Chapter 8

Ashley

           Today wasn't going as I planned. I had woken up with a nightmare that had left me screaming. The nightmares had reduced and were less terrifying since I had gotten here and I didn't know why it came this way this morning which wasn't a good omen especially now that I was about to commence with my plan. 

Wasn't that just nice?

Maybe it came to cheer me on I couldn't say but I would take it like that because I won't let anything dampen my mood today. 

       I looked at the outfit I selected just for today and smiled. I was wearing a pair of black pants trousers that enhanced my hips with a blazer and a red vest to compliment my eyes. I agree it was different from my usual shirt and pant outfit and that was the reason I chose it.  Jake wouldn't know what hit him when he sees me.

      I went straight to his office since he had left a message to meet him there. He had a new lead on his 'search' and we were going after it today. Mike was going to be here as well but the most important thing I was looking forward to was Jake's reaction when he saw me. Not that I dressed over the top or something like that, I just altered my dressing to look hotter than usual. Yes, I called myself hot, get over it. I just hope my plan works, I mean seduction isn't that hard right?

Right?

I knocked twice and entered when I was permitted in. I made sure I had a big smile on my face when I called his attention to me.

              " Good morning Jake." I greeted him sweetly calling out his name in a sexy way. His head snapped up and his eyes widened when he saw me. I widened my smile at his reaction, this was going to be fun.

                   

                    

                          Jake

      "Wow!" That was the first thing that came out of my mouth when I saw her. I knew it was strange when I heard her greet me that way but seeing her dressed up like this was stranger - in a very nice way. She was wearing a different outfit than what she usually wore and she looked good in it, sexy more like.

       Something at the back of my mind told me to stop checking her out that way but I just couldn't help myself. I finally snapped my eyes back to hers when she cleared her throat. She gave me a knowing smirk and sauntered towards my desk placing her hands on it and stroking it gently keeping her eyes on me throughout which left me shifting uneasily in my seat.

          

              "Good morning to you too Elena. You're in earlier than usual today." She simply smiled and sat down.

            " That would be because you left a message for me to be here early today Jake." 

            " Right." I mentally face palmed myself for forgetting the obvious. I probably forgot because I had a lot on my table this morning.

            " I wanted to discuss - " I was cut off by Mike who came in holding a  cup of coffee. He stopped midway when his eyes landed on Elena.

             " Wow! You look great today Elena. Was there a special occasion I don't know about? " I looked towards Elena as Mike had voiced out one of the questions swirling in my mind.

             " Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to change my outfit today. Thanks for the compliment by the way. " 

She smiled brightly obviously enjoying the compliment while Mike winked in reply. A weird feeling went through me as I witnessed their interaction but I quickly clamped it down. There was no way I was identifying the feeling as jealousy. I didn't feel that way towards her but I found myself clearing my throat loudly to get their attention.

            " Morning to you too Mike. Now that we're all here let's have a work-related conversation and let's leave the flirting for later. " I indicated for Mike to have his seat while he rolled his eyes in response.

           " So why did you summon us here this morning?"

            

            "We're going on a stakeout."

*********************

Jake

            "We're going on a stakeout? I don't understand." Elena said her whole demeanor changing to her former self, her bright smile no longer there. Now, this Elena I could deal with, I thought to myself. 

         " If you remember the last stakeout we had Elena, and the trouble we went through trying to infiltrate the kidnapper's hideout, I'm glad to let you know that our efforts have yielded results and we found out that is going to be an exchange this morning." 

I explained awaiting her response. She looked at the both of us like she suspected there was something we weren't telling her. 

          " An exchange? How did you find this out? I mean we only slipped a tracking device in that guy's pocket and I'm sure he would have changed his clothes since then". 

Mike chose that moment to be in urgent need of the restroom and took off to the private restroom in my office. Bastard! Well, that leaves me to do the explanation which would probably result in my head being bitten off. Just when I thought we were finally getting to know each other. 

              

          " We might have omitted the fact that there was also a EULS device included as one of the devices slipped into that man's pocket which we used to probe his cell phone." 

            "You might have?" She questioned rising from her seat. "And you're just telling me this now? How did you even find time to do all these because I'm sure I'm always with you till you go to bed?" She fired at me in her usual calm voice which tells me she was beyond livid. Leave Mike to disappear when I needed him the most, I sighed. 

             " If you must know, Mike did the probing that day we got back. "

           " But he was with me throughout except for that time he got a phone call and had to leave." she said confused then her eyes widened in the realization that we'd deceived her. 

           

           " That call was fake wasn't it? " she asked with piercing eyes. 

                     

             " Yes. " She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before opening them back. 

            

             " Why? Did I do something for you to mistrust me?" Hurt flashed across her face for a fleeting moment that if I hadn't been locking gaze with her, I would have missed it. 

      

            " It was something that had to be done in secret Elena, I couldn't risk it leaking to the wrong hands even if it was unintended." 

         

            "You meant it when you said I had to earn your trust didn't you?" she stated and shifted her gaze to the desk and I felt a pang in my chest. It was something I had to do, I assured myself. She looked defeated and I knew I had hurt her so I quickly tried to rectify the situation.

     

          " Elena, you have to understand that --" but of course it was too late and her next words made sure of that.

           " I understand sir and you don't need to pacify me in any way. I'm just here to do my job and follow your orders." She cut me off and looked back at me. A blank look now covered her face telling me we were back to stage one. She had closed me off again and of course, Mike took that moment to come back.

            " What did I miss?" He inquired with a big smile though he heard the whole conversation. 

            " We're going on a stakeout and I'm going to prepare." Elena replied and walked out. I turned to glare at Mike but he only shrugged his shoulders and picked up his already cold coffee. 

          

          " What? We couldn't take any chances." He said and I ran my hand over my hair making it messy. 

My plans were going down the drain.