“Officer Whitlock PD4583 on duty, 10-67 speeding on Wolford Avenue, Brenn City. BMW X7, silver, heading north is out of the frontier.”

Clutching the handlebars tightly, Kendall Whitlock pushed the ignition, letting the engine run at its full tilt.

“Mike Bravo 402, copy Whitlock, suspect plate number?” The dispatcher responded on the intercom.

Swerving to the corner of the street, she pressed the PTT of the radio hoisted at her thick and dense belt. “The license plate number is Zulu Sierra Romeo 9-8-7-6. I repeat, Zulu Sierra Romeo 98-76. Suspect is not stopping as he heads towards Farforth Street, over.”

“Roger on 10-67.10-02 en-routing officer on duty in 223 on Farforth Street.”

Her long, dark raven hair loosely rippled against the strong collision of the wind. “Copy, Mike Bravo 402, over.”

As soon as the call ended, Kendall rushed to chase the high-speed car that was on the loose. For the past three years of her career as an officer, she'd frequently get petty crimes assigned to her.

However, it was not because she wasn’t good enough to do the job, but compared to her colleagues, she was not that qualified yet to handle classified and high-profile cases as per Chief Spencer’s commentary that she’s not smart enough to be held accountable.

Still, Kendall’s qualifications were rather impressive at such a young age of twenty-three. She graduated when she was only twenty and became one of the youngest inspectors in her district. It is with that fact alone that most of their colleagues turned a blind eye.

“Damn, these rich brats think they own the driveway!” she hissed while leaning in front of the speedometer. The speed of her motorcycle was already at its full limit. Eventually, she must slow down before cribbing the break.

Her annoyance soon grew impetuously as the speeding car obstinately brisked through the lane. With that, she zipped up her newly bought leather jacket for ease of driving and jolted the rear brake as her working boots paddled onto the back. Curling the clutch, she exceeded the speed limit of her motorbike as she continued chasing the BMW.

“Ugh, mom’s gonna kill me again.” She groaned slightly when she noticed the time on her watch.

Unfortunately, as she was on her way to her parent's home, she didn’t expect another speeding violation down the road.

In an instant, the car rapidly veered to the left, disturbing the footpath along the side of the street. Kendall immediately launched into following the car as it headed towards Farforth Street. The stoplight was still green as many cars on the cross lanes were stirring while the BMW incessantly sped through the opposite lanes, chafing the surface edge of each car it crashed into.

The driveway became turbid and the cars in each lane blared their car horn signals as the flow of traffic was disrupted. Following the BMW, she glided to 2nd Avenue to cut to Farforth Street. A narrow driveway welcomed her as she collided with street vendors on the sidewalks.

As soon as she was on toes with the car, she skirted to the side, knocking on its tinted window. “Pull over, sir! You’re beyond the speed limit.”

The man inside the car didn’t obey as he continued to drive, intending to speed up the engine more.

“I said, pull your car over now before I whack this window!”

Yet, the only answer she got was his obstinacy.

“Alright, if that’s what you want, kid, then let’s give you hell or high water,” she tutted, brimming with much annoyance.

Then, she revved the ignition of the bike at full throttle, resulting in a fissure of reverberation. Bouncing her motorcycle along the driveway, she moved away from the car, aiming to get to the eastern block.

As soon as she reached the center of the road, Kendall spotted the enforcer on duty. With that on her mind, she drifted to reach the enforcer for the signal.

“10-67 at three o’clock to your right, officer!” Kendall shouted as she continued head-on with the car she was chasing.

Without any hesitation, the enforcer affirmed as he saw the car reaching toward him.

Steadfastly, he got his gear out of his breast pocket, whistling to stop the BMW. When Kendall noticed the incessant speed of it crashing against the enforcer, she slipped between the road to stop it.

In a flash, the BMW halted, bouncing to the ground in a reverse reaction. Its tires fizzled out burning the sipes of polyester rubber.

“Out, now!” Kendall shouted as she extracted herself from her motorbike while the enforcer let the other cars pass through the driveway.

The man soon got out of his car while his head was dipped to the ground. Kendall wasn’t shocked to see a young man in his teens as the violator. As such, teenagers were always reported for reckless driving.

“Give me your driver’s license,” Kendall added with utter exasperation.

Reluctantly, he grabbed it from his pockets as his hands skittled when handing it. “I swear it’s not my intention. My breaks were so cramped up that I could barely control it,” he defended.

The enforcer then came back. “You can tell it to the district office, sir. As of now, we’ll be confiscating your license and you’ll have to pay the fine to retrieve it,” the enforcer instructed while giving the violation ticket to the man.

“Can’t I pay this now, officer, and have my license back? Just this one time,” he asked.

The enforcer shook his head with indignation. Both of them continued talking for minutes, which signaled Kendall to drive back home. She then patted the enforcer to bid him goodbye as she scooted over to her bike.

As soon as she launched the engine back to life, her brows furrowed when, along the road, her eyes caught the dark corner of a lane. She drove near its block and glimpsed a young guy being ganged up on by three college kids that were about his age.

Kendall sauntered through the wet cobblestones on the ground as she noticed them about to hit the lonesome kid. “Hey dimwits, stop whatever you’re planning to do with that kid before I shove your asses to the police.”

