Page 21 of The Pursuit
Our gazes locked, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was a soft, intimate gesture, a respite from the harsh reality of our mission.
But the moment passed as quickly as it had come, reality crashing back in with a jolt. We had a job to do, a traitor to apprehend. Now wasn’t the time to get distracted, no matter how we might feel.
With a sigh, Trisha stepped back, the professional mask slipping over her features once more. “Come on, let’s get some ice on that.” And just like that, we slipped back into mission mode, the job at hand taking priority. But that shared moment lingered, a spark kindling between us, waiting to ignite.
It was day seven. We’d been at it for hours, reviewing every scrap of intel on Max and his elder brother Ron’s operation, searching in vain for some thread we could pull that might unravel the whole enterprise. My eyes were tired from staring at page after page until the words blurred together. The other team in Kuala Lumpur was ready to carry out the mission to arrest Daniel tomorrow.
Across from me on the couch, Trisha rubbed her neck, rolling her head side to side to try and relieve the tension.
“Ugh, I need a break,” she muttered, “my brain is fried.”
I knew the feeling. My own neck and shoulders were knotted tight as a drum. But I found myself distracted from my discomfort, watching a stray lock of dark hair curl softly against Trisha’s cheek. All I could think about was reaching across to tuck it back behind her ear, using it as an excuse to touch her skin.
Our eyes met and her lips parted slightly, a question in her expression. Ever since our missed kiss, the air between us felt charged, ready to ignite.
I looked down hurriedly, shuffling the messy pile of papers in front of me. “Yeah, let’s take 15 to reset.” I tried to sound casual.
We escaped to opposite sides of the apartment, apparently to clear our heads and stretch our cramped muscles. But before long, I found my eyes drifting down the hall to where Trisha stood gazing out the window, backlit by the setting sun. The light played over her delicate features, and I ached to go to her, to pick up where we’d left off. Focus, man, I told myself, shaking my head. But it was getting harder by the day.
Later, as we passed each other in the narrow hallway, her arm brushed against mine, sparking that electric current once more. We froze, our hungry eyes locked. For a dizzying moment, I thought she might lean in, might bring her lips to mine again. I swayed toward her, everything in me screaming to close the gap between us.
But once again, at the last second, Trisha blinked and turned away, a pretty blush blooming on her cheeks. With a ragged breath, she escaped to the living room. I braced my arm against the wall, knocking my head gently against it in frustration.Get it together, Krish. But my heart was racing as if I’d just defused a bomb.
This idea of staying under one roof had suddenly gotten a lot more dangerous. We were both fighting a losing battle here. The spark between us was bound to ignite into an alarm blaze. I wasn’t sure if I had the strength or will to stop it. And looking into Trisha’s eyes lately, I wasn’t convinced she wanted me to.
***************
Today was the day we had been waiting for—the day we would finally take down Daniel and get justice for all he had done. The team was in position, ready to move on his hideout in Kuala Lumpur on my command. Trisha and I were waiting anxiously for updates. But she also had a check-up scheduled with Dr. Bhatt to assess her shoulder injury from the earlier blowout. Despite her protests, I insisted on joining her at the hospital. Until Daniel, Max, and Ron were in custody, I refused to let her out of my sight. The guards accompanied us to the hospital, where I paced restlessly in the waiting room while the doctor examined her, keeping in touch with the ground teamthere in Kuala Lumpur headed by Sudesh.
Trisha emerged from the exam room, absently rubbing her shoulder. She looked at me expectantly.
“Any news?” she asked, eyes searching mine.
“The team is in position just a few blocks from Daniel’s location,” I updated her. “They’re preparing to move in now. His tracker shows he hasn’t left the compound.”
Trisha nodded, looking relieved. “Hopefully, that means he has no idea what’s coming.”
“We are lucky,” I agreed.
She flexed her shoulder gingerly. “I need to run to the market for a few things. Just some basic essentials.”
“I’ll join you,” I said, readily walking her out, with the guards flanking us.
At the market, I stayed glued to Trisha’s side, one eye constantly on the surroundings, one hand hovering near my weapon, just in case! My phone was constantly in a live call with Sudesh, the team leader in KL, so I could monitor the operation in real time.
“Sudesh, what’s your status?” I asked tersely as we inspected vegetables at a stall. Trisha watched me closely, her face tensed.
“We’ve got the building surrounded and have started taking out exterior targets. Preparing to breach on your go-ahead.”
“Proceed, but exercise extreme caution. I need Daniel alive.” Trisha’s eyes flickered with anticipation.
We purchased what we needed and moved on, themundane task at odds with the knowledge that everything was coming to a head back in KL. My adrenaline was spiking, but I had to stay cool.
Another update came through from Sudesh. “Entry team is in. No hostiles on the first floor.”
Trisha tensed and gripped my arm. I gave what I hoped was a reassuring nod. Suddenly, Sudesh screamed on the call.
“Ambush. Ambush. Get cover.”
