Chapter 5

"Well, obviously. I'm not going to reveal what it is right now but—meet my amazing team! Come on in, everyone!" Zariyah said, tilting her head towards the door.

"We can come in? Finally! I'll teach these bastards that they can't mess with me!" Mason said, and he slammed open the door.

Only to see Zariyah placing her hand on her forehead in a hit. And the higher-ups, Stacy, and Darren placed on the table.

"Ah—uhm. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Mason said, wide-eyed, looking around the room.

Zariyah mouthed Seriously? to Mason, and all he could do was give her an apologetic look. She let out a sigh but quickly moved on, calling in the rest of her team. And just like that, they were complete.

Completely assembled. Completely ready. There was an undeniable sense of unity in the air, something none of them had ever truly felt before.

Alex, the head of the higher-ups, leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Zariyah with intrigue. “So, this is your team? Interesting choices, not going to lie. You keep surprising me, Zariyah. And honestly? I like that.”

Something about his tone sent an uneasy shiver down her spine. It was different—too smooth, too deliberate. But she refused to let anything throw her off now. Straightening her posture, she responded, “Yes, higher-up. May I have your permission to know about our mission?” Her voice was steady, unwavering.

Alex’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “Well, since you asked so nicely… come closer. All of you.” His eyes never left her as he continued, “This is confidential. No one—and I mean no one—outside of us nine can know about this.”

Though his words carried authority, Zariyah couldn’t ignore the way he kept making excuses to get closer to her. Every subtle movement, every unnecessary lean-in—it was calculated. And she hated it.

Her patience was wearing thin. She knew she had to endure it for now, but if he tried this one more time… he was done for.

After retrieving the files from the higher-ups, the team stepped out into the corridor of the first floor. It was quiet—too quiet—but that silence didn’t last long.

“Hey… is it just me, or was the head higher-up acting kinda… different?” Tyler asked, his voice lower than usual.

“Alex?” Alicia frowned. “Yeah. I noticed it too. Honestly, being in that room felt suffocating. Like I was going to pass out any second.”

Tyler nodded, though his expression was still tense. It was clear something else was on his mind. He had been acting strange ever since they left the meeting room. Trying to act normal, failing miserably.

Alicia narrowed her eyes. “Okay, forget the higher-ups. What’s up with you? You’ve been weird since earlier—awkward, jumpy. Did I do something?”

Tyler’s eyes widened. “No! It’s not that! It’s just—uh—” He scrambled for words, but before he could come up with an excuse—

“He has a huge crush on you and has no idea how to admit it!” Mason blurted out.

Silence.

Absolute. Silence.

And then—

Boom. Chaos.

Alicia blinked. “Wait… what?”

Tyler looked horrified. “WHAT?!”

Mason, now realizing what he had just said, looked equally confused. “Wait, hold on—what did I just—?”

Zariyah? She just stood there, watching them spiral, absolutely lost. “Okay. What is happening right now?”

And just like that, the mission didn’t seem to be their biggest problem anymore.

"Why did you never tell me about this before, Tyler?! We could have talked it out or something. Look, you're not a bad guy, but I honestly don’t see you that way. I hope you understand," Alicia said, her voice softer than usual.

And just like that—Tyler blushed. A little. Barely noticeable. But it was there.

"O-of course. Uhm. It's okay. I know you don't feel the same way," he mumbled, forcing a smile.

Zariyah and Mason exchanged glances. They knew it was a lie. Tyler didn’t actually like Alicia that way—this was just his cover-up for the way he had spoken about her earlier. But oh, the drama. The awkward tension. Tyler blushing? This was too good to interrupt. So, instead of stepping in, they stepped back, giving Alicia and Tyler space to talk.

"Not gonna lie, you almost had me believing it," Zariyah muttered to Mason as the two casually strolled toward her office.

"Ah, I know. It just slipped out, but hey, maybe we’ll actually get a couple in our group soon," Mason chuckled.

"I think so too," Zariyah smirked, and just like that, they both burst into laughter.

T. B. C.

What do you think will happen next?

Will they get together?

Happy Reading!