“Damn! Guess we have here the heroine he’s been looking for, ain’t right, fucker?” The bulky man with a mohawk spouted with his fist in midair.

The young man only replied with his eyes that stared like daggers.

“What? You gonna cry?” the tall, lanky man beside the bully added.

Kendall crossed her arms with irritation. “Hey, I’m fucking talking here. Get away from that kid before—”

She was soon cut when the small man challenged her. “What you gonna do, lady?!” He menacingly laughed. He then snided with contempt. "Oh, we’re so scared! She’s so scary! Help me!”

Ignoring Kendall’s warning, the three kids were about to hit the young dud. She couldn’t take it as her temper outgrew her patience. As soon as she saw the bulky man's fist about to land on the young man, she instantly grabbed it but just enough to stop him.

As a police officer, she had sworn to never use unnecessary means to stop such squabbles, especially petty ones. Indeed, Kendall was a responsible cop.

Nonetheless, the other two kids weren’t swayed by her warning as both of them flung punches at her. She skillfully dodged all their attacks while keeping all of her senses alert for any unexpected hits.

Rolling her eyes, she spat, “Damn teenagers...”

Eventually, they threw punches focused on Kendall from both sides.

Regrettably, this time, Kendall’s temper outgrew the patience she was bottling up. With nothing but an opening to her front, she gripped her palms in a tight fist and curled her body. She inclined her head down to their lower extremities and launched punches at their sides with both hands.

Both of them shrieked in agony as they curled inwardly to their stomach in pain.

“Fucking bitch!” the lanky kid shrieked as he held onto his gut.

“I didn’t want to hurt you, kid, but you just hit me at my worst time,” she stated and added, “Get the fuck out of here!”

The three hooligans leaped in fear, cowering with terror as they scrambled away from the scene. As soon as their reflection vanished from Kendall’s perspective, she checked behind her.

She moved to the young man who was hunkered at the corner of the graffitied wall. Reaching onto him, she checked his wellness. The man declined her assistance as he stood there, propping his back against the wall. It was then that Kendall realized how tall he was.

“Are you okay? Were you hurt? Don’t worry, kid. You’re safe,” she said as she examined him intently. His rich and superior bearing was evident in his posture and clothing. It was a good thing that he received no punches from the three bullies because his handsome face remained perfect.

Unexpectedly, the young man sneered. “Who are you to interpose in someone else’s business?”

Kendall was flummoxed, as she wasn’t expecting him to react in that manner.

Without even letting her speak, the young man walked away and got inside his luxurious Porsche, driving and leaving Kendall utterly speechless.

She huffed in disbelief as she was surprised at the young man she had just helped. Kendall couldn’t believe how bratty and spoiled the guy was that he didn’t even thank her for her efforts in helping him. She didn’t actually need a reaffirmation from him for what she did, because she was too disgruntled by the fact of how churlish that idiot was.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she then tilted her head to calm her nerves. It was then, when the sun hit her face, that she realized her real agenda.

“Shit...”

Doom hit her as soon as she came back to her senses. She immediately ran back to her motorbike and went home.

***

After a few minutes of riding, she got to their home in Arison Village and immediately headed to the dining room for breakfast. Unfortunately, Dorothy, her mother, and her brother, Jacob, greeted her with disapproving glances.

Gripping her fist firmly, she scooted to the empty chair away from her brother and mother. She was about to scoop the fried egg onto the platter when her mother hurled a glass of water on the dining table.

Kendall jolted in shock as she looked at her mother’s glare.

“You didn’t come home yesterday for dinner, or even call us to let us know you’d be eating out, Kelly.”

She sighed. “I’m so sorry. I forgot to inform you. I was piled up with reports that were already due.”

“You still should have warned us. We were waiting for you last night,” Dorothy grunted. “You’re always away from here or from any special occasions. Even on holidays, you’re out, busy with your work. You say you want to live independently, and you did! But you only stay in an apartment not even a mile away from here. God, Kendall!”

Shrugging, Kendall defended, “I can’t do anything about it, mom. This is my job. It’s totally not the same working in private companies.”

Jacob chugged his coffee and patted her shoulders.

“Yeah, and the pay isn’t that much also, Kels. Come on, look at you! You made your job your freaking life. Goddamn it, you even look like a cadaver every time you come home.” He chuckled.

'I do not!' Kendall said inwardly.

Yes, she knew she was a bit workaholic, but that’s the nature of her work. Working in the police force is not like any job you could leave when you had enough of it. Kendall knew she had to be practical and hands-on to survive this precarious career.

“Your brother is right, Kendall. You’ll end up being alone with the way you live.”

Despite the fact that her mother and her brother relentlessly castigated her to death, Kendall knew they loved her. They just despised her profession, knowing how dangerous it was. Dorothy would always chastise her job while her brother would always chide her.

She got used to it to the point where their words became numbing lyrics in her brain. Their words came in a sting and out of her ears in a hush, like a breezing wind.

“And also, why do you keep that apartment if you’re just sleeping there, Kelly? Tessa is the one cleaning your shit while you still eat here. What’s the point of paying for a flat you don’t use?”

It was in her second year as an inspector that she moved out of her parents’ house. However, her mother rejected that idea. Because of that, to appease her mom’s request, Kendall bought a flat nearby, wanting to become more independent while making amends with Dorothy’s demand to eat with them frequently.

