trust you? I know you didn’t betray Boz, but the fact you failed to uncover Şirvan’s dogs inside the state all this time… What are we supposed to do with that?”
Alara clenched her jaw. He was right. Not realizing how deeply Şirvan had spread through the system was an unforgivable failure.
But she had no time to dwell on guilt now. She had to choose her words carefully.
“Look, I carry that guilt,” she said slowly, controlled. “But right now, I’m the only one who can find Emir. Let me help.”
The gun pressed harder. The man remained silent.
Then, his voice turned into a mocking growl.
“The fact that you hide behind guilt only proves you can’t be trusted.”
Alara took a deep breath. “I swear, I would never harm Emir!” she said firmly.
The pressure of the gun suddenly eased. The man’s voice now thundered with anger:
“WHY?!”
Alara’s eyes widened.
And then, without meaning to, the words slipped from her lips.
When she heard her own voice, she realized what she had said and flinched.
“Because I love him.”
Silence fell for a moment.
Alara’s throat went dry, her breathing uneven.
Then, more words spilled out of her mouth:
“Damn it… I’m the one who put him in this situation. Please!”
And in that moment, she realized: this wasn’t just a strategy. This was the truth inside her.
And now, that truth would either save her…
Or kill her.
- Writer