Jacob, her brother, who was also a surgery doctor in their community hospital, thought it was ridiculous because their maids were still the ones cleaning the apartment.

After a couple of minutes, her grandfather, retired general Cyrus Whitlock, arrived in the dining room. Her grandfather vaunted her with an enthusiastic smile as he sat down beside her.

“Ah, here’s my favorite granddaughter. How’s work, dear?” He asked, while grabbing the hash and beans on the platter.

Kendall forced a smile. “It’s great, gramps. All’s good.”

“Good. Just let me know if you need any help.” He placed the white silk cloth on his lap and reached for the pitcher of orange juice beside him.

She only nodded.

Kendall loved and idolized her grandfather. Cyrus Whitlock was, and still is, very much respected in the police force and has contributed a lot throughout his career. She admired him ever since she was a little girl, and he was now her greatest icon to look up to, especially in her job.

When Cyrus found out that Kendall wanted to join the police force, he instantly supported her throughout her career, even when she was still a fledgling, which is also the reason he favored her over Jacob.

“So, how’s Spencer doin’? I heard about an upcoming promotion in your department. Are you on the list?” her grandfather asked while chewing the hash from his plate.

Kendall took a sip from her glass. “It’s on the way, gramps. I just need to bag another case from the chief.”

“That’s great, dear.” He then wiped his mouth. “The HQ recently expanded their district perimeters. From what I heard, your department will be given the cold cases from those vicinities.”

Her eyes went wide in excitement. “Eh, really? I’ve been waiting to be handed high-profile cases. I’ve been asking the chief to give me some serious ones.”

“I could ask Spencer to give you more chances, but that doesn't mean you'll cling to it, okay? Still, don’t hesitate to tell me if that bugger is partial to you. Brood can be a bit biased. That fucker loves to smooch his superiors when he’s still an officer,” he scoffed.

“He still does, gramps. But don’t worry, I got it. I can handle the chief,” she affirmed, smiling sweetly at him.

Pursing his lips, Cyrus then stared at her, yearning for something. “I’m so proud of you, Kendall. I’m sure you’ll do better than I did in my years.”

“No one can beat you, gramps,” Kendall avowed. “I’ll do what I can, though.”

Cyrus released an approving smile at his granddaughter.

“Dad, seriously? Your granddaughter even barely visits us, and you’re still condoning her?” Dorothy reproached, intervening in the conversation between them.

“Dorothy, Kendall is doing great. You and Victor should be the least concerned about it, as Kendall can handle the risks. Even if I’m retired, I can still pull strings.”

Kendall’s father, Victor Whitlock, was also disappointed in her decision to be a cop. He opposed her being a police officer, as he wanted her to work for him in their shipping business. However, Kendall was too obstinate to even listen to her dad.

Dorothy breathed out in frustration. “Least concern? She’s my daughter. Don’t you tell me to not worry!”

“Calm down, mom. Your anger won’t do anything,” Jacob reminded.

Meanwhile, Kendall was silent as she watched her mother and grandfather argue with each other. It’s always like this when they’re together. Her mom, reprimanding her because of her work, and her grandfather, defending her.

After minutes of squabbling, silence enveloped the dining table. No one said a word or even started a conversation. They continued eating in silence, like what happened a while ago was nothing.

When Kendall was about to finish eating, her phone beside her rang restlessly. Her mother eyed her first to warn her not to answer it, while her grandfather was lenient enough to let her pick it up. She just sighed when she dropped her utensils to press the button on her phone.

Looking at the screen, she noticed that her boss, Chief Spencer Brood, was already calling her. At that instant, she remembered that she was late and looked at the clock attached above the door frame. As soon as she realized it was already eight thirty, she stormed out, bidding them a short goodbye.

“I’m late! I’ll head out!” Kendall yelled briskly.

Jacob jested, “Take care! If you get shot, the funeral will be costly!”

Kendall just rolled her eyes.

“Bye mom and gramps!”

She kissed her mom’s cheeks and partly hugged her grandfather, then grabbed her keys from the counter.

“Good luck, dear!” brightly, Cyrus cheered.

Dorothy stood up, following her to the entrance. “Are you coming home for lunch?”

Kendall could not respond since she was already on her bike, speeding to the office.

So, Dorothy yelled as she watched her daughter fade in the distance, “Hey, Kendall!”

Kendall was forty minutes late for work. She had never been late, or so she thought, until now. It was rather unfortunate for her to overlook the time today. Surely, the chief will go berserk because of this.

Since she was young, her parents, especially her grandfather, always instilled in her to be punctual, whether it was required or not. After all, it was her grandfather who had inspired her to pursue law enforcement.

When Cyrus found out about it, he was absolutely ecstatic that he was the one who insisted on letting her train at one of the finest and most prestigious police academies in the country, Milanon National Police Academy. Her persistence and passion for her work also gave her an opportunity to study and train in other countries that specialized in physical, technical, and intellectual skills.

However, this didn’t stop Kendall from learning more. Despite her grandfather’s position and connection to the police force, she still believed that she has to work hard to attain her goals without the help of anyone. She knew that resiliency, diligence, and obedience are the key factors in reaching the top.

Apparently, she also knew that she still has to go the extra mile compared to others.

As soon as she reached the office, Kendall was immediately greeted by her colleagues, who were mostly men. It wasn’t a shock for her to be dominated by over-induced testosterone and unctuous machismo, as she already had a fair share of experiences when she was still studying at MNPA.

A blonde blue-eyed man headed in her direction. His thick yet perfectly tapered eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Ah, never thought I would have witnessed Janice-on-the-spot coming at fifty o’clock. What’s got you a day late and a dollar short?” Noah Green, one of her colleagues, who was part of the special intelligence division, welcomed her with a mockery. Unlike her other colleagues, who looked like they wore wearing the same clothes they had while sleeping, Green’s attire was something that came straight out of EZ magazine.

“Still beat the clock, Inspector Green. Ya’ thought I’d chickened out?” Kendall rebutted, slightly lifting her brows.

Lifting the cuff sleeves of Alberto Milano’s buttoned-up shirt onto his arms, Noah gave her a black coffee straight out of the vending machine. “Here you go. Anyway, the boss wants to see you ASAP.”

Smelling the earthy-ground scent of the coffee, she smiled. 'Ah, finally. I can get my caffeine,' she thought.

Coming back to her senses, her brows creased. “Yeah, he called me. Must have been one of the pending cases. That shit, Monroe is tough as a knuckle. He got me in snaps.”

Noah laughed in hilarity. "Fucking tweeds! Those shitheads are a pain in the ass. I’ve once been hit in the face by a fucking vibrator. Didn’t know where it came from as it flew over me.”

His face then morphed to utter bewilderment, as if he went back in the reel to when the event had happened.

Kendall gagged with horrification. “That’s disgusting. I’d lose it if it happens to me.”

Their other co-worker, Officer Jim Cuevas, joined in while carrying a box of fast food fries in his arms. He wore his blue-teal uniform beneath his stubby cheeks, smiling under the stash of a trimmed mustache.

“Ah, here’s my favorite Janice! Where were you? I was surprised to see your desk vacant before the shift starts.” He combed his wet hair with his palms while tucking the box of fries into his other arm.

Janice was the nickname given to her by her colleagues. It was actually penned by Chief Spencer because Kendall always arrived at the office even before their shift started. At first, Kendall was a bit awkward when she heard them calling her that. It felt weird and unnecessary. However, she had become accustomed to it as time passed by.

“Yeah. I really tried to come late knowing you’ll ask me to do the stuff you should be working on,” she refuted while stealing some fries from Jim.

Among her co-workers, Jim was the laziest. Kendall always saved his ass whenever he got stuck in a situation. Initially, she did it out of kindness, but he tolerated it so much that Kendall became annoyed.

“Come on! Those are my good fries, Whitlock!” Jim contested disapprovingly as he looked dejectedly at the remaining sloppy fries.

“Beat it, Cuevas. I’m just getting what you owed me. Besides, I’m doing you a favor in getting back to shape,” she chided lightly, teasing him.

Noah chuckled while patting his back. “Damn, Cuevas! You got owned by Whitlock!”

Meanwhile, Jim scoffed. “I still got my A-game, a’right.” Tapping his bulging stomach at them, he proudly added, “This labonza can still beat the shit out of anyone.”

Kendall only rolled her eyes. Until now, she still didn’t get why men have always had to prove their masculinity when most of them get their balls in a twist during raids.

“Jim’s a fucking nut.” Noah took a swig of his coffee while his eyes were fixated on Jim, who was marching back to his desk.

She smirked, agreeing with his statement. “Tch, tell me about it. Catch up with you later. I’ll head up to Chief.”

Noah retracted from the white walls he was leaning against. “Wanna grab some decker later at lunch?” He shouted across the room while watching her ambling towards the main door.

Without looking back, Kendall responded. “Yeah, sure. As long as it’s your treat.”

He only gave her a joshing smile while he stood beside her table, observing her from afar.

...

When she opened the door of the meeting room, a tall, dark, sturdy man was already sitting at the head table. His face looked like he was about to dig a grave for her demise. With his arms crossed to his chest, he glared at her deplorably.

“I’ve never been so disappointed with you before, Whitlock, until now. You were an hour late for the meeting. If you think this is fine since it’s your first time, then let me tell you that once you’re late again, there will be repercussions,” Spencer warned.

Kendall gulped nervously as she stood behind the wall. “I apologize, sir. Gramps was sick this morning, leaving me with no choice but to attend to him since my mom wasn’t available at the moment. I did, however, drive here right away as soon as I realized you were calling. I promise it won’t happen again, chief.”

She knew she had lied to Chief Spencer. However, it was all she could ever think of at the moment, knowing that he was close to her grandfather.

“Close the lights and sit,” he briefly replied.

Nodding, she quickly moved towards the switch and walked to the nearest seat in front of the chief. She then noticed the files that were placed on the table.

'Looks like a new case.' Spencer had given her cases before, but this was the first time she was brought to the meeting hall for a case. Usually, this happens when the cases are confidential or high-profile.

Realizing it, she couldn’t control the excitement her nerves were feeling.

“This is your new case, Whitlock.” He threw the documents in front of her as he opened the projector with the controller.

'Pirus Case?' Kendall asked herself. She began skimming through the pages, reading the important information regarding it.

“You’re giving this to me, chief?” She inquired incredulously, as this was the first time Spencer had let her handle a high-profile case.

His eyebrow lifted out of curiosity. “Want me to take it back, Janice?”

Kendall chortled. “Course not. I can handle this, chief.”

“Good. Going back, Pirus is one of the most notorious criminal organizations in the district. They’ve been involved in drug trafficking, possession of firearms, and kidnapping for over seven years. Two years ago, some of them were caught in a bank heist. No one confessed, and all were brought to jail.”

She tried to listen to him, but her excitement surged that all her concentration on the assignment was dispelled. “Hmm, yes, I’ve heard that, chief. Good thing they got them.”

“A year ago, an intel from the Milanon Precinct revealed that three of their men had been transacting drugs inside the cell. This made their network even larger, reaching to other countries,” Spencer continued.

“Damn, those fuckers,” she commented again.

Chief Spencer gave her a sigh. “You do realize that this is not like any case you have encountered. Pirus is very dangerous. Their connections expanded even to local and rural municipalities—”

Kendall’s eyes shone with enthusiasm. “Oh, nice! Exciting!”

He cocked his head, shaking it with exasperation. “Shut it, Whitlock. Would you like me to continue this—or should I let you do the talking?”

“So, this is it, right? You’ll let me handle this?” Kendall asked again.

Spencer stopped for a moment, pursing his lips with contemplation. Then, after a minute, he gave Kendall another file. “Technically, yes, on the whole scale, but this one will be your focus.”

She grabbed the file from the table and opened it. Kendall saw a picture of an eighteen-year-old man who looked like a guy who never went out in the sun. In an instant, she recognized him as the guy she had helped a while ago. Who wouldn’t when he looked like someone who had been genetically altered to become the example of a perfect species of the male popula?

Kendall noticed his hair differed from this photo. Recently, his hair was jet-black, short to the sides but longer at the top. Everything about him displayed aristocracy with his sharp-pointed nose and steel-grey eyes.

Grunting from displeasure, she uttered, “Whoa! Seriously, chief? I know this guy. He’s the epitome of all jackasses.”

“You’re complaining? If you don’t want to do it, then you can walk out of this damn office forever.” Spencer breathed out with contempt.

“No, I do! This is great, chief! I can handle him. I just recognized him, that's all!” She feigned a smile.

'Ah shit, can I really?' she then thought to herself.

Reading the file, she scanned through the details.

Grayson Hoffman. Male, eighteen-year-old, five foot nine, heir to a billion-dollar company, studying at the University of Milanon. Hobbies are car racing, clubbing, and gaming. He also has a girlfriend named Abigail Vanderbilt, who was a popular supermodel.

“Hey, I know this girl! Wow, so that means that he’s rich, handsome, and got a supermodel chick beside him?! Some kids have it easy!” Kendall remarked while looking through his profile.

Shouting, Spencer's gaze flicked upward. “I said shut up and listen to me first, Whitlock!”

Chief Spencer continued. “Your assignment is Grayson Hoffman. A college student who’s already in his sophomore year taking economics at the University of Milanon. The kid is also the sole heir to a multi-billion-dollar oil enterprise that was founded by his grandfather.”

Pursing her lips, she asked, “So, how am I going to get close to him?”

The chief then pulled out another file. He gave it to Kendall, and she grabbed the folder immediately. Looking through, another name was printed on the document next to her picture, and it was Hailey Madison.

“You’ll be Hailey Madison. You’ll go undercover under that name as a college student at the University of Milanon. Your assignment is to get closer to him and gather information about him and the people around him. But above all, his safety is your main priority,” Spencer explained.

Kendall was surprised when she heard Spencer's explanation. The University of Milanon was one of the most prestigious schools in the country that was exclusively for smart students.

“Do I have to take an entrance exam? Will I be in the same year as this kid?” she asked again.

He clasped his fingers together, perching them on top of the table. “Out of all the things I told you, that’s the lamest thing you could ask. Everything is prepared, so you don’t have to worry about that. As for your other question, yes, you will be in the same year and in the same classes. You have the same schedule, so make sure you follow him around. You were pitched out by the team to do this case, as you’re the youngest in our department. The higher-ups also chose you for this job as they have regarded your work highly."

"But chief! I don't think I can... I mean, you're basically making me go back to my school years! Are there no other cases for me? I might blow this one when I open my mouth or take the exams! Only geniuses attend that school!"

Spencer stared at her eyes directly with a stern gravity in his voice. “Inspector Whitlock, shut your mouth and take this seriously. Think of your grandfather. This might bolster your promotion.”

Kendall pouted, hesitantly saying, “Fine, geez... I won’t let you down.”

...

The night was young as the crowd of students filled the entire race track. With their arms in the air, and their bodies sweating against the loud banging of the music, growling and roaring cars were flexed as their tires grated against the newly painted asphalt.

At this time, Grayson Hoffman was sitting on the hood of his parked car with a beer in his hand. As he took a swig of it, his friend, Chester, walked over. “Sup, Gray! You beat the shit out of my baby, dude.”

Grayson only smirked as he raked his fingers through the locks of his hair.

Chester then looped his arms over his shoulder. “I’ll make sure that I’ll win next time.”

Batting his eyes in disbelief, Grayson chuckled. “I’d like to see you try, fucker.”

Grayson has never lost before, not even once. For him, the racetrack is his road, his way, and the red carpet to his kingdom. After all, he has everything.

“By the way, you look like shit, dude. Seems like you’re about to destroy anyone who tries to step on you, lest talk to you a while ago,” Chester suddenly commented.

“The fucking dingos whom I beat yesterday attacked me earlier at Farforth Street. I was having fun letting them talk shit while I waited for my turn, but a fucking woman intervened us by taking what’s mine,” he sneered.

It was supposed to be his victory if only that nosy woman with idiotic-heroesque tendencies hadn’t interfered with his plan.

Then, all of a sudden, as he scanned the entire field, he saw a voluptuous, attractive woman coming toward him.

His mood rose slightly when Sandra greeted him with a smooch. “Hey, Gray. You’ve crushed it!”

“Wanna go with me for a ride?” Grayson slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

“If you're the one I'll be riding, sure..." She smiled languidly.

"Cool," his deep voice echoed icily.

Grayson opened the door of his car, with Sandra following him on the other side. As soon as he ignited the engine, he whirled his steering wheel, driving away from the racetrack. Chester and his other friends watched them leave as his car rocketed down the road.

“Goddamn it, Grayson! I don’t know how he'd bag these girls so easily. Sometimes, I wanna beat the shit out of him because of that,” Chester commented while watching the two of them proudly displaying their obscenity.

Will patted Chester’s shoulder and gestured with his palms below his chin, pointing at his face. “You gotta have this, bro, or that,” he suggested, pointing at the Porsche car beside his BMW.

Anton, one of Grayson’s friends, added while walking toward him, “Brace yourselves, fuckers! Abigail will probably pester us with calls the entire night."

Under the sheets of the frowzy-rancid duvet, Sandra drew out her astraddle legs from his lower limbs. Licking her wet lips, she moved towards the vacant space beside him. While his arms were raised as a support to his head, she leaned back to meet his sweaty and firm chest.

“Can I see you again tomorrow, babe?” she requested while tracing the hard planoconvex of his pecs.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” he responded with aloofness.

For Grayson, she was a decent fuck, but nonetheless, an empty slut whom he just used to indulge in his proclivities. It was actually a good thing he got to rut out tonight after all the shit that had happened today. And that’s what he really liked about her—She’s on the dole whenever he needed to get off.

Thrilled, Sandra looped a smile. “Great. Same time tomorrow, babe.”

She drifted to his face for a kiss. However, before her lips could meet his, he turned away to look at his watch.

“Ah, fuck,” he grunted, realizing that he had to be somewhere tonight.

Disappointed by his sudden aversion, she shrugged. “Why? What happened?”

In a hurry, Grayson stood from the hotel’s bed and quickly grabbed his car keys, instantly dropping Sandra onto the cushion. “I have to go.”

It startled her, which made her look up at him while he rummaged on the floor, picking up his clothes that were scattered.

“Wait, fuck! What about me, Gray?” She pinned the duvet to her naked body.

While slipping his foot inside his blucher mocs, he answered, “Can’t drive you home tonight, Sandra. I have something to do. You can hitch out another ride if you want.”

Her fervent expression soon morphed into contempt. “Are you fucking serious? You’re going to leave me behind here after I fuck you?”

Grayson ignored her remonstration. Instead, he fished out a wallet from his pockets. “Here.”

Throwing the cash on the bed, he added, “Take a cab, a bus, or whatever. I don’t care. See you later.”

Sandra’s eyes bristled with agitation. Moving her lips sideways, she parted them, trembling. “You fucking piece of—”

Before Grayson could hear the last word of her anger, he shut the door close. Upon getting to his car, Grayson grabbed his phone that was settled in the coin’s drawer.

Pushing its button, the screen lit up with Abigail’s handful of messages. Swiping those out of his notifications, Grayson ignored them like he didn’t give any concern at all.

He then inserted his keys into the ignition, released the handbrake, and turned the stirring wheel. Pulling out of the parking space, he drove away back to their mansion in Caddel Subdivision.

Caddel Subdivision was one of the exclusive subsidiaries in this city. Living there had its own perks for the owners. They are free to use the amenities and facilities like the golf course, clubhouse, and casinos. Only a few men of the higher classes can afford to own this kind of real estate.

After a couple of minutes, Grayson arrived home. Stopping in front of the wide steel gutter, he pushed the button of the intercom on the bricked column.

“Open the door.”

He moved back to his seat as soon as he heard the alarm turn on. Automatically, the gates were opened, letting his car drive inside. When he got to the driveway, he left it there as one of his stewards offered him to valet his car back to the garage.

“Thanks,” he said while throwing the keys at him.

Ambling through the spacious trimmed-grass landscape, he was greeted by a huge cape-cod manor. From the outside, it looked like an imposing residence where only the hefty ones could live. It had white pane walls with over arching windows on both sides and the center. The roofs were made with solar panels, while its doors were made of Milanon sandalwood. A wood that was so rare to acquire by any supplier.

With the stained-glass chandelier’s light burning across the windows of the foyer, Grayson’s eyes flinched.

He thought that though the house looked majestic, as always. It was still empty and lifeless. As he went inside, a winding staircase stood in front of him, which was fully flourished and cleaned. He walked across the hall, going to the left side of the manor, where the kitchen was.

When he got there, the lights were already shut off. Soon, he saw a petite old woman coming over. She greeted him as she paced around the kitchen counter.

“You’re back, Sir Grayson.”

Pulling out a chair from the minibar, he asked, “Can you get me some sparkling water?”

The maid nodded. “Sure, right away, sir.”

After a couple of seconds, the maid went back with two bottles of water that came right out of the fridge.

“Thanks.” He grabbed it while facing the wide pool area near the dining area to get back to his room. As he sauntered to the elevator, which was a few feet away from the dining table, he went up to the fifth floor, where his room was located.

While heading towards his room, dim-lit lights shone above and on the sides of the carpeted walls. As he went to the dark entryway in the right wing of the manor, Grayson noticed that the thick, soundproof door of the theatre was opened. He then immediately closed it with the aforethought that one of their servants must have been watching inside a while ago.

“Sneaky bastards,”

Sighing heavily, he went ahead to his room.

...

Everyone who knew Grayson thought he had it all. Looks, brains, money, and even love. However, not everyone knew he became an orphan at a young age. It was unfortunate for an eight-year-old kid to witness both of his parent’s death with his mother dying from an acute illness, and his father from a shooting incident. From then on, his grandfather took him to his house and became his legal guardian.

Grayson didn’t know if what happened to him actually brought him some luck. He didn’t want to think of that as his parent’s death left him with utter devastation. However, his grandfather, who’s his only family, spoiled him to death in spite of his busy life. He was given everything that he wanted, even if sometimes his requests were quite impossible.

Because of this, he grew up to be a complaisant and obedient, yet irritable kid who was shockingly smart and responsible. However, despite all of what he had, he always felt alone.

When he got to his room, he immediately went to the shower to cool off. After putting on his clothes, he grabbed his accounting book to study. Some people might think of him as a breezy, entitled guy who always got what he wanted, but actually, in reality, he was just a normal fellow who also strived to ace his studies. He knew he needed it, as someday he’d have to take over their business.

...

The next morning, Kendall immediately dialed Charlotte’s number. Charlotte had been her friend way back in high school. Charlotte was the complete opposite of her. If Kendall’s the type of lady who doesn’t care about her appearance, Charlotte is the embodiment of beautification. However, despite that fact, she always got Kendall’s back whether it involved Kendall's eccentric work-life or not, Charlotte was there to help her. Now, this young woman manages a bakery.

Pacing back and forth to her room, Kendall asked, “Hey, Char. I need a favor. Are you busy?”

“Why? You need anything?” she countered in the line.

Kendall bit her lips. “Well, yes. Anyway, can you bring some trendy or, I don’t know, fashionable clothes that young people frequently wear?”

Charlotte chuckled. “What the fuck? What’s happening to you Kels? Am I still talking to my best friend whom I know never-ever took an interest in anything related to fashion?”

“Please! Help me out here, Char. I need it,” Kendall pleaded.

Charlotte asked inquisitively, “Why do you need it badly? Have you decided to join pageantry? You know, I’m telling you all over again that you should. So, why now?”

“No, Char. I’m not joining any pageants or contests,” she groaned slightly. Kendall loved her best friend, but sometimes Charlotte can be a total cray cray.

“Then, what?” Charlotte stingily queried.

Her eyes rose to look at the ceiling. “I... I have... It’s for my job. Just go now!”

Kendall heaved a sigh.

“Okay! You know I’m not your slave that you can ask around anytime,” Charlotte reminded her.

She groaned slightly. “God, I know. Promise, I’ll treat you to lunch or dinner.”

“How about you help me market my cupcakes?” her friend offered.

Kendall pursed her lips. Exhaling, she replied, “Yeah, sure. Of course.”

She imagined her friend’s smile on the other side of the line. “Great! I’ll be there in a jiffy!”

The call ended and Kendall went back to her cabinet to search for appropriate clothes to wear for her undercover assignment. Digging to every piece of clothing, all she could ever find are leather jackets, jeans, black tees, and boots to pair with.

“Ugh... Why don't I have anything colorful?” She grabbed the only formal and decent attire she had. A button-up shirt and a pencil skirt that she wore when she had an interview back then. She tried to look at them in the mirror but was dejected by the thought of using them when she imagined herself wearing them inside the campus of UM.

Her face instantly sank. “Argh, I definitely don’t look like a college student with this.”

She threw them to the floor and slumped her back to the bed. “I’m definitely gonna ruin this.”

All of a sudden, her door creaked open. It was Charlotte, carrying luggage full of clothes. She slapped Kendall’s legs lightly as she placed her luggage beside the bed.

“Is this a house or a garbage dump? Seriously, Kendall! You need to learn how to clean by now!” Her friend opened with a bang.

In an instant, her eyes shimmered with joy. “Help me dress up, please!”

“Then get up, loser. I’m here. What do you need? I don’t know what you need specifically that's why I brought everything.” She opened her luggage and various dresses, tees, and clothes were neatly arranged inside the compartments.

Kendall’s eyes went agape. “Wow, this is a lot, Char! Do you wear all of this?”

“Some, I have worn once but I don’t feel like using them again. Others, I have worn twice or more. So, anyway, going back, what style do you prefer? Young people today wear clothes that manifest their personality. It’s all about being unique today,” Charlotte explained.

The edge of Kendall's lip lifted like she wasn’t really sure how to respond. “I just needed something that will help me get into the zone with teens today. I don’t know, maybe a style that looks expensive? Is there such a thing like that?”

Her friend snorted. “Ugh, okay. Let me look at you first. Will you stand up?”

Kendall obeyed without complaining. Charlotte examined her clothes, and she was wearing an oversized shirt and loose sweatpants.

'Yeah, I look like a fucking hipster,' Kendall thought while picking on her nose.

Charlotte shook her head disapprovingly. “God, I don’t know how we became friends because you’re totally helpless, Kel.”

Kendall's mouth fell open. She clasped her palms together, pleading again for Charlotte to help her. “What? Come on! Please, Char... ”

Charlotte then handed her a dark auburn tulle blouse that was loose in the arms but tight in the waist. “Alright, come here. Wear this.”

“And this,” her friend added giving her a lush-pink tweed suit.

Kendall raised her brows. “This is short. I can see my legs with this.”

“What? You got nice legs! You should parade that. If I have legs like yours, I would use them to my advantage,” Charlotte rebutted.

“But it’s too short…” she said, hesitatingly.

Charlotte raised her arms wide open, resting them on her hips. “Do you want my help or not?”

In resignation, Kendall backed down. “Okay. I’ll wear this.” She headed to the bathroom to put it on.

After a couple of seconds, she went back to where Charlotte was. “I can feel the wind on my thighs with this!” she protested.

However, Charlotte clapped her hands in excitement. “Perfect! It looks good on you!”

Before Kendall could say anything, Charlotte pulled her towards the desk, where her make-up set was currently placed. Seizing the brush from her set, she said, “Now, we do your make-up.”

“Can we make it super light? I can’t stand it. The last time I wore it was on graduation and it was frigging itchy,” Kendall requested while looking at herself in the mirror.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “God, you’re so fussy! Just let me do this, alright?”

“Okay, take it away. I’m at your mercy, Char.”

Charlotte laughed at her joke.

After a couple of minutes, her friend had finished doing her make-up. Charlotte let Kendall stand from her seat and pushed her towards the mirror.

“Here you go.” She smiled, tucking the curls of Kendall’s hair to frame her face.

Kendall was shocked to see her face while putting on the spy earpiece. She never thought that her face could morph into someone who was totally unrecognizable. Her thick brows were trimmed neatly, her ordinary lips became plump, and her dead eyes looked like a mesmerizing reflection of perfection.

“Whew! Damn girl, you're hot! Never thought my face can leap its limit of ordinariness.” Kendall gave herself a smug smirk while staring at her long, dainty legs and slender waist.

Charlotte crossed her arms. “You owe me.”

Kendall chortled at her response. “Yeah, I do. As long as it’s not attending to one of your blind dates.”

Her friend laughed. “I won’t. Promise.”

Meanwhile, Kendall spoke through the earpiece to get to the other line. Her colleague, Inspector Noah Green, answered.

“Ready, Whitlock?”

“Yup. I will be at the location at 9.”

Noah Green was the chosen inspector to assist her throughout the case. He was tasked with aiding her in the process of her going as an undercover university student at UM. It was actually a good thing that he was the one who will be with her. As such, Green was one of her closest co-workers in the department.

As soon as Kendall had finished packing, she called Charlotte again to drive her off to the university.

“Char, can I have another favor?”

Done fixing, she returned her question. “What again?”

“Can you drop me off at UM?” Sheepishly, she smiled.

Incredulously, she asked, “You’re studying again? Is that why you need my help in styling you?”

“Kind of? Yeah. It's confidential.”

Charlotte growled. “Ugh, fine! Whatever, I don't care. You owe me big time, Kendall.”

“I know. I know. You're the best!” Kendall responded delightfully.

*****

As soon as they reached the university, Kendall went out of her friend’s car and bid her goodbye. She then looked around and noticed the diverse group of people. What she thought about the university being an exclusive school soon vanished when she saw clusters of students that looked like they came from different countries and social classes. However, one thing is for sure, and that is all of these students are smart.

With this, Kendall felt intimidated because she didn’t know how to fit in.

She then walked around the campus with her schedule in hand. Her first subject was at the Alaric building and a few minutes away from the main building. When she got to the room, Kendall recognized that there were already twenty students waiting for the professor.

Reaching the corner of the room, she located her target, Grayson Hoffman. "Target in sight," she whispered to the mic.

"Copy, Inspector, be subtle with your approach," Noah replied.

With no hesitation, she immediately went to him to introduce herself.

“Hi! I’m Hailey!” She brightly greeted him, offering her hand to him while sitting at his side.

Grayson turned to look at her but gave her a dead gaze, like he wasn’t interested in talking to her. He didn’t say anything and went back to focusing on the book he was reading.

Kendall puckered with displeasure. “Hmm, okay. Nice to meet you.”

She was about to turn away when a sturdy and warm palm contacted her skin. Averting her gaze back to Grayson, she was welcomed by his perplexed expression.

“Wait! Aren’t you the nosy woman from the other day?!” he shrieked in astonishment.

She was surprised that he remembered it. Kendall knew that her encounter with him before the case would pose a problem for her undercover.

Faking a confused expression, she replied to him, “Um—”

Grayson cut her off instantly. “You are, aren’t you?”

Kendall didn’t know what to say.

'Ah, fuck it.' She cursed.